Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, was an English actor, film director and producer. He won two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards for his directing. He also won three BAFTAs and two Golden Globes for his acting.
๐ญ Acting Career
As an actor, Attenborough is best remembered for film roles in Brighton Rock, The Great Escape, and Jurassic Park. On stage, he originated the role of Detective Sergeant Trotter in Agatha Christieโs The Mousetrap in 1952.
His first major credited role was in The Hundred Pound Window (1944). His breakthrough role was as Pinkie Brown in Brighton Rock (1947).
๐ฅ Directing and Producing
For his directorial debut Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), Attenborough was nominated for a BAFTA. He won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director for Gandhi in 1983.
His later films as director and producer include Chaplin (1992) and Shadowlands (1993). He formed a production company, Beaver Films, with Bryan Forbes in the late 1950s.
๐ Awards and Honors
Attenborough was knighted in 1976 for services to film. He received the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement in 1983. He won back-to-back Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor in 1967 and 1968.
๐ Personal Life and Service
Attenborough was the older brother of broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, filming from the tail gunnerโs position. He was president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
| Category | Detail | Year | Notable Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 29 August 1923 | 1923 | Cambridge, England |
| Death | 24 August 2014 | 2014 | โ |
| Directing Awards | 2 Academy Awards, 3 BAFTAs, 4 Golden Globes | 1983 | Gandhi |
| Acting Awards | 3 BAFTAs, 2 Golden Globes | 1964โ1968 | Sรฉance on a Wet Afternoon |