Richard Burton
“A Welsh-born actor of magnificent voice and turbulent fame, equally renowned on stage and screen.”
Richard Burton's stardom ignited in 1951 when his Prince Hal at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre led critic Kenneth Tynan to call him 'the next Laurence Olivier.' His magnificent voice and the headline-making romance with Elizabeth Taylor during 'Cleopatra' (1963) made him a global movie star.
From Welsh Mining Valley to the Stage
Born Richard Jenkins in a Welsh coal-mining family, he was mentored by teacher Philip Burton, whose name he adopted. By 1951 his Shakespearean performances had marked him as one of Britain's most thrilling young actors.
Hollywood, Cleopatra and Elizabeth Taylor
Burton's matinee-idol looks and resonant voice made him a star in epics like 'The Robe.' His passionate, headline-grabbing romance with Elizabeth Taylor on 'Cleopatra' produced two marriages and one of the era's most watched celebrity couplings.
A Towering, Tumultuous Talent
Equally at home in Shakespeare, war pictures and intimate dramas, Burton earned seven Oscar nominations without a win. His hard-living, hard-drinking lifestyle was legendary before his death from a brain hemorrhage in 1984.
Career Timeline
- 1925Born Richard Walter Jenkins in Pontrhydyfen, Wales
- 1943Adopts surname of mentor Philip Burton by deed poll
- 1951Acclaimed Prince Hal at Shakespeare Memorial Theatre
- 1953Oscar nomination for biblical epic 'The Robe'
- 1960Wins Tony Award for Broadway's 'Camelot'
- 1963Meets Elizabeth Taylor filming 'Cleopatra'
- 1964Marries Elizabeth Taylor; stars in 'Becket'
- 1966Praised in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'
- 1968Hit war thriller 'Where Eagles Dare'
- 1977Final Oscar nomination for 'Equus'
- 1984Dies of a brain hemorrhage in Switzerland
Biggest Hits
- A miner's son and twelfth of thirteen children, Burton took the surname of his teacher and guardian Philip Burton, whom he revered like a second father.
- Despite seven Academy Award nominations across three decades, Burton never won a competitive Oscar, one of the most famous winless streaks in film history.
The Moment You Remember
His blistering exchanges with Elizabeth Taylor in <em>Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?</em> stand as the moment that captured both his art and his life. As the embittered professor George, Burton turned domestic warfare into something theatrically electric, his great voice cutting through every scene.
Portrait: 20th Century Fox · Public domain (PD-US, pre-1978 no notice) · via Wikimedia Commons