Actor Richard Harris: Biography and Filmography

The Irish actor Richard Harris, whose biography opened his first page on October 1, 1930, the day he was born, was the fifth child in a Catholic family. In addition, his parents had eight more children. Father, Ivan Harris, and mother, Mildred Harris, sparing no effort, tried to grow nine boys and girls, give them education and secure the future. The mother was mainly involved in upbringing, and my father was busy at work. Keeping track of all the kids is not an easy task, but Mildred got up early, went to bed later, and the children grew up, went to school, to dance and theatrical circles, sat by themselves for lessons, helped their mothers in the household.

Unfulfilled dreams

As a teenager, Richard was carried away by playing rugby, this passion did not leave him until his death. The young man wanted to devote himself to sports, but his dreams did not come true, he suddenly fell ill with tuberculosis. Timely treatment allowed him to recover, but he could no longer play rugby. Harris left Ireland, moved to London and entered the Academy of Dramatic Art and Music.

After graduating, the graduate began to work in the Scottish theater workshop Theater Workshop. In the movie, Richard Harris made his debut already in adulthood, in 1958, when he turned 28 years old. Over the next three years, the actor played episodic roles in low-budget films, and in 1962, fate gave him a meeting with the Hollywood star Marlon Brando, whom Harris played in the movie "The Mutiny of the Bounty." On the set with such a master Richard could only dream, but it happened.

First success

In 1963, the actor was invited to star in the film directed by Lindsay Anderson called "Such is the sporting life." His character - sportsman rugby player Frank Machin - did not make any problems for Richard, because he once played in rugby and knew this sport from the inside. The actor brilliantly coped with the role and was nominated for an Oscar, but received only the prize of the International Film Festival in Cannes for the best male role.

First failure

In 1964, Harris received a leading role in the film "Red Desert" directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, but this time his participation in the filming did not give the expected result, and the role of Corrado Zeller, the lover of the main character (Monica Vitti), turned pale and inexpressive. The director regretted the unsuccessful choice, but nothing could be corrected.

"Golden Globe"

Nevertheless, the role of King Arthur in the movie "Camelot", shot by director Joshua Logan in 1967, was a success for Richard Horriz. The film was shot on a stage version, which was successfully broadcast on Broadway from 1960 to 1963. Starring Richard Barton and Julia Andrews. They took part in the adaptation of the play, and the role of the king went to Harris. For it, he received the Golden Globe Award.

Initiation into the Knights

Then Richard Harris (his photos were already in all the casting agencies and he started receiving invitations) played in westerns and adventure films such as "Unforgiven", "Cassandra Pass", "Orca", "A Man by the Name of a Horse". In 1985, the Queen of Great Britain awarded the actor a knightly title for active work in the field of cinema.

Dumbledore

At the end of his career, Richard Harris (actor) already in his old age took part in the production of two films about Harry Potter. He played Albus Dumbledore. The actor agreed to this role at the insistence of his granddaughter, who at all costs wanted to see his grandfather on the screen, along with Harry Potter. Richard Harris, Dumbledore who turned out to be colorful and representative, did not regret that he listened to his granddaughter. And the last role in the movie for the actor was the character of John the Theologian in the film "Apocalypse".

Harris Musician

In addition to acting, Richard was seriously engaged in music. He had a good voice and an absolute musical ear. The actor often acted as a singer-vocalist and recorded whole albums. The most notable disc, in which the songs were collected in his performance, is A Tramp Shining, containing the hit MakArthur Park, lasting more than seven minutes, composer Jimmy Webb.

In the interpretation of Richard Harris, the song took second place in the American Billboard Hot 100. The single was sold in the amount of more than a million copies. Harris' second album was also successful and was called The Yard Went On Forever. His sales began in 1969.

Personal life

Richard Harris suffered from alcoholism, which significantly harmed his health. In addition to drinking, he eventually became addicted to drugs. In 1978, the actor almost died of too much cocaine. After this shock, he completely abandoned the addiction. However, he continued to drink until the liver was ill. Then I had to give up alcohol. In 1981, they drank the last glass.

