After a noble battle with pancreatic cancer, legendary British actor John Hurt has died. He passed on the 27th of January, five days after his 77th birthday. This most prolific and talented of British actors has enjoyed renown across the globe for decades as one of the finest performers of his generation, securing his reputation with frequent appearances on stage and screen alike, right up to his death. Hurt won a scholarship to prestigious acting school RADA in 1960, leading to an extraordinary career in the dramatic arts. From early roles in film and TV, his first major part was in the 1966 Best Picture Oscar winner A Man for All Seasons, though his stardom was sealed in the UK with a leading role in 1975's The Naked Civil Servant. With over 50 years in the profession, he starred in a great many of the defining films of the time, including 10 Rillington Place, Alien, Heaven's Gate, The Hit, 1984, The Field, Dead Man, Dogville, Only Lovers Left Alive and the recent Jackie. He is remembered also for appearing in the Harry Potter films as wand-maker Mr. Ollivander, and for Oscar-nominated turns in Midnight Express and The Elephant Man. Those films also earned Hurt Golden Globe nominations and BAFTA awards, in a career that also brought him an honorary award from the British Academy and a knighthood in 2015. We will mourn Hurt's passing for some time - he was a true great, and his final, as-yet unreleased performances, will be cherished indeed.
