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Richard Attenborough

Actor

Richard Attenborough

Born August 29, 1923 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UKDied August 24, 201470 films

Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, Kt, CBE (August 29, 1923 – August 24, 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and politician. He was the President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Attenborough joined the Royal Air Force during World War II and served in the film unit. He went on several bombing raids over Europe and filmed action from the rear gunner's position.

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As a film director and producer, Attenborough won two Academy Awards for Gandhi in 1983. He also won four BAFTA Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his roles in Brighton Rock, The Great Escape, 10 Rillington Place, Miracle on 34th Street (1994) and Jurassic Park.

He was the older brother of David Attenborough, a naturalist and broadcaster, and John Attenborough, an executive at Alfa Romeo. He was married to actress Sheila Sim from 1945 until his death.

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The best way into Richard Attenborough's work
Jurassic Park posterFirst watchJurassic Park19938.0as HammondA wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Great Escape poster7.9The Great Escape1963The Lost World: Jurassic Park poster6.6The Lost World: Jurassic Park1997Elizabeth poster7.2Elizabeth1998A Bridge Too Far poster7.2A Bridge Too Far1977Miracle on 34th Street poster6.8Miracle on 34th Street1994A Matter of Life and Death poster7.7A Matter of Life and Death1946Hamlet poster7.3Hamlet1996The Flight of the Phoenix poster7.2The Flight of the Phoenix1965

Filmography

70 films as actor
  1. 2004Within the Way Without(voice)
  2. 2002PuckoonWriter/Director
  3. 2000The Railway ChildrenThe Old Gentleman
  4. 1999Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatJacob
  5. 1998ElizabethSir William Cecil
  6. 1997The Lost World: Jurassic ParkJohn Hammond
  7. 1996HamletEnglish Ambassador
  8. 1996E=MC²The Visitor
  9. 1994Miracle on 34th StreetKris Kringle
  10. 1993Jurassic ParkHammond
  11. 1979The Human FactorColonel John Daintry
  12. 1977The Chess PlayersGeneral Outram
  13. 1977A Bridge Too FarLunatic with Glasses (uncredited)
  14. 1975Conduct UnbecomingMajor Lionel E. Roach
  15. 1975RosebudEdward Sloat
  16. 1975BranniganCmdr. Charles Swann
  17. 1974And Then There Were NoneJudge Arthur Cannon
  18. 197110 Rillington PlaceJohn Christie
  19. 1971A Severed HeadPalmer Anderson
  20. 1970LootInspector Truscott
  21. 1970The Last GrenadeGeneral Charles Whiteley
  22. 1970Don't Make Me Laugh
  23. 1969The Magic ChristianOxford Coach
  24. 1969David CopperfieldMr. Tungay
  25. 1968The Bliss of Mrs. BlossomRobert Blossom
  26. 1968Only When I LarfSilas
  27. 1967Doctor DolittleAlbert Blossom
  28. 1966The Sand PebblesFrenchy Burgoyne
  29. 1965The Flight of the PhoenixLew Moran
  30. 1964Guns at BatasiRegimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale
  31. 1964Seance on a Wet AfternoonBill
  32. 1964The Third SecretAlfred Price-Gorham
  33. 1963The Great EscapeBartlett 'Big X'
  34. 1962The Dock BriefHerbert Fowle
  35. 1962All Night LongRod Hamilton
  36. 1962Only Two Can PlayGareth L. Probert
  37. 1960The League of GentlemenLexy
  38. 1960The Angry SilenceTom Curtis
  39. 1959SOS PacificWhitey Mullen
  40. 1959Jet StormErnest Tilley
  41. 1959I'm All Right JackSidney De Vere Cox
  42. 1959Danger WithinCapt. 'Bunter' Phillips
  43. 1958Sea of SandBrody
  44. 1958The Man UpstairsPeter Watson
  45. 1958DunkirkJohn Holden
  46. 1957The ScampStephen Leigh
  47. 1957Brothers in LawHenry Marshall
  48. 1956The Baby and the BattleshipKnocker White
  49. 1956Private's ProgressPvt. Percival Henry Cox
  50. 1955The Ship That Died of ShameGeorge Hoskins
  51. 1954Eight O'Clock WalkThomas Leslie Manning
  52. 1953Box for OneThe Caller
  53. 1952Father's Doing FineDougall
  54. 1952Gift HorseDripper Daniels
  55. 1952The Magic BoxJack Carter
  56. 1951Hell Is Sold OutPierre Bonnet
  57. 1950Morning DepartureStoker Snipe
  58. 1949Boys in BrownJackie Knowles
  59. 1949The Lost PeopleJan
  60. 1948London Belongs to MePercy Boon
  61. 1948The Guinea PigJack Read
  62. 1948Brighton RockPinkie Brown
  63. 1947Dancing with CrimeTed Peters
  64. 1947The Man WithinFrancis Andrews
  65. 1946School for SecretsJack Arnold
  66. 1946A Matter of Life and DeathAn English Pilot
  67. 1945Journey TogetherDavid Wilton
  68. 1944The Hundred Pound WindowTommy Draper
  69. 1943Svejk Wrecks GermanyRailway worker
  70. 1942In Which We ServeYoung Stoker