Richard Burton (1925–1984), born in Wales, was a renowned, award-winning actor of stage and screen. He was one of the great British actors of the post-WWII period and at one time the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. He won a BAFTA, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Tony Awards for Best Actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but without ever winning. His awards include a 1975 Grammy Award for Best Children’s Recording, for The Little Prince. He also narrated Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds, his performance becoming a necessary part of the concept album. Widely admired for his command and understanding of English poetry, he insisted that his way out of an impoverished Welsh childhood was due not to acting but to books; he read one a day and was an avid fan of Shakespeare. Although he is widely known for his Tony Award-winning role playing King Arthur in the original production of Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway musical Camelot, he also won a reputation as the best Hamlet of his generation. |
