Richard Attenborough

The Right Honourable Lord Attenborough CBE
Attenborough at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	Richard Samuel Attenborough
Spouse	Sheila Sim (1945-Present)

Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, CBE (born 29 August 1923) is a British actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur. Attenborough has won two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes. He is the elder brother of naturalist and wildlife filmmaker Sir David Attenborough.

Early life

Attenborough was born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, the son of Mary Attenborough (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, and wrote a standard text on Anglo-Saxon law. Attenborough was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). During the Second World War Attenborough served in the Royal Air Force.

Acting career

Attenborough's film career began in 1942 as a deserting sailor in In Which We Serve, a role which would help to type-cast him for many years as spivs or cowards in films like London Belongs to Me (1948), Morning Departure (1950), and his breakthrough role as a psychopathic young gangster in the film of Graham Greene's novel Brighton Rock (1947). Attenborough worked prolifically in British films for the next thirty years, and in the 1950s appeared in several successful comedies for John and Roy Boulting, including Private's Progress (1956) and I'm All Right Jack (1959). Early in his stage career, Attenborough starred in the London West End production of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, which went on to become one of the world's longest running stage productions. Both he and his wife were among the original cast members of the production, which opened in 1952 and as of 2010 is still running.

In the 1960s, he expanded his range of character roles in films such as Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) and Guns at Batasi (1964), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM). In 1963 he appeared in the ensemble cast of The Great Escape, as Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett ("Big X"), the head of the escape committee. It was his first appearance in a major Hollywood film blockbuster, and his most successful film up to that time.

In 1967 and 1968, he won back-to-back Golden Globe Awards in the category of Best Supporting Actor, the first time for The Sand Pebbles starring Steve McQueen, and the second time for Doctor Dolittle starring Rex Harrison. He would win another Golden Globe for Best Director, for Gandhi, in 1983. Six years prior to Gandhi he played the ruthless General Outram in Indian director Satyajit Ray's period piece The Chess Players. He has never been nominated for an Academy Award in an acting category.

He took no acting roles following his appearance in Otto Preminger's version of The Human Factor in 1979, until his appearance as the eccentric developer John Hammond in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park in 1993. The following year he starred in the remake of Miracle on 34th Street as Kris Kringle. Since then he has made occasional appearances in supporting roles including the 1998 historical drama Elizabeth as Sir William Cecil.

Producer and director

Attenborough in 1983

In the late 1950s, Attenborough formed a production company, Beaver Films, with Bryan Forbes and began to build a profile as a producer on projects including The League of Gentlemen (1959), The Angry Silence (1960) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961), also appearing in the first two of these as an actor.

His feature film directorial debut was the all-star screen version of the hit musical Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), and his acting appearances became more sporadic - the most notable being his portrayal of serial killer John Christie in 10 Rillington Place (1971). He later directed two epic period films: Young Winston (1972), based on the early life of Winston Churchill, and A Bridge Too Far (1977), an all-star account of Operation Market Garden in World War II. He won the 1982 Academy Award for Best Director for his historical epic, Gandhi, a project he had been attempting to get made for many years. As the film's producer, he also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His most recent films as director and producer include Chaplin (1992) starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin and Shadowlands (1993), based on the relationship between C. S. Lewis and Joy Gresham. The star of the latter was Anthony Hopkins, who also appeared in three other films for Attenborough: Young Winston, A Bridge Too Far and the thriller Magic (1978).

Attenborough also directed the screen version of the musical A Chorus Line (1985); and the apartheid drama Cry Freedom based on the life and death in police custody of prominent anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko and the experiences of Donald Woods. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director for both films.

Corporate appointments

• Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute (1982-1992)
• Chairman of Capital Radio
• Director of Chelsea Football Club (1969–1982)
• Life Vice-President of Chelsea Football Club (1993-2008)
• Life President of Chelsea Football Club (2008–Present)
• Deputy Chairman of Channel Four Television (1982–1987)
• Chairman of Channel Four (1987–1992)
• Chairman of Goldcrest Films
• President of RADA
• President of BAFTA
• President of the Gandhi Foundation
• President of the British National Film and Television School
• Vice Patron of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund

Lord Attenborough also heads a committee awarding the eponymous Attenborough Prize, a £2000 annual arts prize celebrating creativity by emerging artists. The Attenborough Prize is awarded to the best contemporary visual artist among a shortlist of six artists presented to Lord Attenborough. The most recent (2007) Prize was awarded to Choterina Freer.

