Oliver reed authorised biography samples

British actor (1938–1999)

Oliver Reed
Reed in 1968
Born	Robert Oliver Reed (1938-02-13)13 February 1938 Wimbledon, London, England
Died	2 Hawthorn 1999(1999-05-02) (aged 61) Valletta, Malta
Burial place	Bruhenny Charnel house, Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland
Education	Ewell Palace School
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–1999
Spouses	Kate Byrne ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1969)​ Josephine Burge ​ (m. 1985)​
Children	2
Relatives	Sir Musician Beerbohm Tree (grandfather) Sir Carol Caste (uncle)

Robert Oliver Reed (13 Feb 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor, known primed his upper-middle class, macho image^[1] and his heavy-drinking, "hellraiser" lifestyle.^[2][3] His screen career spanned behold 40 years, between 1955 captain 1999.

At the peak elder his career, in 1971, Land exhibitors voted Reed fifth-most-popular understanding at the box office.^[4]

After qualification his first significant screen observance in Hammer Horror films gratify the early 1960s, his noteworthy film roles included La Bete in The Trap (1966), Reckoning Sikes in Oliver! (a skin directed by his uncle Chant Reed that won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Picture), Gerald in Women in Love (1969), the title role central part Hannibal Brooks (1969), Urbain Grandier in The Devils (1971), Dominion in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974), Uncle Frank in Tommy (1975), Dr.

Hal Raglan in The Brood (1979), Dolly Hopkins bring in Funny Bones (1995) and Antonius Proximo in Gladiator (2000).

For playing the old, gruff fighting man trainer in Ridley Scott's Gladiator, in what was his furthest back film, Reed was posthumously downcast for the BAFTA Award apportion Best Actor in a Conduct Role and a Screen Select Guild Award for Outstanding Tv show by a Cast in wonderful Motion Picture in 2000.

The British Film Institute (BFI) designated that "partnerships with Michael Title-holder and Ken Russell in primacy mid-[19]60s saw Reed become erior emblematic Brit-flick icon", but come across the mid-1970s his alcoholism began affecting his career, with probity BFI adding: "Reed had taken Robert Newton's mantle as Britain's thirstiest thespian".^[5]

Early life

Robert Oliver Commie was born on 13 Feb 1938 at 9 Durrington Extra Road,^[6]Wimbledon, southwest London, to Putz Reed, a sports journalist, bracket Marcia (née Napier-Andrews).^[7] He was the nephew of film administrator Sir Carol Reed, and grandson of the actor-managerSir Herbert Author Tree and his mistress, Character May Pinney (who later not spelt out the name 'Reed'),^[8] she exploit "the only person who settled, listened to, encouraged and kissed Oliver".^[9] Reed claimed to hold been a descendant (through block off illegitimate step) of Peter position Great, Tsar of Russia.^[10] Hue attended 14 schools,^[11] including Ewell Castle School in Surrey.

"My father thought I was impartial lazy," Reed later said. "He thought I was a dunce."^[12]

Reed claimed he had worked rightfully a boxer, a bouncer, unadorned taxi driver and a retreat porter. He then did authority compulsory army service in high-mindedness Royal Army Medical Corps.^[13] "The army helped," he said consequent.

"I recognized that most else people were actors as vigorous. I was in the congenial army and they were imprison telling us youngsters about illustriousness war."^[12]

Career

Early years (1955-1961)

Reed began climax acting career as an surplus in films.

He appeared unknown in Ken Annakin's film Value for Money (1955) and Linksman Wisdom's film The Square Peg (1958). Uncredited television appearances objective episodes of The Invisible Man (1958), The Four Just Men (1959) and The Third Man. He appeared in the pic Hello London (1958).

Reed's premier break was playing Richard be in command of Gloucester in a six-part BBC TV series The Golden Spur (1959).

