John Hurt
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 22, 1940
- Died
- January 25, 2017 (aged 77)
- Birthplace
- Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, UK
Biography
Sir John Vincent Hurt (January 22, 1940 – January 25, 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. He came to prominence for his role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons (1966) and gained BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayals of Timothy Evans in 10 Rillington Place (1971) and Quentin Crisp in television film The Naked Civil Servant (1975) – winning his first BAFTA for the latter. He played Caligula in the BBC TV series I, Claudius (1976). Hurt's performance in the prison drama Midnight Express (1978) brought him international renown and earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, along with an Academy Award nomination. His BAFTA-nominated portrayal of astronaut Kane, in the science-fiction horror film Alien (1979), notably included a scene where an alien creature burst out of his chest, named by several publications as one of the most memorable moments in cinema history. Hurt earned his third competitive BAFTA, along with his second Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, as Joseph Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man (1980). Other significant roles during the 1980s included Bob Champion in biopic Champions (1984), Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit (1984), Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and Stephen Ward in the drama depicting the Profumo affair, Scandal (1989). Hurt was again BAFTA-nominated for his work in Irish drama The Field (1990) and played the primary villain, James Graham, in the epic adventure Rob Roy (1995). His later films include the Harry Potter film series (2001–11), the Hellboy films (2004 and 2008), supernatural thriller The Skeleton Key (2005), western The Proposition (2005), political thriller V for Vendetta (2005), action adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), sci-fi action Outlander (2008) and the Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). Hurt reprised his role as Quentin Crisp in An Englishman in New York (2009), which brought his seventh BAFTA nomination. He portrayed the War Doctor in the BBC TV series Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", in 2013. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors; director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in the world". He possessed what was described as the "most distinctive voice in Britain", likened by The Observer to "nicotine sieved through dirty, moonlit gravel". His voice acting career encompassed films such as Watership Down (1978), The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Plague Dogs (1982), The Black Cauldron (1985), Dogville (2003) and Planet Dinosaur (2011) as well as BBC TV series Merlin (2008–2012). In 2012, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Award, in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to cinema". He was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War
Movie · as The Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
Henry Fonda for President
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Doctor Who at the Proms
Movie · as The Doctor (War) (archive footage)
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ayamé
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Damascus Cover
Movie · as Miki
The Journey
Movie · as Harry Patterson
That Good Night
Movie · as Ralph
My Name Is Lenny
Movie · as Leslie Salmon
Jackie
Movie · as The Priest
ChickLit
Movie · as Francis Bonar
The Pity of War: The Loves and Lives of the War Poets
Movie · as Siegfried Sassoon
The Final Reel
Movie · as Self - Narrator (voice)
Back to Utopia
Movie · as Professor Peter Panludic (voice)
Dmitri Shostakovich: A Man of Many Faces
Movie · as Narator
The Alchemist's Letter
Movie · as The Alchemist (voice)
A.K.A Nadia
Movie · as 347
Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie
Movie · as Sailor John (voice)
Break
Movie · as Jack
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song
Movie · as The Doctor (War) (picture) (uncredited)
The Last Panthers
TV · as Tom · 6 eps
Hercules
Movie · as Cotys
Wimbledon The Official Film 2014
Movie · as Narrator
Richard Attenborough: A Life in Film
Movie · as Self
Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty
Movie · as Self
Jayne Mansfield's Car
Movie · as Kingsley Bedford
Snowpiercer
Movie · as Gilliam
Only Lovers Left Alive
Movie · as Christopher Marlowe
Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Muse of Fire
Movie · as Self
The Day of the Doctor: Cinema Intro
Movie · as The War Doctor
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor
Movie · as The War Doctor
Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor
Movie · as The War Doctor
Hello: A Portrait Of Leslie Phillips
Movie · as Self / Stephen Ward
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Movie · as The War Doctor (archive voice)
Swan Lake 3D - Live from the Mariinsky Theatre