Current projects

Chancellor of the University of Sussex

Attenborough spent time in Belfast, Northern Ireland, working on his film, Closing the Ring, set in Belfast during the Second World War. The movie was released in October, 2007.

Attenborough is also the patron of the UWC movement (United World Colleges) whereby he continually contributes greatly to the colleges that are part of the organisation. He has frequented the United World College of Southern Africa (UWCSA) Waterford Kamhlaba. His wife and he founded the Richard and Sheila Attenborough Visual Arts Centre. He also founded the Jane Holland Creative Centre for Learning at Waterford Kamhlaba in Swaziland in memory of his daughter who died in the tsunami on 26 December 2004. He passionately believes in education, primarily education that does not judge upon colour, race, creed or religion. His attachment to Waterford is his passion for non-racial education, which were the grounds on which Waterford Kamhlaba was founded. Waterford was one of his inspirations for directing the Cry Freedom motion picture based on the life of Steve Biko.

He was elected to the post of Chancellor of the University of Sussex on 20 March 1998, replacing the Duke of Richmond and Gordon. He stood down as Chancellor of the University following Graduation in July 2008. There now hangs a 42 inch by 46 inch portrait of him in the University's library.

A lifelong supporter of Chelsea Football Club, Attenborough served as a director of the club from 1969-1982 and since 1993 has held the honorary position of Life Vice President.

He is also the head of the consortium "Dragon International", which are currently constructing a film and television studio complex in Llanilid, Wales, often referred to as "Valleywood."

Honours

In 1967, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was knighted in 1976 and in 1993 he was made a life peer as Baron Attenborough, of Richmond upon Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

On 13 July 2006, Attenborough, along with his brother David, were awarded the titles of Distinguished Honorary Fellows of the University of Leicester "in recognition of a record of continuing distinguished service to the University".

On 20 November 2008, Attenborough was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Drama from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in Glasgow.

Lord Attenborough is also listed as an Honorary Fellow of Bangor University for his continued efforts to film making.

Personal life

Attenborough has been married to British actress Sheila Sim since 1945. Since 1951 he has lived in a house on Richmond Green; his wife became a local JP. They had three children. On December 26, 2004, his elder daughter, Jane Holland, as well as her daughter, Lucy, and her mother-in-law, also named Jane, were killed in the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. A memorial service was held on 8 March 2005, and Attenborough read a lesson at the national memorial service on 11 May 2005. His grandson Samuel Holland and granddaughter Alice Holland also read in the service. A commemorative plaque has been placed in the floor of St Mary Magdalen's Parish church in Richmond.

As well as his daughter Jane, Attenborough has two other children, Michael John and Charlotte, an actress. Michael John Attenborough is Creative Director of the Almeida Theatre, London, married to actress Karen Lewis and has two sons. Attenborough has six grandchildren, five grandsons and one granddaughter, Alice (Lucy d. 2004).

Attenborough's father was principal of University College, Leicester, now the city's university. This has resulted in a long association with the university, with Lord Attenborough a patron. The university's Embrace Arts at the RA centre[2], which opened in 1997, is named in his honour. His son, Michael Attenborough, is also a director. He has two younger brothers, the world famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough; and John Attenborough, who has made a career in the motor trade.

He has collected Picasso ceramics since the 1950s. More than 100 items went on display at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester in 2007; the exhibition is dedicated to his family members lost in the tsunami.

In 2008 he published in association with his long standing associate, Diana Hawkins, an informal autobiography, Entirely Up to You, Darling.

In August 2008 Attenborough was hospitalised with heart problems, and was fitted with a pacemaker. In December 2008 he suffered a fall at his home and was admitted to St George's Hospital in Tooting, South West London. He went into a coma, but came out of it within a few days.

