John Hurt
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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
Credits
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
as Mr Ollivander
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
as Ollivander
Alien (1979)
as Kane
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
as Ollivander
Contact (1997)
as S. R. Hadden
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
as Professor Harold Oxley
The Skeleton Key (2005)
as Ben Devereaux
V for Vendetta (2006)
as Adam Sutler
Hercules (2014)
as Cotys
Snowpiercer (2013)
as Gilliam
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
as Narrator (voice)
Thumbelina (1994)
as Mr. Mole (voice)
Spaceballs (1987)
as John Hurt
Immortals (2011)
as Old Zeus
Dogville (2003)
as Narrator (voice)
Hellboy (2004)
as Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
as Control
The Black Cauldron (1985)
as The Horned King (voice)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
as Trevor Bruttenholm
The Lord of the Rings (1978)
as Aragorn (voice)
The Elephant Man (1980)
as John Merrick
Manderlay (2005)
as Narrator (voice)
White Mischief (1987)
as Gilbert Colville
Jackie (2016)
as The Priest
The Tigger Movie (2000)
as Narrator (voice)
A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures (2010)
as Grandpa Sammy (voice)
Frankenstein Unbound (1990)
as Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator (voice)
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
as Christopher Marlowe
Heaven's Gate (1980)
as Billy Irvine
Outlander (2008)
as Rothgar
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
as Winston Smith
New York, I Love You (2008)
as Bellhop
Midnight Express (1978)
as Max
The Gruffalo (2009)
as Owl (voice)
Melancholia (2011)
as Dexter
Dead Man (1995)
as John Scholfield
Jake Speed (1986)
as Syd
Night Crossing (1982)
as Peter Strelzyk
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
as Richard Rich
Valiant (2005)
as Felix (voice)
The Gruffalo's Child (2011)
as The Owl (voice)
Miranda (2002)
as Christian
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
as Dr. Iannis
Tabloid (2001)
as Vince
Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film (2003)
as Self / Self - Krapp ("Krapp's Last Tape")
Rob Roy (1995)
as John Graham
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor (2013)
as The War Doctor
The Confession (2011)
as Priest
Owning Mahowny (2003)
as Victor Foss
The Proposition (2005)
as Jellon Lamb
Watership Down (1978)
as Hazel (voice)
Short Order (2005)
as Felix
Romeo.Juliet (1990)
as La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)
The World of Jim Henson (1994)
as The Storyteller (archive footage)
The Alien Saga (2002)
as Narrator (voice)
The Bengali Night (1988)
as Lucien Metz
Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor (2013)
as The War Doctor
I Dreamt I Woke Up (1991)
as Boorman's Alter Ego
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1994)
as The Countess
The Oxford Murders (2008)
as Arthur Seldom
The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
as Quentin Crisp
Boxes (2007)
as Fanny's father
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
as Lawrence Fassett
The Storyteller: The Luck Child (1988)
as The Storyteller
Sightseers (2012)
as Jerusalem Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Muse of Fire (2013)
as Self
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron (2007)
as Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)
Lost Souls (2000)
as Father Lareaux
Scandal (1989)
as Stephen Ward
The Limits of Control (2009)
as Guitar
Bait (2002)
as Jack Blake
Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie (2015)
as Sailor John (voice)
The Hit (1984)
as Braddock
Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010)
as The Horned King (voice) (archive footage)
King Ralph (1991)
as Graves
Brighton Rock (2010)
as Phil Corkery
Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie (2010)
as Carnak
Picture Windows: Two Nudes Bathing (1995)
as Marquis de Prey
Doctor Who at the Proms (2013)
as The War Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony (2021)
as Self (archive footage)
Wild Bill (1995)
as Charley Prince
44 Inch Chest (2009)
as Old Man Peanut
Monolith (1987)
as Narrator (voice)
Dark at Noon (1992)
as Anthony / Le Marquis
The Plague Dogs (1982)
as Snitter (voice)
V for Vendetta: Unmasked (2006)
as Adam Sutler
Remembrance (2009)
as Bellhop
History of the World: Part I (1981)
as Jesus - The Roman Empire
I, Claudius: A Television Epic (2002)
as Self
The Storyteller: The Three Ravens (1988)
as The Storyteller
Saigon Baby (1995)
as Jack Lee
The Shout (1978)
as Anthony Fielding
The Day of the Doctor: Cinema Intro (2013)
as The War Doctor
The Storyteller: A Story Short (1988)
as The Storyteller
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow (1988)
as The Storyteller
10 Rillington Place (1971)
as Timothy Evans
The Island (1976)
as Captain Simmonds
Shooting Dogs (2006)
as Christopher
Iceberg (1987)
as Narrator (voice)
Live Aid (1985)
as Self
Lou (2010)
as Doyle
You're Dead... (1999)
as Maitland
Verity Lambert: Drama Queen (2008)
Actor
Jayne Mansfield's Car (2013)
as Kingsley Bedford
The Storyteller: The True Bride (1988)
as The Storyteller
Damascus Cover (2017)
as Miki
Aria (1987)
as The Actor
Hiroshima (2005)
as Narrator (voice)
Vincent (1987)
as Vincent Van Gogh (voice)
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas (2007)
as Self
Krapp's Last Tape (2000)
as Krapp
All the Little Animals (1999)
as Mr. Summers
More Than Honey (2012)
as Narrator (english voice)
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song (2015)