Movie · as The Voice of the Winter Palace / Self
Doctor Who at the Proms
Movie · as The War Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Sightseers
Movie · as Jerusalem Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The Snipist
Movie · as The Ministry
More Than Honey
Movie · as Narrator (english voice)
Labyrinth
TV · as Audric Baillard · 2 eps
The Hollow Crown
TV · as The Chorus · 1 ep
Playhouse Presents
TV · as The Ministry (voice) · 1 ep
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Movie · as Ollivander
Melancholia
Movie · as Dexter
Immortals
Movie · as Old Zeus
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Movie · as Control
The Gruffalo's Child
Movie · as The Owl (voice)
Sailcloth
Movie · as Man
The Confession
Movie · as Priest
On Borrowed Time
Movie · as Self
23 Degrees, 5 Minutes
Movie · as Professor Orit
The Journey – Stories from the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
Movie · as Narrator
In Love with Alma Cogan
Movie · as MC
Human Planet
TV · as Narrator (voice) · 8 eps
The Confession
TV · as Priest · 10 eps
Planet Dinosaur
TV · as Narrator · 6 eps
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Movie · as Ollivander
Brighton Rock
Movie · as Phil Corkery
Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie
Movie · as Carnak
Lou
Movie · as Doyle
Waking Sleeping Beauty
Movie · as The Horned King (voice) (archive footage)
Whistle and I'll Come to You
Movie · as James Parkin
A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures
Movie · as Grandpa Sammy (voice)
Behind Jim Jarmusch
Movie · as Self
Love at First Sight
Movie · as Arthur
The Limits of Control
Movie · as Guitar
The Gruffalo
Movie · as Owl (voice)
An Englishman in New York
Movie · as Quentin Crisp
44 Inch Chest
Movie · as Old Man Peanut
Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Remembrance
Movie · as Bellhop
Ballybrando
Movie · as Self
Centenary: The BP Story
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Movie · as Professor Harold Oxley
Outlander
Movie · as Rothgar
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Movie · as Trevor Bruttenholm
The Oxford Murders
Movie · as Arthur Seldom
Recount
Movie · as Warren Christopher
Lecture 21
Movie · as Mondrian Kilroy
New York, I Love You
Movie · as Bellhop
Verity Lambert: Drama Queen
Movie
Merlin
TV · as Kilgharrah (voice) · 65 eps
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Movie · as Self
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron
Movie · as Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)
Boxes
Movie · as Fanny's father
Interview with John Hurt
Movie · as Self
Masters of Science Fiction
TV · as Samswope · 1 ep
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
V for Vendetta
Movie · as Adam Sutler
Shooting Dogs
Movie · as Christopher
The Plot Against Harold Wilson
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Whaledreamers
Movie · as Self
V for Vendetta: Unmasked
Movie
Manderlay
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
The Skeleton Key
Movie · as Ben Devereaux
Valiant
Movie · as Felix (voice)
Once Upon a Halloween
Movie · as The Horned King (voice) (archive sound)
The Proposition
Movie · as Jellon Lamb
Hiroshima
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Short Order
Movie · as Felix
Doctor Who
TV · as The War Doctor · 1 ep
Hiroshima: The First Weapon of Mass Destruction
TV · as Narrator · 1 ep
Hellboy
Movie · as Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm
Hellboy: The Seeds of Creation
Movie · as Self
Shadowing the Third Man
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Pride
Movie · as Harry (voice)
Alpha to Omega: Exposing 'The Osterman Weekend'
Movie · as Self
The Alan Clark Diaries
TV · as Alan Clark · 6 eps
Who Do You Think You Are?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Owning Mahowny
Movie · as Victor Foss
The Beast Within: Making Alien
Movie · as Self
Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill
Movie · as Man from Maybury Hill
Dogville
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film
Movie · as Self / Self - Krapp ("Krapp's Last Tape")
The Alien Saga
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Miranda
Movie · as Christian
Crime and Punishment
Movie · as Porfiry, chief investigator
Bait
Movie · as Jack Blake
I, Claudius: A Television Epic
Movie · as Self
The Twilight Hour: Visions of Ireland's Haunted Past
Movie · as Self
HypaSpace
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Edge of the Universe
TV · as Narrator (voice) · 3 eps
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Movie · as Mr Ollivander
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Movie · as Dr. Iannis
Shaolin: Wheel of Life
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Hidden Wars of Desert Storm
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Tabloid
Movie · as Vince
The Terrible Elephant Man Revealed
Movie · as Self
Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged
Movie · as Self
Krapp's Last Tape
Movie · as Krapp
Lost Souls
Movie · as Father Lareaux
The Tigger Movie
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
You're Dead...
