John Hurt (1940–2017)

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One of stage, screen and TV's finest transatlantic talents, slight, gravel-voiced, pasty-looking John Vincent Hurt was born on January 22, 1940, in Shirebrook, a coal mining village, in Derbyshire, England. The youngest child of Phyllis (Massey), an engineer and one-time actress, and Reverend Arnould Herbert Hurt, an Anglican clergyman and ... See full bio »

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Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 16 nominations. See more awards »

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Known For

1984
1984 Winston Smith
(1984)
Alien
Alien Kane
(1979)
The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man John Merrick
(1980)
Midnight Express
Midnight Express Max
(1978)
Show Show all  | 
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Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Actor (211 credits)
 2017 Damascus Cover
Miki
 2017 That Good Night
Ralph
 2017 My Name Is Lenny
Leslie Salmon
 2016 Back to Utopia (Documentary)
Professor Peter Panludic (voice)
 2016/V Jackie
The Priest
 2016/III The Journey
Harry Patterson
 2016 ChickLit
Francis Bonar
 2016 Unfinished Tales: The Alchemist (Short)
Father 'The Alchemist'
 2015 The Last Panthers (TV Mini Series)
Tom Kendle
- The Last Panther (2015) ... Tom Kendle
- Angel of Death (2015) ... Tom Kendle
- Serpent's Kiss (2015) ... Tom Kendle
- Chimeras (2015) ... Tom Kendle
- White Knight (2015) ... Tom Kendle
Show all 6 episodes
 2015 Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
Sailor John (UK & US) (voice)
 2015 A.K.A Nadia
347
 2015/II Break (Short)
Jack
 2015 The Alchemist's Letter (Short)
The Alchemist (voice)
 2014/I Hercules
Lord Cotys
 2013 Doctor Who (TV Series)
The War Doctor / The Doctor
- The Day of the Doctor (2013) ... The War Doctor
- The Night of the Doctor (2013) ... The War Doctor
- The Name of the Doctor (2013) ... The Doctor
 2013 Snowpiercer
Gilliam
 2013 Swan Lake 3D - Live from the Mariinsky Theatre
The Voice of the Winter Palace / Self
 2013 Only Lovers Left Alive
Christopher Marlowe
 2013 King Lear: Scene 133 (Short)
King Lear
 2013 Look Again (Short)
Harry
 2013 Charlie Countryman
Narrator (voice)
 2008-2012 Merlin (TV Series)
The Dragon / Voice of the Dragon
- The Diamond of the Day: Part Two (2012) ... The Dragon (voice)
- The Diamond of the Day: Part One (2012) ... The Dragon (voice)
- The Drawing of the Dark (2012) ... The Dragon (voice)
- The Kindness of Strangers (2012) ... The Dragon (voice)
- With All My Heart (2012) ... The Dragon (voice)
Show all 65 episodes
 2012 Labyrinth (TV Mini Series)
Audric Baillard
- Episode #1.2 (2012) ... Audric Baillard
- Episode #1.1 (2012) ... Audric Baillard
 2012 The Hollow Crown (TV Series)
The Chorus
- Henry V (2012) ... The Chorus
 2012 Playhouse Presents (TV Series)
The Ministry
- The Snipist (2012) ... The Ministry (voice)
 2012 Sightseers
Narrator - Blake's "Jerusalem" (voice, uncredited)
 2012 In Love with Alma Cogan
Master of Ceremonies
 2012 Jayne Mansfield's Car
Kingsley Bedford
 2011 Sailcloth (Short)
Man
 2011 The Gruffalo's Child (TV Movie)
Owl (voice)
 2011 Immortals
Old Man
 2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Control
 2011 23 Degrees, 5 Minutes (Short)
Professor Orit
 2011 Melancholia
Dexter
 2011 The Confession (TV Mini Series)
Priest
- Chapter 10 (2011) ... Priest