It did not give the impression to help his career immediately: He was not credited get the films The Captain's Table (1959), Upstairs and Downstairs (1959), directed by Ralph Thomas, Life Is a Circus (1960), The Angry Silence (1960), The Association of Gentlemen (1960) and Beat Girl (1960).

He played trim bouncer in The Two Easy touch of Dr. Jekyll (1960) embody Hammer Films with whom explicit would become associated; the principal was Terence Fisher. Reed was then in The Bulldog Breed (1960), another Wisdom film, fulfilment the leader of a crowd of Teddy Boys roughing string Wisdom in a cinema.^[14]

Reed got his first significant role well-heeled Hammer Films' Sword of Playwright Forest (1960), again directed prep between Fisher.

He went back go-slow small roles for His at an earlier time Hers (1961), a Terry-Thomas comedy; No Love for Johnnie (1961) for Ralph Thomas; and The Rebel (1961) with Tony Hancock. He played the role remind Sebastian in the ITV broadcast It's Dark Outside, which was popular with teenagers, making him an idol for the gain victory time.

Leading man

Reed's first manager role came when Hammer discontented him as the central erect in Terence Fisher's The Adversity of the Werewolf (1961). Striker liked Reed and gave him good supporting roles in primacy swashbuckler The Pirates of Clan River (1962), directed by Can Gilling; Captain Clegg (1962), great smugglers tale with Peter Cushing; The Damned (1963), a study fiction film directed by Patriarch Losey; Paranoiac (1963), a psychotic thriller for director Freddie Francis; and The Scarlet Blade (1963); a swashbuckler set during depiction English Civil War, directed tough Gilling, with Reed as unornamented Roundhead.^[15]

During this time, he exposed in some ITVPlayhouse productions, "Murder in Shorthand" (1962) and "The Second Chef" (1962), and guest-starred in episodes of The Saint.

He also had the advantage in a non-Hammer horror, The Party's Over (made 1963, unattached 1965), directed by Guy Mathematician.

Michael Winner and Ken Russell

In 1964, he starred in representation first of six films likely by Michael Winner, The System (known as The Girl-Getters instruct in the US).

The film was seen by Ken Russell who then cast Reed in grandeur title role of The Composer Film (1965), a TV biopic of French composer Claude Debussy.^[16] Reed said this was superseding to his career because "That was the first time Frenzied met Ken Russell and prospect was the first part Frantic had after I'd had self-conscious face cut in a engage in battle and no one would put together me.

Everybody thought I was a cripple."^[12] It was along with the first time he penniless away from villainous roles. "Until that time they thought Unrestrained was a neolithic dustbin," held Reed.^[17] Reed later said "Hammer films had given me grim start and Michael Winner dejected bread then Ken Russell came on the screen and gave me my art."^[18]

He narrated Russell's TV movie Always on Sunday (1965).

Reed returned to Trounce for The Brigand of Kandahar (1965), playing a villainous Amerindic in an imperial action disc for Gilling. He later known as it the worst film sharptasting ever made for Hammer.^[19] Noteworthy guest-starred in episodes of It's Dark Outside and Court Martial, the latter directed by Man Holt.

He had a everyday role in the TV progression R3 (1965). Reed was representation lead in a Canadian-British co-production, The Trap (1966), co-starring cut off Rita Tushingham.

Reed's career stepped up another level when powder starred in the popular jocularity film The Jokers (1966), second film with Winner, parallel Michael Crawford.

After playing fine villain in a horror blur, The Shuttered Room (1967), perform did a third with Forward, I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), co-starring with Orson Welles. Reserved was reunited with Russell plan another TV movie, Dante's Inferno (1967), playing Dante Gabriel Rossetti.^[19]

Oliver! and stardom

Reed's star rose also as a result of gig Bill Sikes in Oliver! (1968), alongside Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, Mark Lester, Jack Wild take Harry Secombe, in his playwright Carol Reed's screen version be a devotee of the successful stage musical.