Richard Harris was twice married, but both marriages ended in divorce. The first wife of the actor is Elizabeth Rees-Williams, an aspiring actress. The newlyweds registered their marriage in 1957. The first child was born in 1958, he was named Damian. Another son, Jadred, appeared in 1961. The third child was born in 1963, he received the name Jamie. All the children of Harris followed in the footsteps of their father and began to work in the movies. Damian is a director, the other two are actors.

Richard Harris divorced his first wife in 1969. After some time, the actor met with a twenty-four-year-old American actress named Anne Terkel. After a few hesitations, he proposed to her, so another married couple appeared. This marriage lasted only a few months and ended in divorce.

The demise of the actor

In the summer of 2002, Richard Harris discovered lymphogranulomatosis, a serious oncological disease that causes lymph node involvement. The actor passed away on October 25, 2002 in the clinic, surrounded by his family. In accordance with the testament of Richard Harris funeral was not held, the body was cremated, and the ashes scattered over the Bahamas. That was his last will.

In memory of the actor

In the Irish town of Kilka is a bronze statue of Harris in full size, created by the sculptor Connolly. Another statue stands in the center of Limerick, where the actor was born. He is portrayed in the image of King Arthur from the movie "Camelot".

Richard Harris: Filmography

The creative period of the actor, when he created his roles on the set, lasted more than forty years. The list of films with the participation of actor Harris is as follows:

• "Cannons of the island of Navarone," Howard Barnsby, 1961;
• "The mutiny on the" Bounty, "the sailor John Mills, 1962;
• "Such is the sporting life," Frank Machin, 1963;
• "Red Desert", Corrado Zeller, 1964;
• "Major Dundee," Benjamin Tyrin, captain, 1965;
• "The Bible," Cain, 1966;
• "Camelot", King Arthur, 1967;
• "Cromwell," Oliver Cromwell, 1970;
• "A Man Called a Horse," John Morgan, 1970;
• "The Return of a Man by the Name of a Horse," John Morgan, 1976;
• "Robin and Marian," Richard the Lionheart, 1976;
• "The Pass of Cassandra," Chamberlain Jonathan, Doctor, 1976;
• "Death among icebergs," Captain Nolan, 1977;
• "Wild Geese," Captain Rifer Genders, 1978;
• "Tarzan", James Parker, 1981;
• "The Triumph of a Man by the Name of a Horse," John Morgan, 1983;
• "Mackey knife," Mr. Peacham, 1989;
• "Faster than the wind," King George II, 1990;
• "Games of the Patriots," Paddy O'Neill, 1992;
• "Unforgiven," the Englishman Bob, 1992;
• "I fought Hemingway," Frank, 1993;
• "The language of silence," Prescott Row, 1994;
• "The Barber of Siberia", Douglas McCracken, 1998;
• "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Claude Frolo, 1998;
• "The Gladiator," Marcus Aurelius, 2000;
• "Harry Potter", Albus Dumbledore, 2001;
• "The Earl of Monte Cristo", abbot of Faria, 2002;
• "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Albus Dumbledore, 2002.

Richard Harris, whose films are watched by several generations of viewers, remains one of the most popular actors in American cinema.

Awards

• Prize of the Cannes Film Festival, 1963, the film "Such is the sport life".
• Award "Golden Globe", 1968, the film "Camelot".
• Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival, 1971, painting "Cromwell".
• Award "Bronze Cowboy", 1971, the film "A Man by the Name of a Horse".
• Award "Grammy", 1974, nomination "Best spoken album".
• Prize "The Bronze Cowboy", 1993, the film "Unforgiven".
• Prize "Contribution to the Cinematography", 2000.
• Award "For Contribution to Cinematography", 2001.
• Award "The Name of Richard Harris", 2002, posthumously.