Movie · as Maitland
All the Little Animals
Movie · as Mr. Summers
New Blood
Movie · as Alan White
If... Dog... Rabbit
Movie · as Sean Cooper
Watership Down
TV · as General Woundwort (voice) · 3 eps
The Commissioner
Movie · as James morton
Love and Death on Long Island
Movie · as Giles De'Ath
The Climb
Movie · as Chuck Langer
Night Train
Movie · as Michael Poole
Parkinson
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Brute
Movie · as Babits
Contact
Movie · as S. R. Hadden
Tender Loving Care
Movie · as Dr. Turner
Dead Man
Movie · as John Scholfield
Rob Roy
Movie · as John Graham
Wild Bill
Movie · as Charley Prince
On Jupiter
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Saigon Baby
Movie · as Jack Lee
Picture Windows: Two Nudes Bathing
Movie · as Marquis de Prey
Picture Windows
TV · as Marquis de Prey · 1 ep
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Movie · as The Countess
Second Best
Movie · as Uncle Turpin
Great Moments in Aviation
Movie · as Rex Goodyear
Thumbelina
Movie · as Mr. Mole (voice)
The World of Jim Henson
Movie · as The Storyteller (archive footage)
Rabbit Ears - Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Inside the Actors Studio
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Monolith
Movie · as Villano
GMTV
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Dark at Noon
Movie · as Anthony / Le Marquis
Six Characters in Search of An Author
Movie · as The Father
King Ralph
Movie · as Graves
Red Fox
Movie · as Archie Carpenter
Journey to Knock
Movie · as Alfred
I Dreamt I Woke Up
Movie · as Boorman's Alter Ego
Lapse of Memory
Movie · as Conrad Farmer
Performance
TV · as The Father · 1 ep
Frankenstein Unbound
Movie · as Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator (voice)
The Field
Movie · as Bird' O'Donnell
Windprints
Movie · as Charles Rutherford
Resident Alien
Movie · as Self - Actor
Who Bombed Birmingham?