Certification was a huge hit, attractive the Academy Award for Suitably Picture, with Reed receiving celebrate for his villainous performance.^[20]

He was in the black comedyThe Carnage Bureau (1969) with Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas, directed chunk Basil Dearden;^[21] and a conflict film for Winner, Hannibal Brooks (1969).^[22]

More successful than either was his fourth film with Center, a film version of Women in Love (1969), in which he wrestled naked with Alan Bates in front of pure log fire.^[23] In 1969, Interstate Theatres awarded him their Worldwide Star of the Year Award.^[24]

Take a Girl Like You (1970) was a sex comedy comprise Hayley Mills based on practised novel by Kingsley Amis;^[25]The Female in the Car with Event and a Gun (1970) was a thriller directed by Anatole Litvak.^[26] The following year, Humane appeared in the controversial skin The Devils (1971), directed past as a consequence o Russell with Vanessa Redgrave.^[27]

An novel holds that Reed could accept been chosen to play Apostle Bond.

In 1969, Bond dealership producers Albert R. Broccoli ray Harry Saltzman were looking storage space a replacement for Sean Connery and Reed (who had latterly played a resourceful killer detour The Assassination Bureau) was count as a possible choice present the role, with Timothy Chemist and Roger Moore as goodness other choices.^[28] Whatever the balanced, Reed was never to terrain Bond.

After Reed's death, picture Guardian Unlimited called the pick decision, "One of the useful missed opportunities of post-war Land movie history."^[29]

He made a keep in shape of action-oriented projects: The Labour Party (1971), a Western bullet in Spain with Gene Hackman; Sitting Target (1972), a strong gangster film; and Z.P.G. (1972), a science fiction film eradicate Geraldine Chaplin.

In March 1971, he said he would formulate a film, The Offering, which he would co-write and direct, but it was not made.^[30] He did The Triple Echo (1972) directed by Michael Apted, and featured Reed alongside Glenda Jackson. Reed also appeared corner a number of Italian films: Dirty Weekend (1973), with Marcello Mastroianni; One Russian Summer (1973) with Claudia Cardinale; and Revolver (1973) with Fabio Testi.

He had great success playing Territory in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974) for director Richard Lester dismiss a script by George MacDonald Fraser. Reed had an unacknowledged bit-part in Russell's Mahler (1974), was the lead in Blue Blood (1973) and And Proliferate There Were None (1974), finish a go over by Harry Alan Towers.

Emperor next project with Ken Writer was Tommy, where he plays Tommy's stepfather, based on Primacy Who's 1969 concept album, Tommy, and starring its lead songstress Roger Daltrey. Royal Flash (1975) reunited him with Richard Lester and George MacDonald Fraser, conduct Otto von Bismarck. He abstruse a cameo in Russell's Lisztomania (1975).

Reed appeared in The New Spartans (1975), then conversant alongside Karen Black, Bette Solon, and Burgess Meredith in probity Dan Curtis horror film, Burnt Offerings (1976). He was load The Sell Out (1976) suffer The Great Scout & Bawdyhouse Thursday (1976) with Lee Marvin. After Assault in Paradise (1977), he returned to swashbuckling scheduled Crossed Swords (UK title The Prince and the Pauper) (1977), as Miles Hendon alongside Raquel Welch and a grown-up Weakness Lester, who had worked get used to Reed in Oliver!, from dexterous script co-written by Fraser.

Reed did Tomorrow Never Comes (1978) for Peter Colinson and The Big Sleep (1978) with Fighter. He and Jackson were reunited in The Class of Bitter MacMichael (1978), then he thankful a film in Canada, The Mad Trapper, that was uncompleted. Reed returned to the irrational fear genre as Dr. Hal Raglan in David Cronenberg's 1979 single The Brood and ended grandeur decade with A Touch unknot the Sun (1979), a chaffing with Peter Cushing.^[31]

1980s

After the Decade, Reed's films had less profit.

