Richard Burton

Richard Burton, best known for his tumultuous personal life with Elizabeth Taylor (whom he married twice), was also recognized as a frequently outstanding British actor of the post-World War II era. Born Richard Walter Jenkins in 1925 in Pontrhydyfen, Wales, to Edith Maude (Thomas) and Richard Walter Jenkins, a coal miner, he was the twelfth of thirteen children. His mother died when he was very young, and his father later left the family, leaving him in the care of his elder sister, Cecilia. A devoted admirer of Shakespeare, poetry, and literature, he once remarked, "home is where the books are." He earned a scholarship to Oxford University to study acting and made his stage debut in 1944. His initial film roles were in standard British productions such as *Woman of Dolwyn* (1949), *Waterfront Women* (1950), and *Green Grow the Rushes* (1951). He then began appearing in Hollywood films, including *My Cousin Rachel* (1952), *The Robe* (1953), and *Alexander the Great* (1956), while also performing extensively in stage productions in both the UK and the USA, often receiving strong critical acclaim.

The late 1950s, a period of innovation in UK cinema known as the "British New Wave," saw Burton deliver a striking performance in *Look Back in Anger* (1959). He also starred alongside an array of international celebrities in the World War II epic *The Longest Day* (1962), and later took on what became his most infamous role as Marc Antony opposite Elizabeth Taylor in the costly *Cleopatra* (1963). This film marked the beginning of their intense and passionate relationship, which led to two marriages. The pair appeared together in several films over the following years, including *The V.I.P.s* (1963), *The Sandpiper* (1965), the acclaimed *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?* (1966), and *The Taming of the Shrew* (1967), as well as the commercially unsuccessful *The Comedians* (1967). Burton performed more effectively when working independently, delivering standout performances in *Becket* (1964), the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' *The Night of the Iguana* (1964), the espionage thriller *The Spy Who Came in from the Cold* (1965), and alongside Clint Eastwood in the World War II action film *Where Eagles Dare* (1968).

By the end of the 1960s, Burton's appeal had begun to wane as audiences gravitated toward younger male stars. Nevertheless, he delivered a strong performance as King Henry VIII in *Anne of the Thousand Days* (1969). He appeared in the unremarkable *Raid on Rommel* (1971), gave an over-the-top performance in *Villain* (1971), delivered lackluster performances in *Hammersmith Is Out* (1972) and *Bluebeard* (1972), and was ill-suited for the absurd *The Assassination of Trotsky* (1972). By the early 1970s, top-tier male lead roles were increasingly going to other actors, and Burton found himself appearing in lower-quality films to support his family, including *Divorce His - Divorce Hers* (1973) (his final film with Taylor), *The Klansman* (1974), *Brief Encounter* (1974), *Jackpot* (1974) (which was never completed), and *Exorcist II: The Heretic* (1977). He received another Oscar nomination for his compelling portrayal of a concerned psychiatrist in *Equus* (1977). He co-starred with fellow acting legends Richard Harris and Roger Moore in *The Wild Geese* (1978), a film about mercenaries in South Africa, which initially had a modest reception but later developed a cult following. His final performances included the role of the cunning inquisitor "O'Brien" in the film adaptation of George Orwell's *1984* (1984), for which he received favorable reviews, and a role in the TV mini-series *Ellis Island* (1984). Burton died on August 5, 1984, in Celigny, Switzerland, from a cerebral hemorrhage.