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John Hurt

John Hurt

Considered one of Great Britain's most consistently brilliant players, John Hurt is at his best when playing victims forced to suffer mental, physical, or spiritual anguish. A small man with a slightly sinister countenance and a tenor voice that never completed the transition between early adolescence and manhood, Hurt is generally cast in supporting or leading roles as eccentric characters in offbeat films. The son of a clergyman, Hurt was training to be a painter at St. Martin's School of the Arts when he became enamored with acting and enrolled in London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art instead. He made his theatrical and film debuts in 1962 (The Wild and the Willing). Though he frequently appears on-stage, Hurt, unlike his many colleagues, is primarily a film and television actor. He gave one of his strongest early performances playing Richard Rich in Fred Zinnemann's A Man for All Seasons (1966). His subsequent work remained high quality through the '70s. On television, Hurt made his name in the telemovie The Naked Civil Servant and furthered his growing reputation as the twisted Caligula on the internationally acclaimed BBC miniseries I, Claudius (1976). He received his first Oscar nomination for playing a supporting role in the harrowing Midnight Express and a second nomination for his sensitive portrayal of the horribly deformed John Merrick -- but for his voice, Hurt was unrecognizable beneath pounds of latex and makeup. In 1984, Hurt was the definitive Winston Smith in Michael Radford's version of Orwell's 1984. Other memorable roles include a man who finds himself hosting a terrifying critter in Alien (1979), his parody of that role in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs (1987), an Irish idiot in The Field (1990), and in Rob Roy (1995). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide


Filmography of John Hurt:

John Hurt Trivia

When was John Hurt born?
John Hurt date of birth: January 22, 1940

Who did John Hurt portray in Beyond the Gates?
John Hurt was Father Christopher in Beyond the Gates

What role did John Hurt play in Escape to Watership Down?
John Hurt played Woundwort in Escape to Watership Down

Who did John Hurt portray in Hidden Wars of Desert Storm?
John Hurt was Narrator in Hidden Wars of Desert Storm

Who did John Hurt portray in New Blood?
John Hurt was Alan White in New Blood

Who did John Hurt portray in All The Little Animals?
John Hurt was Mr. Summers in All The Little Animals

Who did John Hurt portray in Who Bombed Birmingham?
John Hurt was Chris Mullin in Who Bombed Birmingham?

What role did John Hurt play in The Plague Dogs?
John Hurt played Snitter in The Plague Dogs

Who did John Hurt play in Cry of the Penguins?
John Hurt was Forbush in Cry of the Penguins

What role did John Hurt play in Watership Down?
John Hurt played Hazel in Watership Down

Who did John Hurt portray in Night Crossing?
John Hurt was Peter Strelzyks in Night Crossing

What role did John Hurt portray in The Naked Civil Servant?
John Hurt played Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant

What role did John Hurt play in The Hit?
John Hurt played Braddock in The Hit

Who did John Hurt portray in Frankenstein Unbound?
John Hurt was Dr. Joseph Buchanan in Frankenstein Unbound

Who did John Hurt play in Champions?
John Hurt was Bob Champion in Champions

What role did John Hurt play in Hellboy?
John Hurt played Prof. Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm in Hellboy

Who did John Hurt portray in Dogville?
John Hurt was Narrator in Dogville

What role did John Hurt portray in Shades of Fear?
John Hurt played Rex Goodyear in Shades of Fear

Who did John Hurt play in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues?
John Hurt was The Countess in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Who did John Hurt play in Partners?
John Hurt was Kerwin in Partners

Who did John Hurt portray in The Osterman Weekend?
John Hurt was Lawrence Fassett in The Osterman Weekend

What role did John Hurt play in The Ghoul?
John Hurt played Tom in The Ghoul

What role did John Hurt portray in The Field?
John Hurt played "Bird" O'Donnell in The Field

Who did John Hurt portray in The Elephant Man?
John Hurt was John Merrick in The Elephant Man