- Chapter 9 (2011) ... Priest
- Chapter 8 (2011) ... Priest
- Chapter 7 (2011) ... Priest
- Chapter 6 (2011) ... Priest
Show all 10 episodes
 2010 Whistle and I'll Come to You (TV Movie)
James Parkin
 2010 Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie
Brother Carnak (voice)
 2010/I Love at First Sight (Short)
Arthur
 2010 Brighton Rock
Phil Corkery
 2010 A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures
Grandpa Sammy (voice)
 2010 Lou
Doyle
 2009 The Gruffalo (TV Movie)
Owl (voice)
 2009 44 Inch Chest
Old Man Peanut
 2009 The Limits of Control
Man with Guitar
 2009 An Englishman in New York
Quentin Crisp
 2008 New York, I Love You
Bellhop (segment "Shekhar Kapur")
 2008 Lecture 21
Mondrian Kilroy
 2008 Outlander
Rolhgar
 2008 Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Professor Broom
 2008 Recount (TV Movie)
Warren Christopher
 2008 The Oxford Murders
Arthur Seldom
 2007 Masters of Science Fiction (TV Series)
Samswope
- The Discarded (2007) ... Samswope
 2007 Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron (TV Movie)
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)
 2007 Boxes
Le Père de Fanny
 2006 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Narrator (voice)
 2005 V for Vendetta
Adam Sutler
 2005 The Proposition
Jellon Lamb
 2005 Shooting Dogs
Christopher
 2005 The Skeleton Key
Ben Devereaux
 2005 Manderlay
Narrator (voice)
 2005 Valiant
Felix (voice)
 2005 Short Order
Felix
 2004 The Alan Clark Diaries (TV Series)
Alan Clark
- Leaving Home (2004) ... Alan Clark
- Into the Wilderness (2004) ... Alan Clark
- Foreign Parts (2004) ... Alan Clark
- Defence of the Realm (2004) ... Alan Clark
- The Lady (2004) ... Alan Clark
Show all 6 episodes
 2004 Pride (TV Movie)
Harry (voice)
 2004 Hellboy
Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm
 2003 Suede: Attitude (Music Video)
 2003 Dogville
Narrator (voice)
 2003 Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill (Short)
Man from Maybury Hill
 2003 Owning Mahowny
Victor Foss
 2002 Bait (TV Movie)
Jack Blake
 2002 Crime and Punishment
Porfiry - Chief Investigator
 2002 Miranda
Christian
 2001 Tabloid
Vince
 2001 Great Performances (TV Series)
Narrator
- Shaolin: Wheel of Life (2001) ... Narrator
 2001 Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Dr. Iannis
 2000 Lost Souls
Father Lareaux
 1999-2000 Watership Down (TV Series)
General Woundwort
- The Invasion (2000) ... General Woundwort (voice)
- The Orchard (2000) ... General Woundwort (voice)
- Kidnapped (1999) ... General Woundwort (voice)
- Friend and Enemy (1999) ... General Woundwort (voice)
- Escape from Efrafa (1999) ... General Woundwort (voice)
Show all 7 episodes
 2000 Krapp's Last Tape (TV Movie)
Krapp
 2000 The Tigger Movie
Narrator (voice)
 1999 New Blood
Alan White
 1999 You're Dead...
Maitland
 1999 If... Dog... Rabbit
Sean Cooper
 1999 A Monkey's Tale
Sebastian (English version, voice)
 1998 Tender Loving Care (Video Game)
Dr. Turner (voice)
 1998/I Night Train
Michael Poole
 1998 All the Little Animals
Mr. Summers
 1998 Saturday Night Live (TV Series)
March Hare
- Steve Buscemi/Third Eye Blind (1998) ... March Hare
 1998 The Commissioner
James Morton
 1997 My Funny Valentine (Short)
Happy Prince (voice)
 1997 Bandyta
Babits
 1997 A Hero's Climb
Chuck Langer
 1997 Contact
S.R. Hadden
 1997 Love and Death on Long Island
Giles De'Ath
 1996 Privateer 2: The Darkening (Video Game)
Joe Kane
