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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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James Newton Howard to Kevin Jarre
John Hurt Biography (1940-)
Full name, John Vincent Hurt; born January 22, 1940, in Chesterfield (one source says Shirebrook), Derbyshire, England; son of Arnould Herbert (an Anglican vicar) and Phyllis (an engineer and amateur actress; maiden name, Massey) Hurt; married Annette Robinson (an actress), 1962 (divorced, 1964); companionof Marie-Lise Volpeliere-Pierrot (a composer and model), beginning c. 1970 (died January 26, 1983); married Donna-Lynn Laurence (an actress), September 6,1984 (divorced, 1990); married Jo Dalton (a film production assistant), January 24, 1990 (divorced, c. 1995); children: (third marriage) Alexander John Vincent, Nicholas. Addresses: Agent: Julian Belfrage Associates, 46 Albemarle St., London W1X 4PP, England.
- Nationality
- British
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor
- Birth Details
- January 22, 1940
- Chesterfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Appearances
- Phil, The Young and the Willing (also known as The Wild and theWilling), Universal, 1962
- Charlie, This Is My Street, Warner/Pathe, 1963
- Richard Rich, A Man for All Seasons, Columbia, 1966
- John, The Sailor from Gibraltar, Lopert, 1967
- Davey Haggart, Sinful Davey, United Artists, 1968
- Lieutenant Francis Pilkington, Before Winter Comes, Columbia, 1969
- Timothy John Evans, 10 Rillington Place, Columbia, 1970
- Daniel Morelli, In Search of Gregory (also known as Alla ricerca di Gregory), Universal, 1970
- Richard Forbush, Cry of the Penguins (also known as Mr. Forbushand the Penguins), British Lion, 1971
- Franz, The Pied Piper (also known as The Pied Piper of Hamelin), Paramount, 1972
- Malcolm Scrawdyke, Little Malcolm (also known as Little Malcolmand His Struggle against the Eunuchs), Multicetera, 1974
- Tom Rawlings, The Ghoul (also known as The Thing in the Attic), J. Arthur Rank, 1975
- Narrator, Do Yourself Some Good, 1975
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Shadows of Doubt, 1976
- Chandler, La linea del fiume, [Italy], 1976
- Nash, East of Elephant Rock, Kendon, 1976
- Atkinson, The Disappearance, World Northal, 1977
- Voice of Hazel, Watership Down (animated; also known as RichardAdams' Watership Down), Avco-Embassy, 1978
- Max the Englishman, Midnight Express, Columbia, 1978
- Voice of Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings (animated; also known as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings), United Artists, 1978
- Anthony Fielding, The Shout, Films, Inc., 1978
- G. E. Kane, Alien, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
- William C. "Billy" Irvine, Heaven's Gate (also known as JohnsonCounty Wars), United Artists, 1980
- John Merrick, The Elephant Man, Paramount, 1980
- Jesus, History of the World, Part 1, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
- Peter Strelzyk, Night Crossing, Buena Vista, 1982
- Voice of Snitter, The Plague Dogs (animated), United Artists, 1982
- Kerwin, Partners (also known as Zwei irre Typen auf heisser Spur), Paramount, 1982
- Lawrence Fassett, The Osterman Weekend, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
- Bob Champion, Champions, Embassy, 1983
- Narrator, Observations under the Volcano, Teleculture, 1984
- Dino Montecurva, Success Is the Best Revenge (also known as Lesucces a tout prix), Gaumont, 1984
- Winston Smith, 1984 (also known as Nineteen Eighty-four), Atlantic Releasing, 1984
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Sunset People, 1984
- (In archive footage) Kane, segment "Alien," Terror in the Aisles (also known as Time for Terror), 1984
- Peter Huninger, After Darkness, Philum, 1985
- Voice of the Horned King, The Black Cauldron (animated; also knownas Taran and the Magic Cauldron), Buena Vista, 1985
- Braddock, The Hit, Island Alive, 1985
- Sid, Jake Speed, New World, 1986
- Bill, Rocinante, Cinema Action, 1986
- The actor, "I Pagliacci," Aria, Virgin Vision, 1987
- Douglas Benoit, From the Hip, DEG, 1987
- Himself, Spaceballs, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1987
- Voice of Vincent Van Gogh, Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent VanGogh, Illumination Films, 1987
- The narrator, The Hunting of the Snark, 1987
- Gilbert Colville, White Mischief, Columbia, 1988
- Robert Burger, Little Sweetheart (also known as Poison Candy), Nelson, 1988
- Lucien Metz, La nuit bengali (also known as The Bengali Night), Gaumont, 1988
- Dr. Stephen Ward, Scandal, Miramax, 1989
- Dr. Joseph Buchanan, Frankenstein Unbound (also known as RogerCorman's Frankenstein Unbound), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
- "The Bird" O'Donnell, The Field, Avenue, 1990
- Voices of Mercutio and La Dame aux Chats, Romeo-Juliet, 1990
