Sir Richard Attenborough

Sir Richard Attenborough. Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, was a towering figure in British cinema, renowned as an actor, director, and producer. His career spanned over six decades, during which he delivered memorable performances in films like Brighton Rock and achieved global acclaim as the director of the epic Gandhi. A dedicated humanitarian and philanthropist, he was also a prominent advocate for the arts and education, serving as Chancellor of the University of Sussex for over a decade.

Early life and education

Richard Attenborough was born in Cambridge to Mary and Frederick Attenborough, who was the principal of University College, Leicester. He was the eldest of three sons; his younger brothers were the naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough and motor industry executive John Attenborough. His family was deeply involved in academia and public service, with his father also serving on the Leicester City Council. Educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester, he developed an early passion for acting. He won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where he trained alongside contemporaries like Peter Ustinov before his studies were interrupted by service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Acting career

Attenborough's professional stage debut came in 1942 at the Garrick Theatre in London in a production of Ah, Wilderness!. He made his film debut that same year in Noël Coward's patriotic war drama In Which We Serve. His breakthrough role arrived in 1947 as the vicious young gangster Pinkie Brown in the Boulting Brothers' adaptation of Brighton Rock, a performance that established him as a serious actor. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he appeared in numerous successful films, including The Great Escape as Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, The Flight of the Phoenix, and Doctor Dolittle. He later won a BAFTA Award for his supporting role in Guns at Batasi and delivered a notable performance in the Steven Spielberg blockbuster Jurassic Park as John Hammond.

Directing and producing

Moving behind the camera, Attenborough co-founded the production company Allied Film Makers and directed his first feature, Oh! What a Lovely War, in 1969. He followed this with films like Young Winston, exploring the early life of Winston Churchill, and the acclaimed war epic A Bridge Too Far. His magnum opus was the 1982 biographical film Gandhi, a project he championed for twenty years. The film was a monumental critical and commercial success, winning eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Attenborough. Later directorial works included Cry Freedom, about Steve Biko, and Chaplin, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin.

Personal life and family

Attenborough married actress Sheila Sim in 1945, whom he met while both were performing in a production of The Little Foxes at the Playhouse Theatre. The couple had three children: Michael Attenborough, who became a theatre director, and two daughters, Jane and Charlotte Attenborough. The family endured profound tragedy in 2004 when Attenborough's elder daughter Jane and his granddaughter Lucy Holland were killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami while on holiday in Thailand. A lifelong supporter of Chelsea Football Club, he served as the club's director for many years. His London home was on Richmond Green.

Honours and legacy

Attenborough was knighted in 1976 and was later appointed a life peer in 1993, becoming Baron Attenborough, of Richmond upon Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. He served as Chancellor of the University of Sussex from 1998 to 2008. His contributions to film and charity were recognized with numerous awards, including the BAFTA Fellowship and the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. The Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts at the University of Leicester stands as a testament to his philanthropic work. He passed away in 2014, leaving a legacy as one of Britain's most respected and influential cinematic figures.

Category:English film directors Category:English male film actors Category:English film producers Category:1923 births Category:2014 deaths