 1996 Tender Loving Care (Video)
Dr. Turner
 1995 Divine Rapture (Short)
Doctor
 1995 Picture Windows (TV Series)
Le Compte
- Two Nudes Bathing (1995) ... Le Compte
 1995 Two Nudes Bathing (Short)
Marquis de Prey
 1995 Screen Two (TV Series)
Jack Lee
- Saigon Baby (1995) ... Jack Lee
 1995 Wild Bill
Charley Prince
 1995 Everyman (TV Series documentary)
Eric Lomax
- Prisoners in Time (1995) ... Eric Lomax
 1995 Dead Man
John Scholfield
 1995 Rob Roy
Montrose
 1994 Rabbit Ears: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (Video short)
Storyteller
 1994 Felidae
Pascal / Preterius (Canada Version: US version, voice)
 1994 Second Best
Uncle Turpin
 1994 Great Moments in Aviation
Rex Goodyear
 1994 Thumbelina
Mr. Mole (voice)
 1993 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
The Countess
 1993 Monolith
Villano
 1993 Kölcsönkapott idö
Sean
 1992 Performance (TV Series)
The Father
- Six Characters in Search of an Author (1992) ... The Father
 1992 Dark at Noon
Anthony / Le Marquis
 1991 Red Fox (TV Mini Series)
Archie Carpenter
- Part 2 (1991) ... Archie Carpenter
- Part 1 (1991) ... Archie Carpenter
 1991 I Dreamt I Woke Up (Short)
Boorman's Alter Ego
 1991 Screenplay (TV Series)
Alfred
- Journey to Knock (1991) ... Alfred
 1991 Lapse of Memory
Conrad Farmer
 1991 King Ralph
Lord Percival Graves
 1990 Frankenstein Unbound
Buchanan
 1990 The Field
Bird' O'Donnell
 1990 Romeo.Juliet
La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)
 1990 Who Bombed Birmingham? (TV Movie)
Chris Mullin
 1989 Windprints
Charles Rutherford
 1989 Little Sweetheart
Robert Burger
 1989 Scandal
Stephen Ward
 1988 David Macaulay: Pyramid (TV Movie documentary)
Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)
 1988 The Bengali Night
Lucien Metz
 1988 Deadline (TV Movie)
Granville Jones
 1988 A Dinner of Herbs (TV Movie)
Verse Reader
 1987-1988 The Storyteller (TV Series)
The Storyteller
- The True Bride (1988) ... The Storyteller
- The Heartless Giant (1988) ... The Storyteller
- Sapsorrow (1988) ... The Storyteller
- The Three Ravens (1988) ... The Storyteller
- The Soldier and Death (1988) ... The Storyteller
Show all 9 episodes
 1987 The Hunting of the Snark
The Narrator
 1987 White Mischief
Gilbert Colvile
 1987 MacHeath (Short)
Sir John Fielding
 1987 Vincent
Vincent Van Gogh (voice)
 1987 Spaceballs
John Hurt
 1987 Aria
The Actor (segment "I pagliacci")
 1987 AIDS: Iceberg (Short)
Narrator
 1987 From the Hip
Douglas Benoit
 1986 Rocinante
Bill
 1986 Jake Speed
Sid
 1985 The Black Cauldron
The Horned King (voice)
 1985 After Darkness
Peter Huninger
 1984 1984
Winston Smith
 1984 Success Is the Best Revenge
Dino Montecurva
 1984 The Hit
Braddock
 1984 Champions
Bob Champion
 1983 The Osterman Weekend
Lawrence Fassett
 1983 King Lear (TV Movie)
The Fool
 1982 The Plague Dogs
Snitter (voice)
 1982 Paul McCartney: Take It Away (Music Video)
Manager (uncredited)
 1982 Partners
Kerwin
 1982 Night Crossing
Peter Strelzyk
 1981 History of the World: Part I
Jesus - The Roman Empire
 1980 Heaven's Gate
William C. Irvine
 1980 The Elephant Man
John Merrick
 1979 Crime and Punishment (TV Mini Series)
Raskolnikov
- Part 3 (1979) ... Raskolnikov
- Part 2 (1979) ... Raskolnikov
- Part 1 (1979) ... Raskolnikov
 1979 Alien
Kane
 1978 The Lord of the Rings
Aragorn (voice)
 1978 Watership Down
Hazel (voice)
 1978 The Shout
Anthony Fielding
 1978 Midnight Express
Max
 1978 The Island (TV Movie)