- Robert Burgar, Little Sweetheart, [Great Britain], 1990
- Lord Percival Graves, King Ralph, Universal, 1991
- Himself, Resident Alien (also known as Resident Alien: QuentinCrisp in America), Greycat Films, 1991
- Boorman's alter ego, I Dreamt I Woke Up, [Ireland], 1991
- Conrad Farmer, Lapse of Memory (also known as Memoire traquee), Gerald Mital Productions/Max Films Productions, 1992
- The father, Six Characters in Search of an Author, 1992
- Anthony and the marquis, L'oeil qui ment (also known as Dark atNoon, or Eyes and Lies), [France], 1992
- Villano, Monolith, MCA/Universal Home Video, 1993
- The countess, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, New Line Cinema, 1993
- Storyteller, Rabbit Ears: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, 1993
- Uncle Turpin, Second Best, Warner Bros., 1994
- Voice of Mr. Mole, Thumbelina (animated; also known as Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina), Warner Bros., 1994
- Narrator, Foerraederi (also known as Betrayal), SVT International, 1994
- John Scholfield, Dead Man (also known as Dead Man and Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man), Miramax, 1995
- Marquis of Montrose, Rob Roy, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists,1995
- Charley Prince, Bill's friend/narrator, Wild Bill, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1995
- Dr. Turner, Tender Loving Care, Trident Releasing, 1997
- Giles De'Ath, Love and Death on Long Island (also known as Amour et mort a Long Island), CFP Distribution, 1997
- Chuck Langer, The Climb (also known as Straight from the Heart and Le defi), Banner Pictures, 1997
- Babits, Bandyta (also known as The Brute and Bastard), Heritage Films, 1997
- S. R. Hadden, Contact, Warner Bros., 1997
- Michael Poole, Night Town, Subotica Productions, 1998
- Magician, Magic, 1998
- Sean Cooper, If ... Dog ... Rabbit, Franchise Pictures, 1998
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Desert Blue, Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1998
- James Morton, The Commissioner, Metropolis Filmproduction, 1998
- Maitland, You're Dead ... (also known as You Are Dead), 1998
- (English voice) Sebastian, Le chateau des singes (also known as Kwom und der Koenig der Affen and A Monkey's Tale), 1999
- Alan White, New Blood, Scanbox International, 1999
- Voice of narrator, The Tigger Movie (animated), Buena Vista, 2000
- Father Lareaux, Lost Souls, New Line Cinema, 2000
- Porfiry, Crime and Punishment, 21st Century Film Corp., 2000
- Dr. Iannis (The Greeks), Captain Corelli's Mandolin (also known asCapitaine Corelli), Universal, 2001
- Mr. Ollivander, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (also knownas Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), Warner Bros., 2001
- Vince, Tabloid, 2001
- Christian, Miranda, Channel Foru Films, 2002
- Victor Foss, Owning Mahowny, 2002
- Also appeared as Sean, Koelesoenkapott idoe.
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Title role, The Storyteller (also known as Jim Henson's The Storyteller) Channel 4/Television South, 1988, then broadcast as The JimHenson Hour (also known as Jim Henson Presents), NBC, 1989
- Voice of General Woundwort, Watership Down, YTV, 1999
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Movies
- Joshua Harlborough, A Tragedy of Two Ambitions (also known as Wessex Tales: A Tragedy of Two Ambitions), BBC, 1973
- Quentin Crisp, The Naked Civil Servant, Thames Television, 1975
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The Peddler (also known as Play for Today: The Peddler), 1976
- Mitri Cyon, Spectre, [Great Britain], 1977
- Rex Goodyear, Great Moments in Aviation (also known as Shades of Fear), BBC, 1993
- Eric Lomax, Prisoners in Time, BBC, 1995
- Jack Lee, Saigon Baby, BBC, 1995
- Mr. Summers, All the Little Animals, BBC, 1998
- Krapp, Krapp's Last Tape, Channel 4, 2000
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Miniseries
- Caligula, I, Claudius, BBC, 1977, broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre, PBS, 1977
- Raskolnikov, Crime and Punishment, BBC, 1979
- Archie Carpenter, Red Fox, 1991
- Comte de Chevereu, "Two Nudes Bathing," Picture Windows (also known as Picture Windows: Language of the Heart), Showtime, 1995
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Episodic
- Freddy Tinsdale, "The Tin Gold," Gideon's Way, 1965
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Shades of Greene, Thames Television, 1975
- Tony Grey, "Tomorrow Man," The Sweeney, 1976
- Chris Mullen, "The Investigation: Inside a Terrorist Bombing" (also knownas "Who Bombed Birmingham?"), HBO Showcase, HBO, 1990, broadcast on Granada Television, 1990
- Himself, "Secrets of the Muppets," The Jim Henson Hour, 1992
- Himself, Parkinson, 2001
- Also appeared in an episode of Inside the Actors Studio.
