Richard Attenborough Biography

Born On: August 29, 1923

Born In: Cambridge, England

Nationality: British

Career: Actor,Director, Producer, Entrepreneur

 

Richard Samuel Attenborough, popularly known as Lord Attenborough, is one of the most renowned English actors, directors, producers, and entrepreneurs. He entered the film industry, as an actor, in 1942 and made his debut as a producer in 1959 and as a director in 1969. He has been honored with two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes, till date. Apart from being made a Commander of the Order, he has also been knighted by the British Empire. Throughout his life, he has been married to English actress Sheila Sim and presently resides in Richmond Green, in Richmond, England.

 

Richard Attenborough was born on 29^th August 1923, in the Cambridge city of England. He is the son of Mary (née Clegg), a founding member of the Marriage Guidance Council, and Frederick Levi Attenborough, a scholar and academic administrator who was a don at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Attenborough completed his education from Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He also served in the Royal Air Force, during World War II.

 

Richard Attenborough made his debut in the film industry in 1942, with the movie 'In Which We Serve'. He played the role of a deserting sailor in the movie. For many years following 'In Which We Serve', he continued to be type-cast in similar kind of roles, especially in movies like 'London Belongs to Me' (1948) and 'Morning Departure' (1950). Somewhere in-between, he played the role of a psychopathic young gangster, in the movie 'Brighton Rock', which helped him garner much appreciation.

 

The decade of 1950s saw Attenborough being a part of numerous comedies for John and Roy Boulting, like 'Private's Progress' (1956) and 'I'm All Right Jack' (1959), many of which were a hit at the box office. During this time, he starred in the London West End production of Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap'. One of the world's longest running stage productions, 'The Mousetrap' had Attenborough as well as his wife in the original cast members. The production is being run successfully in the present times as well.

 

In the 1960s, Attenborough bagged a role in the ensemble cast of 'The Great Escape' (1963), his first appearance in a major Hollywood film blockbuster. Thereafter, he was seen in films like 'Seance on a Wet Afternoon' (1964) and 'Guns at Batasi' (1964). For the latter, he also won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. The year 1967 and 1968 saw Attenborough winning back-to-back Golden Globe Awards, in the category of Best Supporting Actor. The first award was for 'The Sand Pebbles', while 'Doctor Dolittle' got him the second one.

 

In 1977, Attenborough played the ruthless General Outram in Satyajit Ray's period piece 'The Chess Players' (Shatranj Ke Khiladi). Two years later, in 1979, he was seen in Otto Preminger's version of 'The Human Factor'. Thereafter, he completely vanished from the silver screen, making a comeback in 1993, in Steven Spielberg's 'Jurassic Park'. The following year, he was seen in the remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street', as Kris Kringle. Since then, he has only been making occasional appearances, that too in supporting roles.

 

Richard Attenborough entered the world of production in the late 1950s, when he formed a production company, 'Beaver Films', in collaboration with Bryan Forbes. 'The League of Gentlemen' (1959), 'The Angry Silence' (1960) and 'Whistle Down the Wind' (1961) were amongst the earlier films that were produced by the company. Attenborough made his directorial debut in 1969, with 'Oh! What a Lovely War'. He directed three films in the 1970s, two being epic period films: 'Young Winston' (1972) and 'A Bridge Too Far' (1977).

 

In 1982, Attenborough directed the historical epic, 'Gandhi', for which he won an Academy Award. He also produced the film, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1985, he directed the screen version of the musical 'A Chorus Line', followed by 'Cry Freedom' (1987). For both the films, he received Golden Globe nomination, for Best Director. His most recent films as both, director and producer include, Chaplin (1992) and Shadowlands (1993). As for his recent directorial venture, 'Closing the Ring' (2007) is the name to quote.

 

Richard Attenborough presently heads a committee awarding the eponymous Attenborough Prize. It is a £2000 annual arts prize, which seeks to acknowledge the creativity of emerging artists. It is awarded to the best contemporary visual artist, selected from amongst a shortlist of six artists presented to Attenborough. The last Attenborough Prize was given to Choterina Freer. The other corporate and non-corporate positions held by Attenborough, in the past as well as present, have been listed below. 

Richard Attenborough is the patron of the UWC movement (United World Colleges). He has also founded: 

Richard Attenborough married English actress Sheila Sim in 1945 and the couple are living happily till date. The couple had three children - Charlotte, Michael, and Jane. Jane, his elder daughter, was killed in the 2004 Tsunami, along with her daughter - Lucy and mother-in-law - also named Jane. Michael is also a director, just like his father, while Charlotte is an actress. Richard has two younger brothers - world-famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough and John Attenborough, involved in the motor trade. In 2008, Richard published an informal autobiography, Entirely Up to You, Darling

 

Honors 

 

1964 - BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role ('Guns at Batasi' & 'Seance on a Wet Afternoon')

1967 - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor ('The Sand Pebbles')

1968 - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor ('Doctor Dolittle')

1982 - Academy Award for Best Director ('Gandhi')

1982 - BAFTA Award for Best Direction ('Gandhi')

1983 - Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture ('Gandhi')

 

 

 

1942: In Which We Serve

1946: Journey Together, A Matter of Life and Death, School for Secrets  

1947: Brighton Rock, The Man Within

1948: London Belongs to Me, The Guinea Pig

1949: Boys in Brown

1950: Morning Departure

1951: The Magic Box, Hell Is Sold Out

1952: Father's Doing Fine, Eight O’Clock Walk, Gift Horse

1955: The Ship That Died of Shame

1956: Private's Progress, The Baby and the Battleship

1957: The Scamp, Brothers in Law  

1958: Dunkirk, The Man Upstairs, Sea of Sand

1959: The League of Gentlemen, I'm All Right Jack, Danger Within, Jet Storm, SOS Pacific

1960: The Angry Silence

1962: Trial and Error

1963: The Great Escape

1964: Seance on a Wet Afternoon, Guns at Batasi

1965: The Flight of the Phoenix

1966: The Sand Pebbles

1967: Doctor Dolittle

1968: Only When I Larf, The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom

1969: The Magic Christian

1970: Loot, The Last Grenade, A Severed Head

1971: 10 Rillington Place

1972: Cup Glory (as narrator)

1974: And Then There Were None

1975: Rosebud, Brannigan, Conduct Unbecoming

1977: Shatranj Ke Khiladi

1979: The Human Factor

1993: Jurassic Park

1994: Miracle on 34th Street

1996: Hamlet

1997: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

1998: Jurassic Park: Trespasser (video game), Elizabeth

1999: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

2000: The Railway Children (

2001: Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story

2002: Puckoon

 

 

1969: Oh! What A Lovely War

1972: Young Winston

1977: A Bridge Too Far

1978: Magic

1982: Gandhi (also producer)

1985: A Chorus Line

1987: Cry Freedom (also producer)

1992: Chaplin (also producer)

1993: Shadowlands (also producer)

1996: In Love and War

1999: Grey Owl

2007: Closing the Ring