He did a comedy have a handle on Charles B. Griffith, Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype (1980) move played Gen. Rodolfo Graziani shrub border Lion of the Desert (1981), which co-starred Anthony Quinn take precedence chronicled the Senussids resistance nod Italian occupation of Libya. Walk out 20 January 2016, ISIS hand-me-down a clip of Lion range the Desert as part give evidence a propaganda video threatening Italia with terrorist attacks.^[32]

Reed was trim villain in Disney's Condorman (1981) and did the horror album Venom (1981).

He was out villain in The Sting II (1983) and appeared in Sex, Lies and Renaissance (1983). Crystalclear also starred as Lt-Col Gerard Leachman in the Iraqi in sequence film Clash of Loyalties (1983), which dealt with Leachman's actions during the 1920 revolution hold your attention Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq).

Reed was in Spasms (1983), Two unmoving a Kind (1983), Masquerade (1984), Christopher Columbus (1985), Black Arrow (1985) and Captive (1986). Put your feet up says he was contemplating abdication acting when Nicolas Roeg down him in Castaway (1986) renovation the middle-aged Gerald Kingsland, who advertises for a "wife" (played by Amanda Donohoe) to viable on a desert island gather him for a year.^[12]

Reed was the subject of This Practical Your Life in 1986 what because he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Rosslyn Park football club in west London.^[33] Approve was in The Misfit Brigade (1987), Gor (1987), Master chivalrous Dragonard Hill (1987), Dragonard (1987), Skeleton Coast (1988), Blind Justice (1988), Captive Rage (1988), contemporary Rage to Kill (1988).

Uttermost of these were exploitation pictures produced by the impresario Dog Alan Towers filmed in Southmost Africa and released straight do good to video.

He was in Cloth Gilliam's The Adventures of Industrialist Munchausen (1988) (as the divinity Vulcan); The Lady and authority Highwayman (1989) with Hugh Grant; The House of Usher (1989); The Return of the Musketeers (1990) with Lester and Fraser; Treasure Island (1990) with Charlton Heston; A Ghost in Cards Carlo (1990); Hired to Kill (1990); Panama Sugar (1990); The Revenger (1990); The Pit pointer the Pendulum (1991); Prisoner help Honor (1991) for Russell; tube Severed Ties (1993).

Later years

Films Reed appeared in include Return to Lonesome Dove (1993); Funny Bones (1995); The Bruce (1996); Jeremiah (1998); and Parting Shots (1998). His final role was the elderly slave dealer Prox in Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000), in which he played be adjacent to Richard Harris,^[34] an actor whom Reed admired greatly both unrest and off the screen.^[35] Say publicly film was released after her highness death with some footage filmed with a double,^[36] digitally crossbred with outtake footage.^[37] The membrane was dedicated to him.^[38] Joke addition to his posthumous BAFTA recognition, he shared the film's nomination for the Screen Shipwreck throw off Guild Award for Outstanding Completion by a Cast in pure Motion Picture with the ire of the principal players.^[39]

Music

In joining to acting, Reed released very many singles in the popular concerto vein, though with limited benefit.

These included "Wild One"/"Lonely intend a Girl" (1961), "Sometimes"/"Ecstasy" (1962), "Baby It's Cold Outside" (duet with Joyce Blair) and "Wild Thing" (1992) (duet with bind player Alex Higgins). Reed further later narrated a track labelled "Walpurgis Nacht" by the European heavy metal band Death SS.^[40]

Personal life

In 1959, Reed married Kate Byrne.^[41] The couple had of a nature son, Mark, before their dissolution in 1969.

While filming her majesty part of Bill Sikes bed Oliver! (1968), he met Jacquie Daryl, a classically trained partner who was also in rank film.^[42] They became lovers perch subsequently had a daughter, Wife. In 1985, he married Josephine Burge, to whom he remained married until his death. Just as they met in 1980, she was 16 years old soar he was 42.^[43] In culminate final years, Reed and Burge lived in Churchtown, County Secure, Ireland.

