Attenborough, Richard

   b. 1923, Cambridge

   Actor and film-maker

   Richard Attenborough’s distinguished and prolific career in film making began with supporting roles in dramas, war films and comedies, highlighted by his performance as the amoral gangster Pinky in Brighton Rock (1947). He soon combined acting with producing, making films such as The Angry Silence (1960), the powerful story of a trade union dispute, Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) and 10 Rillington Place (1970), which demonstrated his capacity for studied, disturbing performances. Turning to directing in 1969 with Oh! What a Lovely War, Attenborough’s perception of the film maker’s role as that of a storyteller is borne out with his epics Gandhi (1982), Cry Freedom (1987) and Chaplin (1992). His versatility is confirmed by later acting roles, with appearances in Hollywood productions such as Jurassic Park (1993) and Miracle on 34th Street (1994).

   ALICE E. SANGER