Legend Lord Richard Attenborough Dies

It sad say we have lost another great this year the legend that is Actor and Director, Leicester born, Lord Richard Attenborough, aged 90. Over the course of a 60 year career he notched up some 74 film acting credits and directed 12 film, in addition to this he appeared on stage and co-starred, together with his wife Sheila Sim, in the original West End production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap in 1952, which is still running today at the St.Martins Theatre in London. 

He wasn't just an actor he was President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), President of the Muscular Dystrophy and  patron of the United World Colleges movement campaign. In addition to this he was a life long advocate of education that does not judge upon colour, race, creed or religion. In Business he had various interests and he was chairman of Capital Radio, deputy chairman of Channel 4, Chairman of the British Film Instutue and more. He worked tirelessly for charity and locally he founded the Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts at the University of Leicester.

Despite all he did outside the cinema it will there that many people will remember from and the many roles he played in films like  Jurassic Park, 10 Rillington Place,  Flight of the Phoenix, The Great Escape, Brighton Rock and many more. The list fims just being to great to put in one short blog post. And then there was his directing work which started when he directed oh what a lovely war and hit its heights with the film Gandhi in 1983 which won Academy Awards for best director and best film. Awards which he added to his collection that he won over the years.
  

  Jurassic Park (1993)

10 Rillington Place (1971) 

 Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

The Great Escape (1963)

 Brighton Rock (1947)

It is a sad loss for the world, but one that had to come, he had been in poor health for a number of years and lived in a nursing home with his wife, of some 69 years, after they sold their home 2 years ago. It a sad loss for use all and my heart goes out to his family who have by all accounts lost a warm and lovely man. May his films be watched for years to come and his legacy be enjoyed by as much in the future as they have been in the past.