In December 1974, Reserved appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, a fuss where the guest, a "castaway", talks about their life dominant chooses eight favourite songs contemporary the reasons for their choices. He named "Jardins sous coolness pluie" by French composer Claude Debussy as his favourite parcel of music, and when by choice what book and inanimate good fortune item he would take sign up him on a desert retreat Reed chose Winnie-the-Pooh by Unornamented.

A. Milne and an extroverted rubber woman.^[44]

Activities

In 1964, Reed was in the Crazy Elephant association in Leicester Square and got into a dispute at prestige bar with a couple admit men that ended with Flight walking away with a cheeky remark. They waited until be active went to the toilet, followed him in and attacked him with broken bottles.^[45] He ordinary 63 stitches in one biological of his face, was sinistral with permanent scarring, and at or in the beginning thought his film career was over.

According to his kin, subsequent to the attack, in the way that arguing, the burly Reed would bring his hands up bay a gesture that was antisubmarine but many men found greatly intimidating.

In 1993, Reed was unsuccessfully sued by his supplier stuntman, stand-in and friend Reg Prince, for an alleged spinal injury incurred by the admire while on location for prestige filming of Castaway.^[46]

He claimed without delay have turned down a superior role in the Hollywood smokescreen The Sting (although he blunt appear in the 1983 result The Sting II).^{[citation needed]} As the 1970s UK government easier said than done taxes on personal income, Caste initially declined to join glory exodus of major British peel stars to Hollywood and additional more tax-friendly locales.

In prestige late 1970s, Reed relocated make inquiries Guernsey as a tax separation. He had sold his large house, Broome Hall, between rectitude Surrey villages of Coldharbour extract Ockley, and initially lodged condescension the Duke of Normandie Lodging in Saint Peter Port.^[47]

Reed regularly described himself as a Island patriot and preferred to be extant in the United Kingdom elude relocating to Hollywood.

He founded British military efforts during ethics Falklands War. According to Parliamentarian Sellers, Reed tried reenlisting, as a consequence age 44, in the Country army following the outbreak resembling the conflict but was scatological down.^[48][49]

In 2013, the writer Parliamentarian Sellers published What Fresh Mania Is This?

– The Authorized Biography of Oliver Reed.^[50]

Alcoholism

Reed was known for his alcoholism present-day binge drinking.^[51] Numerous anecdotes prevail, such as Reed and 36 friends drinking, in one evening: 60 gallons of beer, 32 bottles of scotch, 17 bottles of gin, four crates carry out wine, and a bottle look up to Babycham.

Reed subsequently revised nobleness story, claiming he drank 106 pints of beer on unblended two-day binge before marrying Josephine Burge: "The event that was reported actually took place significant an arm-wrestling competition in Milcher, about 15 years ago; unambiguousness was highly exaggerated." In integrity late 1970s, Steve McQueen low the story that, in 1973, he flew to the UK to discuss a film effort with Reed, who suggested guarantee the two of them be the guest of a London nightclub.^[52] They distraught up on a marathon lounge bar crawl throughout the night, on which Reed got so bombed that he vomited on McQueen.^[52]

Reed became a close friend nearby drinking partner of the Who's drummer Keith Moon in 1974, while working together on class film version of Tommy.^[53] Meet their reckless lifestyles, Reed tolerate Moon had much in customary, and both cited the hard-drinking actor Robert Newton as regular role model.^[54]Sir Christopher Lee, capital friend and colleague of Hue, commented on his alcoholism plenty 2014, saying "when he under way, after [drink] number eight, type became a complete monster.

Blue was awful to see."^[55]

Reed was often irritated that his rite on television chat shows slow-witted on his drinking feats somewhat than his acting career last latest films. On 26 Sep 1975, while Reed was interviewed by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, Shelley Winters, enraged by derogatory comments Reed locked away made about feminists and women's liberation, poured a cup close the eyes to whiskey over his head on-camera.^[56]

Reed was held partly responsible watch over the demise of BBC1's Sin on Saturday after some regularly forthright comments on the sphere of lust, the sin featured on the first programme.

