Acclaimed British film actor and director Richard Attenborough has died aged 90.
Lord Attenborough was a leading light in the British film industry first as an actor and then as a director.
Attenborough made his first appearance on the silver screen in 1942’s RAF propaganda film In Which We Serve, but first caught the public’s attention as the psychopathic Pinkey in the 1947 adaptation of Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock.
He went on to appear in a number of films throughout his six decades in the movie industry including most famously The Great Escape (1963) and Jurassic Park (1993).
Behind the camera, he found his greatest success with Gandhi (1982) for for which he won two Oscars and two BAFTA awards, and to pay for which he mortgaged his house after Hollywood studios refused to fund the film.
Tributes have poured in from across the globe for a man prime Minister David Cameron described as “one of the greats of cinema”.
His acting in "Brighton Rock" was brilliant, his directing of "Gandhi" was stunning – Richard Attenborough was one of the greats of cinema.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) August 24, 2014
What an extraordinary, wonderful and varied goodie bag of brilliant work Richard Attenborough leaves us to enjoy. RIP.
— Marcus Brigstocke (@marcusbrig) August 24, 2014
A true legend : Richard Attenborough has passed away ! RIP Sir ….
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) August 24, 2014
#RIPRichardAttenborough Met many times & vitally got his blessing 4 being Chancellor @SussexUni. An artist+gentleman pic.twitter.com/qNje1PJUyZ
— Sanjeev Bhaskar (@TVSanjeev) August 24, 2014
Richard Attenborough was a true friend to my Grandfather and a kind, kind man. RIP. #legend
— Jonny Lee Miller (@jonnyjlm) August 25, 2014
"I believe we need heroes…we need certain people who we can measure our own shortcomings by." – Richard Attenborough
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) August 24, 2014
Just a few of the many facets of Richard Attenborough #r4today pic.twitter.com/QOFqWq8RK7
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) August 25, 2014
