biography
| name: |
Burton, Richard
|
| |
originally Richard Walter Jenkins
|
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1925–84)
|
| biography:
| Stage and film actor, born in Pontrhydfen, Neath and Port Talbot, SC Wales, UK. The 12th child (possibly grandchild) of a coalminer, Richard Jenkins, he was brought up in his sister's house after his mother's death. He was befriended by his English teacher, Philip H Burton, who encouraged his acting and study of English, and eventually adopted him. He went to Oxford, and in 1943 changed his name to Burton. He acted in Liverpool and Oxford, served in the RAF, and returned to the stage in 1948, when he made his film debut. He made his stage reputation in Fry's The Lady's Not for Burning (1949), and had a triumphant season at Stratford (1951). He acted in Shakespearean productions at the London Old Vic in 1953–6, and gave a memorable performance of Hamlet in John Gielgud's Broadway production of that play in 1964. His early Hollywood films include My Cousin Rachel (1952) and The Robe (1953) for which he received one of his six Oscar nominations. In 1954 he was the narrator in the famous radio production of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood. His romance with Elizabeth Taylor during the making of Cleopatra (1962) and their eventual marriage (1964–74) projected them both into the ‘superstar’ category. Among his later films were Becket (1964), Equus (1977), and 1984 (released after his death). In his later years, interest in his social life grew, especially after his remarriage to Elizabeth Taylor (1975–6). |
|
|