What role did John Hurt play in Captain Corelli's Mandolin?
John Hurt played Dr. Iannis in Captain Corelli's Mandolin

What role did John Hurt play in Wild Bill?
John Hurt played Charley Prince in Wild Bill

Who did John Hurt portray in Rob Roy?
John Hurt was Montrose in Rob Roy

Who did John Hurt play in The Pied Piper?
John Hurt was Franz, Baron's Son in The Pied Piper

Who did John Hurt portray in Midnight Express?
John Hurt was Max in Midnight Express

What role did John Hurt play in King Ralph?
John Hurt played Lord Percival Graves in King Ralph

What role did John Hurt play in From the Hip?
John Hurt played Douglas Benoit in From the Hip

What role did John Hurt play in Outlander?
John Hurt played Rothgar in Outlander

Who did John Hurt portray in The Skeleton Key?
John Hurt was Ben Devereaux in The Skeleton Key

Who did John Hurt play in Owning Mahowny?
John Hurt was Victor Foss in Owning Mahowny

Who did John Hurt portray in Miranda?
John Hurt was Christian in Miranda

Who did John Hurt play in Contact?
John Hurt was S.R. Hadden in Contact

What role did John Hurt play in The Bengali Night?
John Hurt played Lucien Metz in The Bengali Night

Who did John Hurt portray in The Lord of the Rings?
John Hurt was Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings

What role did John Hurt portray in Jake Speed?
John Hurt played Sid in Jake Speed

Who did John Hurt play in Recount?
John Hurt was Warren Christopher in Recount

What role did John Hurt play in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?
John Hurt played Professor Oxley in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Who did John Hurt portray in V for Vendetta?
John Hurt was Adam Sutler in V for Vendetta

Who did John Hurt portray in The Proposition?
John Hurt was Jellon Lamb in The Proposition

What role did John Hurt play in Lost Souls?
John Hurt played Father Lareaux in Lost Souls

What role did John Hurt portray in I, Claudius?
John Hurt played Caligula in I, Claudius

Who did John Hurt portray in Heaven's Gate?
John Hurt was Billy Irvine in Heaven's Gate

What role did John Hurt portray in Alien?
John Hurt played Kane in Alien

Who did John Hurt portray in Spaceballs?
John Hurt was Himself in Spaceballs

What role did John Hurt play in Aria?
John Hurt played Garuso, the Actor in Aria

Who did John Hurt play in Valiant?
John Hurt was Felix in Valiant

Who did John Hurt portray in The Black Cauldron?
John Hurt was Horned King in The Black Cauldron

Who did John Hurt portray in A Man for All Seasons?
John Hurt was Richard Rich in A Man for All Seasons

Who did John Hurt portray in The Tigger Movie?
John Hurt was Narrator in The Tigger Movie

Who did John Hurt play in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone?
John Hurt was Mr. Ollivander in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Who did John Hurt play in Thumbelina?
John Hurt was Mr. Mole in Thumbelina

Who did John Hurt portray in Manderlay?
John Hurt was Narrator in Manderlay

Who did John Hurt portray in History of the World -- Part I?
John Hurt was Jesus Christ in History of the World -- Part I

What role did John Hurt portray in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer?
John Hurt played Narrator in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

What role did John Hurt portray in D-Day in Color?
John Hurt played Narrator in D-Day in Color

Who did John Hurt play in The Alien Saga?
John Hurt was Narrator in The Alien Saga

Who did John Hurt portray in Bait?
John Hurt was Jack Blake in Bait

Who did John Hurt portray in Tender Loving Care (An Interactive Movie)?
John Hurt was Dr. Turner in Tender Loving Care (An Interactive Movie)

Who did John Hurt portray in Dead Man?
John Hurt was John Scholfield in Dead Man

What role did John Hurt portray in King Lear?
John Hurt played The Fool in King Lear


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