Filmography

Year	Title	Credited as
		Producer	Director	Actor	Role
1942	In Which We Serve			Yes	Young Stoker
1943	Schweik's New Adventures			Yes	Railway worker
1944	The Hundred Pound Window			Yes	Tommy Draper
1946	Journey Together			Yes	David Wilton
	A Matter of Life and Death			Yes	An English pilot
	School for Secrets			Yes	Jack Arnold
1947	Brighton Rock			Yes	Pinkie Brown
	The Man Within			Yes	Francis Andrews
	Dancing with Crime			Yes	Ted Peters
1948	London Belongs to Me			Yes	Percy Boon
	The Guinea Pig			Yes	Jack Read
1949	The Lost People			Yes	Jan
	Boys in Brown			Yes	Jackie Knowles
1950	Morning Departure			Yes	Stoker Snipe
1951	The Magic Box			Yes	Jack Carter
	Hell is Sold Out			Yes	Pierre Bonnet
1952	Father's Doing Fine			Yes	Dougall
	Eight O’Clock Walk			Yes	Thomas "Tom" Leslie Manning
	Gift Horse			Yes	Dripper Daniels
1955	The Ship That Died of Shame			Yes	George Hoskins
1956	Private's Progress			Yes	Pvt. Percival Henry Cox
	The Baby and the Battleship			Yes	Knocker White
1957	The Scamp			Yes	Stephen Leigh
	Brothers in Law			Yes	Henry Marshall
1958	Dunkirk			Yes	John Holden
	The Man Upstairs			Yes	Peter Watson
	Sea of Sand			Yes	Brody
1959	The League of Gentlemen			Yes	Lexy
	I'm All Right Jack			Yes	Sidney De Vere Cox
	Danger Within			Yes	Capt. "Bunter" Phillips
	Jet Storm			Yes	Ernest Tiller
	SOS Pacific			Yes	Whitney Mullen
1960	The Angry Silence	Yes		Yes	Tom Curtis
1961	Whistle Down the Wind	Yes
1962	Only Two Can Play			Yes	Probert
	The L-Shaped Room	Yes
	Trial and Error			Yes	Herbert Fowle
1963	The Great Escape			Yes	Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett
1964	The Third Secret			Yes	Alfred Price-Gorham
	Seance on a Wet Afternoon	Yes		Yes	Billy Savage
	Guns at Batasi			Yes	Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale
1965	The Flight of the Phoenix			Yes	Lew Moran
1966	The Sand Pebbles			Yes	Frenchy Burgoyne
1967	Doctor Dolittle			Yes	Albert Blossom
1968	Only When I Larf			Yes	Silas
	The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom			Yes	Robert Blossom
1969	The Magic Christian			Yes	Oxford coach
	Oh! What A Lovely War	Yes	Yes
1970	Loot			Yes	Inspector Truscott
	The Last Grenade			Yes	Gen. Charles Whiteley
	A Severed Head			Yes	Palmer Anderson
1971	10 Rillington Place			Yes	John Reginald Christie
1972	Cup Glory			Yes	Narrator
	Young Winston	Yes	Yes
1974	And Then There Were None			Yes	Judge Arthur Cannon
1975	Rosebud			Yes	Edward Sloat
	Brannigan			Yes	Cmdr. Charles Swann
	Conduct Unbecoming			Yes	Maj. Lionel E. Roach
1977	Shatranj Ke Khiladi			Yes	General Outram
	A Bridge Too Far		Yes	Yes	Lunatic wearing glasses
1978	Magic		Yes
1979	The Human Factor			Yes	Col. John Daintry
1982	Gandhi	Yes	Yes
1985	A Chorus Line		Yes
1987	Cry Freedom	Yes	Yes
1992	Chaplin	Yes	Yes
1993	Jurassic Park			Yes	Dr. John Hammond
	Shadowlands	Yes	Yes
1994	Miracle on 34th Street			Yes	Kris Kringle
1996	Hamlet			Yes	English Ambassador to Denmark
	In Love and War	Yes	Yes
1997	The Lost World: Jurassic Park			Yes	Dr. John Hammond
1998	Elizabeth			Yes	William Cecil
1999	Grey Owl	Yes	Yes
	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat			Yes	Jacob
2002	Puckoon			Yes	narrator
2007	Closing the Ring	Yes	Yes

Titles and Honours

• Richard Attenborough (1923–1967)
• Richard Attenborough CBE (1967–1976)
• Sir Richard Attenborough CBE (1976–1993)
• The Rt Hon The Lord Attenborough CBE (1993–)

External links

• Richard Attenborough Archive on the BAFTA website
• University of Sussex media release about Lord Attenborough's election as Chancellor, dated Friday, 20 March 1998
• Lord Attenborough at the BFI's Screenonline
• Richard Attenborough Stills & Posters Gallery from the British Film Institute
• Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts
• A Gift For Dickie a project to raise a multi-million pound film budget and give it away to Richard “Dickie” Attenborough so he can make the film he always dreamed of