as The Doctor (War) (picture) (uncredited)
The Field (1990)
as Bird' O'Donnell
Second Best (1994)
as Uncle Turpin
Wimbledon The Official Film 2014 (2014)
as Narrator
An Englishman in New York (2009)
as Quentin Crisp
The Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog (1988)
as The Storyteller
Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers (2012)
as Narrator (voice)
Windprints (1990)
as Charles Rutherford
Pride (2004)
as Harry (voice)
David Macaulay: Pyramid (1989)
as Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)
Crime and Punishment (2002)
as Porfiry, chief investigator
Recount (2008)
as Warren Christopher
New Blood (1999)
as Alan White
The Peddler (1976)
as Alec Cassell
The Pied Piper (1972)
as Franz
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (2013)
as The War Doctor (archive voice)
The Sailor from Gibraltar (1967)
as John
Love and Death on Long Island (1998)
as Giles De'Ath
The Storyteller: Fearnot (1988)
as The Storyteller
Champions (1984)
as Bob Champion
My Name Is Lenny (2017)
as Leslie Salmon
Once Upon a Halloween (2005)
as The Horned King (voice) (archive sound)
Ballybrando (2009)
as Self
Doctor Who at the Proms (2024)
as The Doctor (War) (archive footage)
Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War (2025)
as The Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
Poison Candy (1989)
as Robert Burger
Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World (2009)
as Self (archive footage)
Whaledreamers (2006)
as Self
Rocinante (1986)
as Bill
On Borrowed Time (2011)
as Self
Great Moments in Aviation (1994)
as Rex Goodyear
Stream Line (1976)
as Chandler
Henry Fonda for President (2025)
as Self (archive footage)
From the Hip (1987)
as Douglas Benoit
Monolith (1993)
as Villano
Hellboy: The Seeds of Creation (2004)
as Self
The Ghoul (1975)
as Tom Rawlings
Richard Attenborough: A Life in Film (2014)
as Self
Swan Lake 3D - Live from the Mariinsky Theatre (2013)
as The Voice of the Winter Palace / Self
The Commissioner (1998)
as James morton
Lapse of Memory (1991)
as Conrad Farmer
Behind Jim Jarmusch (2010)
as Self
Green Julia (1971)
as Bob
Tender Loving Care (1996)
as Dr. Turner
That Good Night (2017)
as Ralph
The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima (1985)
as Narrator (voice)
In Love with Alma Cogan (2011)
as MC
Whistle and I'll Come to You (2010)
as James Parkin
The Journey (2017)
as Harry Patterson
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch (1990)
as Self
The Disappearance (1977)
as Atkinson
Love at First Sight (2010)
as Arthur
ChickLit (2016)
as Francis Bonar
Success Is the Best Revenge (1984)
as Dino Montecurva
Brute (1997)
as Babits
Before Winter Comes (1969)
as Lieutenant Pilkington
The Wild and the Willing (1962)
as Phil Corbett
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971)
as Richard Forbush
A Dinner of Herbs (1988)
as Verse Reader
Spectre (1977)
as Mitri Cyon
The Beast Within: Making Alien (2003)
as Self
Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict (2013)
as Narrator (voice)
If... Dog... Rabbit (1999)
as Sean Cooper
Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty (2013)
as Self
Partners (1982)
as Kerwin
The Terrible Elephant Man Revealed (2001)
as Self
Lecture 21 (2008)
as Mondrian Kilroy
The Snipist (2012)
as The Ministry
The Final Reel (2016)
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Deadline (1988)
as Granville Jones
Sinful Davey (1969)
as Davey Haggart
Red Fox (1991)
as Archie Carpenter
King Lear (1983)
as The Fool
Centenary: The BP Story (2009)
as Narrator (voice)
Three Dangerous Ladies (1977)
as Lt. George Simmonds
The Climb (1998)
as Chuck Langer
Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs (1974)
as Malcolm Scrawdyke
Alpha to Omega: Exposing 'The Osterman Weekend' (2004)
as Self
Night Train (1998)
as Michael Poole
Resident Alien (1990)
as Self - Actor
A.K.A Nadia (2015)
as 347
Journey to Knock (1991)
as Alfred
The Plot Against Harold Wilson (2006)
as Narrator (voice)
On Jupiter (1995)
as Narrator (voice)
The Alchemist's Letter (2015)
as The Alchemist (voice)
The Hunting of the Snark (1987)
as The Narrator
The Pity of War: The Loves and Lives of the War Poets (2016)
as Siegfried Sassoon
Ayamé (2018)
as Narrator (voice)
Shaolin: Wheel of Life (2001)
as Narrator (voice)
Rabbit Ears - Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (1994)
as Narrator (voice)
Who Bombed Birmingham? (1990)
as Chris Mullin
Hello: A Portrait Of Leslie Phillips (2013)
as Self / Stephen Ward
Paul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool (1990)
as Narrator (voice)
Thames Film (1986)
as Narrator
Hidden Wars of Desert Storm (2001)
as Narrator (voice)
This Is My Street (1964)
as Charlie
Shadowing the Third Man (2004)
as Narrator (voice)
The Playboy of the Western World (1974)
as Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)
23 Degrees, 5 Minutes (2011)
as Professor Orit
Break (2015)
as Jack
In Search of Gregory (1969)
as Daniel
Paul McCartney - Take It Away (1982)
as Self
Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill (2003)
as Man from Maybury Hill
Dmitri Shostakovich: A Man of Many Faces (2015)
as Narator
Interview with John Hurt (2007)
as Self
An Evening with Quentin Crisp (1980)
as Host
After Darkness (1985)
as Peter Hunningford
East of Elephant Rock (1977)
as Nash
The Journey – Stories from the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (2011)
as Narrator
Six Characters in Search of An Author (1992)
as The Father
Sunset People (1984)
as Self
The Twilight Hour: Visions of Ireland's Haunted Past (2002)
as Self
Sailcloth (2011)
as Man
Frightmares (1987)
Actor
Back to Utopia (2016)
as Professor Peter Panludic (voice)