Irish film actor Richard Harris, whose biography opened its first page on October 1, 1930, the day he was born, was the fifth child in a Catholic family. In addition to his parents, there were eight more children. Father, Ivan Harris, and mother, Mildred Harris, sparing no energy, tried to raise nine boys and girls, educate them and secure the future. Mostly mother was engaged in upbringing, and 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 theater clubs, sat down for lessons on their own, helped her mother with the housework.
Failed dreams
As a teenager, Richard became interested in playing rugby, this passion did not leave him until his death. The young man wanted to devote himself to sports, but his dreams were not destined to 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 graduated actor began working in the Scottish theater workshop Theater Workshop. In the movie, Richard Harris made his debut in adulthood, in 1958, when he was 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 Hollywood star Marlon Brando, with whom Harris played in the film "The Bounty Rebellion." Being on the set with such a master, Richard could only dream, but it happened.
First success
In 1963, the actor was invited to a major role in the film directed by Lindsay Anderson, entitled "Such is the sporting life." His character - rugby athlete Frank Machin - did not make any problems for Richard, because he once played 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 at the International Cannes Film Festival for the best male role.
First failure
In 1964, Harris received one of the main roles 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 out to be pale and inexpressive. The director regretted the bad choice, but nothing could be corrected.
Golden Globe
Nevertheless, the role of King Arthur in the film "Camelot", directed by Joshua Logan in 1967, was successful for Richard Horris. The film was shot according to the stage version, which successfully went on Broadway from 1960 to 1963. Starring Richard Burton and Julia Andrews. They together refused to participate in the film adaptation of the play, and the role of the king went to Harris. For her, he received the Golden Globe Award.
Knighting
Then Richard Harris (photographs of him were already in all the agencies for the selection of actors, and he began to receive invitations) played in Westerns and adventure films, such as "Unforgiven", "Cassandra's Pass", "Orka", "A Man named Horse". In 1985, the Queen of Great Britain awarded the actor a knighthood for his active work in the field of cinema.
Dumbledore
At the end of his career, Richard Harris (actor) already at an advanced 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 her grandfather on the screen with Harry Potter. Richard Harris, whose Dumbledore turned out to be colorful and representative, did not regret that he obeyed 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 seriously studied music. He had a good voice and perfect ear for music. The actor often acted as a vocalist and recorded entire albums. The most notable disc in which the songs in his performance were collected is considered A Tramp Shining, containing the hit MakArthur Park, lasting more than seven minutes, by 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's second album was also successful and was called The Yard Went On Forever. Its sales began in 1969.
Personal life
Richard Harris suffered from alcoholism, this significantly damaged his health. In addition to drinking, he became addicted to drugs over time. In 1978, the actor nearly died of an excessively large dose of cocaine. After this shock, he completely abandoned the addiction. However, he continued to drink until the liver fell ill. Then I had to give up alcohol. In 1981, he drank the last glass.
Richard Harris was married twice, but both marriages ended in divorce. The first wife of the actor is Elizabeth Rhys-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 his 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 a twenty-four-year-old American actress named Anne Terkel. After some deliberation, he proposed to her, so another married couple appeared. This marriage lasted only a few months and ended in divorce.
The death of the actor
In the summer of 2002, Richard Harris was diagnosed with lymphogranulomatosis, a serious cancer that causes damage to the lymph nodes. The actor died on October 25, 2002 in a clinic surrounded by his family. According to the testament of Richard Harris, no funeral was 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 city of Kilkee is a life-size bronze statue of Harris, created by sculptor Connolly. Another statue stands in the center of Limerick, where the actor was born. He is depicted 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:
- "The Cannons of the Island of Navarone," Howard Barnesby, 1961;
- "The rebellion on the Bounty, sailor John Mills, 1962;
- "Such is the sporting life," Frank Machin, 1963;
- The 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 Named A Horse," John Morgan, 1970;
- "The Return of a Man Named a Horse," John Morgan, 1976;
- "Robin and Marian," Richard the Lionheart, 1976;
- Cassandra's Pass, Chamberlain Jonathan, Doctor, 1976;
- Death among Icebergs, Captain Nolan, 1977;
- Wild Geese, Captain Rafer Genders, 1978;
- Tarzan, James Parker, 1981;
- "The Triumph of a Man Named a Horse," John Morgan, 1983;
- The Mecca Knife, Mr. Peach, 1989;
- "Faster than the Wind," King George II, 1990;
- "Games of the Patriots," Paddy O'Neill, 1992;
- Unforgiven, Englishman Bob, 1992;
- "I Fought Hemingway," Frank, 1993;
- The Language of Silence, Prescott Rowe, 1994;
- The Siberian Barber, Douglas McKracken, 1998;
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Claude Frolo, 1998;
- The Gladiator, Marcus Aurelius, 2000;
- Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, 2001;
- "Count of Monte Cristo," Abbot Faria, 2002;
- "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", Albus Dumbledore, 2002.
Richard Harris, whose films have been watched by several generations of viewers, remains one of the most popular actors in American cinema.
Awards
- Cannes Film Festival Award, 1963, film "Such is the sporting life."
- Golden Globe Award, 1968, film Camelot.
- Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival, 1971, painting "Cromwell".
- "Bronze Cowboy" Award, 1971, film "A Man Named A Horse."
- Grammy Award, 1974, nomination "Best Conversational Album".
- Prize "Bronze Cowboy", 1993, the film "Unforgiven".
- Prize "Contribution to the Cinema", 2000.
- Award "For contribution to the cinema", 2001.
- The Richard Harris Name Award, 2002, posthumously.