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Specials
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Nijinsky--God of the Dance, 1975
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Playboy of the Western World, 1976
- Himself, The Making of "Midnight Express," 1977
- The fool, "King Lear," BBC Television Shakespeare, BBC2, 1982
- Voice characterization, Pyramid (documentary), PBS, 1988
- Narrator, "The Winged Messenger," Survival Specials, PBS, 1989
- Narrator, Paul McCartney: Going Home, The Disney Channel, 1991
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Backstage at Masterpiece Theatre: A Twentieth Anniversary Special,PBS, 1991
- Narrator, "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp," We All Have Tales (animated), Showtime, 1994
- Narrator, On Jupiter, Discovery Channel, 1995
- Host, The Three Ravens (also known as Jim Henson's The Storyteller), HBO, 1997
- Narrator, True Story of the Elephant Man (also known as Sci-Trek), Discovery Channel, 1997
- Narrator, Black Holes: The Ultimate Abyss, BBC1 and Discovery Channel, 1997
- (In archive footage) Quentin Crisp, The 100 Greatest TV Characters, Channel 4, 2001
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Other
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Mourtzanos, 1961
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The Waste Places, ATV, 1968
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Treats, 1977
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Deadline, BBC, 1988
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Poison Candy, BBC, 1988
- Charles Rutherford, Windprints, Virgin Vision/ICA Television, 1990
- Also appeared in Menace, BBC2 and BBC; Acquit and Hang;
Fearnot;
Green Julia;
The Hard Case;
I'm a Bird;
The Stone Dance;
Ten from the Twenties;
Watch Me.
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Stage Appearances
- Mytyl, The Blue Bird, 1953
- Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1954
- Knocker White, Infanticide in the House of Fred Ginger, Arts Theatre, London, 1962
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Chips with Everything, Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1962
- Len, The Dwarfs, Arts Theatre, 1963
- Title role, Hamp, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1965
- Jones, Inadmissible Evidence, Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1965
- Malcolm Scrawdyke, Little Malcolm and His Struggle against the Eunuch, Garrick Theatre, London, 1966
- Victor, Belcher's Luck, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1966
- Malcolm, Macbeth, 1967
- Octavius, Man and Superman, Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Ireland, 1969
- Mick, The Caretaker, Mermaid Theatre, London, 1972
- Peter, Ride a Cocked Horse, Hampstead Theatre, London, 1972
- Martin, The Only Street, Dublin Festival, Eblana Theatre, Dublin,Ireland, then King's Head Theatre, Islington, England, 1973
- Ruffian, The Ruffian on the Stair, Soho Poly Theatre, London, 1973
- Ben, The Dumb Waiter, Soho Poly Theatre, 1973
- Romeo, Romeo and Juliet, Coventry, England, 1973
- Tristan Tzara, Travesties, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1974
- Young man, The Arrest, Bristol Old Vic Theatre, Bristol, England,1974
- Donal, The Shadow of a Gunman, Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham, England, 1978
- Trigorin, The Seagull, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, England, 1985
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London Vertigo, Gate Dublin, 1991
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A Month in the Country, Albery, 1994
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RECORDINGS
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Taped Readings
- (With others) Narrator, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Rabbit Ears, 1995
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Video Games
- Voice of Joe the bartender, Privateer 2: The Darkening, ElectronicArts, 1996
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Music Videos
- Appeared in Paul McCartney's "Take It Away."
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Albums
- Narrator, Art of Noise's The Seduction of Claude Debussy, 1999
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
Periodicals
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Booklist, November 1, 1995, p. 490
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Interview, March, 1998, p. 104
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New York Times, April 23, 1989; December 2, 1990
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