Movie · as Chris Mullin
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch
Movie · as Self
Paul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Romeo.Juliet
Movie · as La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)
Scandal
Movie · as Stephen Ward
Poison Candy
Movie · as Robert Burger
David Macaulay: Pyramid
Movie · as Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)
The Jim Henson Hour
TV · as The Storyteller (archive footage) · 5 eps
Deadline
Movie · as Granville Jones
The Bengali Night
Movie · as Lucien Metz
The Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: Fearnot
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: A Story Short
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: The Luck Child
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: The True Bride
Movie · as The Storyteller
A Dinner of Herbs
Movie · as Verse Reader
The Storyteller: The Three Ravens
Movie · as The Storyteller
The Storyteller
TV · as The Storyteller · 9 eps
Spaceballs
Movie · as John Hurt
From the Hip
Movie · as Douglas Benoit
Aria
Movie · as The Actor
White Mischief
Movie · as Gilbert Colville
The Hunting of the Snark
Movie · as The Narrator
Vincent
Movie · as Vincent Van Gogh (voice)
Iceberg
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Monolith
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Frightmares
Movie
Jake Speed
Movie · as Syd
Rocinante
Movie · as Bill
Thames Film
Movie · as Narrator
ScreenPlay
TV · as Alfred · 1 ep
After Darkness
Movie · as Peter Hunningford
The Black Cauldron
Movie · as The Horned King (voice)
The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Live Aid
Movie · as Self
Screen Two
TV · as Rex Goodyear, Jack Lee · 1 ep
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Movie · as Winston Smith
The Hit
Movie · as Braddock
Champions
Movie · as Bob Champion
Success Is the Best Revenge
Movie · as Dino Montecurva
Sunset People
Movie · as Self
The Osterman Weekend
Movie · as Lawrence Fassett
King Lear
Movie · as The Fool
Natural World
TV · as Narrator · 2 eps
The Plague Dogs
Movie · as Snitter (voice)
Partners
Movie · as Kerwin
Night Crossing
Movie · as Peter Strelzyk
Paul McCartney - Take It Away
Movie · as Self
History of the World: Part I
Movie · as Jesus - The Roman Empire
The Elephant Man
Movie · as John Merrick
Heaven's Gate
Movie · as Billy Irvine
An Evening with Quentin Crisp
Movie · as Host
Alien
Movie · as Kane
Crime and Punishment
TV · as Rodion Raskolnikov · 3 eps
The Lord of the Rings
Movie · as Aragorn (voice)
Watership Down
Movie · as Hazel (voice)
Midnight Express
Movie · as Max
The Shout
Movie · as Anthony Fielding
East of Elephant Rock
Movie · as Nash
The Disappearance
Movie · as Atkinson
Three Dangerous Ladies
Movie · as Lt. George Simmonds
Spectre
Movie · as Mitri Cyon
The Hollywood Greats
TV · 1 ep
The Sunday Drama
TV · as Dave · 1 ep
Stream Line
Movie · as Chandler
The Peddler
Movie · as Alec Cassell
The Island
Movie · as Captain Simmonds
I, Claudius
TV · as Caligula · 5 eps
The Naked Civil Servant
Movie · as Quentin Crisp
The Ghoul
Movie · as Tom Rawlings
The Sweeney
TV · as Tony Grey · 1 ep
Saturday Night Live
TV · as March Hare · 1 ep
Shades of Greene
TV · as Fred · 1 ep
Ten from the Twenties
TV · as Philip Repton · 1 ep
Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs
Movie · as Malcolm Scrawdyke
The Playboy of the Western World
Movie · as Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)
NOVA
TV · as Narrator · 1 ep
Wessex Tales
TV · as Joshua Harlborough · 1 ep
The Pied Piper
Movie · as Franz
10 Rillington Place
Movie · as Timothy Evans
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
Movie · as Richard Forbush
Green Julia
Movie · as Bob
A Ghost Story for Christmas
TV · as James Parkin · 1 ep
Great Performances
TV · as Narrator · 1 ep
Film '72
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Play for Today
TV · as Alec Cassell · 1 ep
Sinful Davey
Movie · as Davey Haggart
Before Winter Comes
Movie · as Lieutenant Pilkington
In Search of Gregory
Movie · as Daniel
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
TV · as Bob · 1 ep
The Sailor from Gibraltar
Movie · as John
ITV Playhouse
TV · as Guy Beresford · 1 ep
A Man for All Seasons
Movie · as Richard Rich
NET Playhouse
TV · as Peter Heywood · 1 ep
Gideon's Way
TV · as Freddy Tisdale · 1 ep
This Is My Street
Movie · as Charlie
Thursday Theatre
TV · as Orpheus · 1 ep
First Night
TV · as Garry · 1 ep
The Wild and the Willing
Movie · as Phil Corbett
Drama 61-67
TV · as Private Briggs, Tom · 1 ep
Armchair Theatre
TV · as Joe · 1 ep
Golden Globe Awards
TV · as Self - Nominee · 1 ep