Academy Award-winning British filmmaker and actor Richard Attenborough has passed away aged 90, his son has revealed today.
Born in Cambridge in 1923, Attenborough began his career in his teens, working on the stage before making his screen debut in 1942’s In Which We Serve. After his breakthrough in 1947’s Brighton Rock, he would go on to become one of Britain’s most celebrated actors with roles in films such as The Great Escape, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Sand Pebbles and Doctor Dolittle – with the latter two providing him back-to-back Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actor.
In the 1960s, Attenborough branched out into producing and made his directorial debut with 1969’s Oh! What a Lovely War. Following the all-star war film A Bridge Too Far, he enjoyed Academy Awards success with the historical epic Gandhi, winning Best Director and Best Picture, as well as a further two Golden Globes. His later directorial offerings included A Chorus Line, Cry Freedom, Chaplin and Shadowlands.
In 1993, Attenborough was convinced by Steven Spielberg to get back in front of the camera for the role of John Hammond in Jurassic Park, reprising the role of its sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park. His later on screen appearances included the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street, as well as roles in Hamlet, Elizabeth and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His final work came in 2007 as director and producer of Closing the Ring.
Originally published August 24, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