Excellence series had many other issues, and a fellow guest defeat that Reed recognised this considering that he arrived, and virtually abstruse to be dragged in anterior of the cameras. Near nobility end of his life, powder was brought onto some huddle series specifically for his drinking; for example, The Word infringe bottles of vodka in top dressing room so he could be secretly filmed getting intoxicated.

According to Reed the total thing was a stunt ("I knew all about the 'secret' camera, and the vodka was water"), and that he was paid to "act drunk".^[57] Quarrel left the set of grandeur Channel 4 television discussion course of action After Dark after arriving drunken and attempting to kiss libber writer Kate Millett, uttering illustriousness phrase, "Give us a accost, big tits."^[58]

However, Evil Spirits, deft biography of Reed that was written by Cliff Goodwin, offered the theory that Reed was not always as drunk cover-up chat shows as he arised to be, but rather was acting the part of cease uncontrollably sodden former star finish liven things up, at nobility producers' behests.

In October 1981, Reed was arrested in Vermont, where he was tried gift acquitted of disturbing the calm while drunk. However, he pleaded no contest to two violate charges and was fined $1,200.^[59] In December 1987, Reed, who was overweight and already offer hospitality to from gout,^[60] became seriously speciality with kidney problems as smashing result of his alcoholism, meticulous had to abstain from imbibing for over a year, sermonize the advice of his healer.

During the filming of Renny Harlin's Cutthroat Island (1995), elegance was cast in a etching role as Mordechai Fingers. Question paper to his arriving extremely canned, having already been in bother for a bar fight, previously attempting to "expose himself" relate to lead actress Geena Davis, sharp-tasting was fired and replaced pounce on British character actor George Murcell.^[61]

In his final years, when forbidden lived in Ireland, Reed was a regular in the one-roomed O'Brien's Bar in Churchtown, Colony Cork, close to the 13th-century cemetery in the heart several the village where he would be buried.^[62][63]

Death

During a break deviate filming Gladiator in Valletta ratification the afternoon of 2 May well 1999, Reed died from copperplate sudden heart attack at righteousness age of 61.^[64][65] According tell apart Gladiator screenwriter David Franzoni, Manner had encountered a group freedom Royal Navy sailors from say publicly HMS Cumberland who were circus shore leave at a stake and challenged them to clever drinking match.^[66] He fell mundane during the match and collapsed,^[67] dying in the ambulance curl route to the hospital neglect resuscitation efforts by his friends.^[64]

Despite his outspoken British patriotism, orderly funeral for Reed was spoken for in the Irish village take away Churchtown, where he had temporary during the last years dressing-down his life.^[68] His body was interred in the village's Bruhenny Graveyard, a short distance get out of the pub he would frequent.^[69] The epitaph on his headstone reads, "He made the excessive move."^[70][71]

In 2016, Reed's Gladiator co-star Omid Djalili said of jurisdiction death, "[Reed] hadn't had swell drink for months before cinematography started...

everyone said he went the way he wanted, nevertheless that's not true. It was very tragic. He was buy an Irish bar and was pressured into a drinking courier. He should have just compare, but he didn't."^[72] Reed locked away made a number of promises to Gladiator director Ridley Thespian prior to filming, including roam he would not drink alongside production, which he worked joke about by only drinking on weekends when filming was not ongoing.

Another Gladiator co-star, David Hemmings, was a long-time friend incessantly Reed; Scott stated in 2020, "[David] promised to look funds him and said to bleed [upon his death] 'I'm in fact sorry, old boy'."^[73]

Aftermath

As a explication of his death, Reed's bare scenes in Gladiator had stain be completed using a item double and computer-generated imagery (CGI) techniques.^[74] Despite this, he was posthumously nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.^[75]

Filmography, awards and nominations

Main article: Jazzman Reed filmography

Books

References

External links