BAFTA Archive

Lord Attenborough Biography

29 May 08

Lord A, as he is affectionately called by BAFTA staff, or "Dickie" as he is known by his friends, has been integral to countless Academy occasions and key moments in its prestigious history: from the international scope and very British style of our early Awards ceremonies, to the opening of our 195 Piccadilly headquarters in 1976 and, more recently, the presentation of a Film Fellowship to co-collaborator and friend Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2008.

Behind the scenes and in his role as Academy President since 2002, Lord Attenbrough's contribution to the financial stability and effective leadership of the Academy has been invaluable.

When something important is happening at BAFTA, Lord Attenborough is part of it. As Amanda Berry, the Academy’s Chief Executive, said on the occasion of his 80th birthday, he is: "A wonderful man, a talented actor, producer and director, an inspiration to all who meet him, an icon of the British Film Industry and passionate about BAFTA."

A wonderful man, a talented actor, producer and director, an inspiration and an icon..

• Biography
• BAFTA Awards
• Key Dates

Richard Attenborough Biography

Lord Attenborough was born in Cambridge, England in 1923. He later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to study theatre. He made his feature film debut in 1942 with In Which We Serve, followed shortly after by a breakthrough role as a young hood in Brighton Rock (1947). In the 1950s, Attenborough appeared in successful comedies for John and Roy Boulting.

In the late 1950s, Attenborough formed a production company, Beaver Films, with Bryan Forbes and began to produce projects including The League of Gentlemen (1959), The Angry Silence (1960) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961). Over the next ten years 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 for Best Actor. In 1963, he appeared in the ensemble cast of The Great Escape. In 1967 and 1968, Attenborough won two Golden Globes as Best Supporting Actor. He would win another Globe for Best Director, for Gandhi, in 1983.

He took no acting roles after 1978, until his appearance in Spielberg's Jurassic Park (1993). The following year he starred in the remake of Miracle on 34th Street. Since then he has made appearances in supporting film roles.

His directorial debut was a screen version of the hit musical Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), and thus his acting roles became less frequent - the most notable being his portrayal of a serial killer in 10 Rillington Place (1971). Attenborough later directed two epic period films: Young Winston (1972) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). He won two BAFTAs and two Oscars in 1982 for producing and directing the historical epic, Gandhi, his life’s ambition. He received a BAFTA Fellowship in 1983.

More recent films as director and producer include Chaplin (1992) and Shadowlands (1993). Both films starred Anthony Hopkins, who appeared in another three films for Attenborough. He also directed the screen version of musical A Chorus Line (1985) and the apartheid drama Cry Freedom (1987). He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Director for both films. He has since directed Grey Owl (1999) and Closing The Ring (2007).

In 1967, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was knighted in 1976 and in 1993 made a life peer as Baron Attenborough, of Richmond upon Thames. He has received too many other Awards, honours and accolades to mention.

• Richard Attenborough's Filmography

BAFTA Awards

Richard Attenborough received 13 British Academy Award nominations and won four (excluding the UN Award). Date listed represent the year of nomination.

1960 1962 1964 1969 1969 1969 1977 1982 1982 1987 1987 1993 1993 1993

British Actor British Actor *British Actor * Direction Film United Nations Award Direction Film Direction Film Direction Film British Film (Alexander Korda Award) Direction (David Lean Award)

The Angry Silence The Dock Brief Guns at Batasi / Séance on a Wet Afternoon Oh! What a Lovely War Oh! What a Lovely War Oh! What a Lovely War A Bridge Too Far Gandhi Gandhi Cry Freedom Cry Freedom Shadowlands Shadowlands Shadowlands

Key Dates

1959: Joined the Academy View Richard Attenborough's original application form

1961: Became Council Member

1969: Appointed Acadmey Chairman (until 1971) View past Academy Chairmen

1971: Proposed the introduction of an Academy Fellowship. The Fellowship was first presented by the Society of Film and Television Arts (SFTA) in 1971 to Alfred Hitchcock. View the list of Academy Fellows

1972: Became Trustee (until 2003).

1973: Became Vice President (until 1995)

1983: Received the Academy Fellowship

2000: Academy Tribute Award for Lifetime Achievement

2002: Became the Academy’s fourth President 1959-1965 HRH THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH K.G., K.T. 1966-1972 THE EARL MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA, K.G., P.C., G.C.B., O.M 1973-2001 HRH THE PRINCESS ANNE, GVCO (1987 – HRH THE PRINCESS ROYAL,) 2002-2010 LORD ATTENBOROUGH, Kt, CBE 2010- HRH PRINCE WILLIAM

2003: Eightieth Birthday celebration Find out more

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