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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 9 February 2019

From ‘Tom Jones’ to ‘Skyfall’: star Albert Finney dies at 82

By GREGORY KATZ character that he returned fore returning to film in 1967
Associated Press to again and again. to co-star with Audrey Hep-
LONDON (AP) — Albert In one of his final roles, as burn in “Two for the Road.”
Finney, one of the most re- the gruff Scotsman, Kin- This was to be a familiar
spected and versatile ac- cade, in “Skyfall,” he shared pattern, with Finney alter-
tors of his generation and significant screen time with nating between film work
the star of films as diverse as Daniel Craig as Bond and and stage productions in
“Tom Jones” and “Skyfall,” Judi Dench as M, turning London and New York.
has died. He was 82. the film’s final scenes into Finney tackled Charles
From his early days as a a master class of character Dickens in “Scrooge” in
strikingly handsome and acting. 1970, then played Agatha
magnetic screen pres- “The world has lost a giant,” Christie’s sophisticated
ence to his closing acts as Craig said. sleuth Hercule Poirot in
a brilliant character actor, Although Finney rarely dis- “Murder on the Orient Ex-
Finney was a British treasure cussed his personal life, he press” — earning his sec-
known for charismatic work said in 2012 that he had ond Best Actor nomina-
on both stage and screen. been treated for kidney tion— and even played a
Finney’s family said Friday cancer for five years. werewolf hunter in the cult
that he “passed away He also explained why film “Wolfen” in 1981.
peacefully after a short ill- he had not attended the In 1983, he was reunited
ness with those closest to Academy Awards in Los with his peer from the “an-
him by his side.” Angeles even when he gry young man” move-
He died Thursday from a was nominated for the film ment, Tom Courtenay, in
chest infection at the Royal world’s top prize. “The Dresser,” a film that
Marsden Hospital in Lon- “It seems silly to go over garnered both Academy
don, a cancer treatment there and beg for an Award nominations.
center. award,” he said. Finney was nominated
Finney burst to international The son of a bookmaker, again for his role as a self-
fame in 1963 in the title role Finney was born May 9, destructive alcoholic in di-
of “Tom Jones,” playing a 1936, and grew up in north- rector John Huston’s 1984
lusty, humorous rogue who ern England on the outskirts film “Under the Volcano.”
captivated audience with of Manchester. He took to Even during this extraor-
his charming, devil-may- the stage at an early age, dinary run of great roles,
care antics. doing a number of school Finney’s life was not chron-
He excelled in many other plays and — despite his In this Feb. 25, 2001 file photo, actor Albert Finney, poses for icled in People or other
roles, including “Saturday lack of connections and his a photo. British Actor Albert Finney, the Academy Award- magazines, although the
Night and Sunday Morn- working-class roots — earn- nominated star of films from “Tom Jones” to “Skyfall” has died at British press was fascinated
ing”, a 1960 drama that ing a place at London’s the age of 82 it was reported on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. with his marriage to the sul-
was part of the “angry prestigious Royal Academy Associated Press try French film star Anouk
young man” film trend. of Dramatic Arts. take what became a ca- cigars. He’s his own man. I Aimee.
Finney was a rare star who He credited the headmas- reer-defining role. find that rather admirable.” He played in a series of
managed to avoid the Hol- ter of his local school, Eric But stardom came to Finney The actor maintained a smaller, independent films
lywood limelight despite Simms, for recommend- anyway in “Tom Jones”. healthy skepticism about for a number of years be-
more than five decades of ing that he attend the re- That was the role that intro- the British establishment fore returning to promi-
worldwide fame. He was nowned drama school. duced Finney to American and turned down a knight- nence in 2000 as a south-
known for skipping awards “He’s the reason I am an audiences, and few would hood when it was offered, ern lawyer in the film “Erin
ceremonies, even when he actor,” Finney said in 2012. forget the sensual, blue- declining to become Sir Al- Brockovich,” which starred
was nominated for an Os- Finney made his first profes- eyed leading man who bert. Julia Roberts.
car. sional turn at 19 and ap- helped the film win a Best “Maybe people in America The film helped introduce
“Tom Jones” gained him peared in several TV mov- Picture Oscar. Finney also think being a ‘Sir’ is a big Finney to a new genera-
the first of five Oscar nomi- ies. earned his first Best Actor deal,” he said. “But I think tion of moviegoers, and
nations. Other nominations Soon, some critics were nomination for his efforts we should all be misters to- the chemistry between
followed for “Murder on hailing him as “the next and the smash hit turned gether. I think the ‘Sir’ thing the aging lawyer and his
the Orient Express,” ‘’The Laurence Olivier” — a com- him into a Hollywood lead- slightly perpetuates one young, aggressive assistant
Dresser,” ‘’Under the Vol- manding presence who ing man. of our diseases in England, earned him yet another
cano” and “Erin Brockov- would light up the British Finney had the good for- which is snobbery.” Oscar nomination, this time
ich.” Each time he fell short. stage. In London, Finney tune to receive a healthy He told The Associated for Best Supporting Actor.
In later years he brought excelled both in Shake- percentage of the profits Press in 2000 that he would The Old Vic theater said
authority to bid-budget speare’s plays and in more from the surprise hit, giving rather be a “mister” than a his “performances in plays
and high-grossing ac- contemporary offerings. him financial security while “Sir.” by Shakespeare, Chek-
tion movies, including the Still, the young man he was still in his 20s. Instead of cashing in by hov and other iconic play-
James Bond thriller “Skyfall” seemed determined not to “This is a man from very taking lucrative film roles wrights throughout the ‘60s,
and two of the Bourne films. pursue conventional Hol- humble origins who be- after “Tom Jones,” Finney ‘70s and ‘80s stand apart
He also won hearts as Dad- lywood stardom. After an came rich when he was took a long sabbatical, as some of the greatest in
dy Warbucks in “Annie.” extensive screen test, he very young,” said Quentin traveling slowly through the our 200-year history.”
He played an array of roles, turned down the chance Falk, author of an unauthor- United States, Mexico and Finney is survived by his
including Winston Churchill, to play the title role in direc- ized biography of Finney. the Pacific islands, then re- third wife, Pene Delmage,
Pope John Paul II, a south- tor David Lean’s epic “Law- “It brought him a lot of side turned to the London stage son Simon and two grand-
ern American lawyer, and rence of Arabia,” clearing benefits. He’s a man who to act in Shakespeare pro- children. Funeral arrange-
an Irish gangster. There was the way for fellow RADA likes to live as well as to act. ductions and other plays. ments weren’t immediately
no “Albert Finney”-type graduate Peter O’Toole to He enjoys his fine wine and He won wide acclaim be- known.q