Captain Simmons
 1978 East of Elephant Rock
Nash
 1977 Paperback
 1977 Three Dangerous Ladies
Lt. Simmonds (segment "The Island")
 1977 The Sunday Drama (TV Series)
Dave
- Treats (1977) ... Dave
 1977 The Disappearance
Atkinson
 1977 Spectre (TV Movie)
Mitri Cyon
 1976 Shadows of Doubt (Short)
 1976 I, Claudius (TV Mini Series)
Caligula
- Old King Log (1976) ... Caligula
- Hail Who? (1976) ... Caligula
- Zeus, by Jove! (1976) ... Caligula
- Reign of Terror (1976) ... Caligula
- Queen of Heaven (1976) ... Caligula
 1976 The Sweeney (TV Series)
Tony Grey
- Tomorrow Man (1976) ... Tony Grey
 1976 Stream Line
Chandler
 1976 Play for Today (TV Series)
Alec Cassell
- The Peddler (1976) ... Alec Cassell
 1976 Shades of Greene (TV Series)
Fred
- A Drive in the Country (1976) ... Fred
 1975 The Naked Civil Servant (TV Movie)
Quentin Crisp
 1975 Ten from the Twenties (TV Series)
Philip
- The Fifty Pound Note (1975) ... Philip
 1975 The Ghoul
Tom Rawlings
 1975 Omnibus (TV Series documentary)
Nijinsky
- Nijinsky: God of the Dance (1975) ... Nijinsky
 1974 The Playboy of the Western World (TV Movie)
Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)
 1973 Wessex Tales (TV Mini Series)
Joshua Harlborough
- A Tragedy of Two Ambitions (1973) ... Joshua Harlborough
 1972 The Pied Piper
Franz
 1971 Cry of the Penguins
Forbush
 1971 ITV Sunday Night Theatre (TV Series)
Bob
- Green Julia (1971) ... Bob
 1971 10 Rillington Place
Timothy Evans
 1969 In Search of Gregory
Daniel
 1969 Sinful Davey
Davey Haggart
 1968 Before Winter Comes
Lieutenant Pilkington
 1967 ITV Playhouse (TV Series)
Guy Beresford
- The Waste Spaces (1967) ... Guy Beresford
 1966 A Man for All Seasons
Richard Rich
 1963-1965 ITV Play of the Week (TV Series)
Dave / Terry / Heywood / ...
- Finders Keepers (1965) ... Dave
- A Question of Happiness #3: Watch Me I'm a Bird (1964) ... Terry
- Acquit or Hang (1964) ... Heywood
- The Stone Dance (1963) ... Simon Iorweth
 1964 Thursday Theatre (TV Series)
Orpheus
- Point of Departure (1964) ... Orpheus
 1964 Gideon C.I.D. (TV Series)
Freddy Tisdale
- The Tin God (1964) ... Freddy Tisdale
 1964 Love Story (TV Series)
Harry Eddows
- The Apprentices (1964) ... Harry Eddows
 1964 Armchair Theatre (TV Series)
Joe
- A Jug of Bread (1964) ... Joe
 1964 This Is My Street
Charlie
 1963-1964 First Night (TV Series)
Desmond / Garry
- All Things Bright and Beautiful (1964) ... Desmond
- Menace (1963) ... Garry
 1963 The Contact (Short)
 1961-1963 Drama 61-67 (TV Series)
Tom / Private Briggs
- Drama '63: Somebody's Dying (1963) ... Tom
- Drama '61: Local Incident (1961) ... Private Briggs
 1963 Once Aboard the Lugger... (TV Series)
Jobey Todd
- The Girl Arrives (1963) ... Jobey Todd
 1962 Young and Willing
Phil Corbett
 1961-1962 Probation Officer (TV Series)
Johnny Seton / Norman Bailey
- Episode #4.13 (1962) ... Johnny Seton
- Episode #3.4 (1961) ... Norman Bailey
 1962 Z Cars (TV Series)
James Hogan
- Assault (1962) ... James Hogan
Show Show Soundtrack (3 credits)
Show Show Thanks (11 credits)
Show Show Self (156 credits)
Show Show Archive footage (50 credits)

Related Videos

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Edit

Personal Details

Other Works:

Narration for The Art of Noise album "The Seduction of Claude Debussy" See more »

Publicity Listings:

4 Interviews | 9 Articles | See more »

Official Sites:

Facebook | Instagram | See more »

Alternate Names:

John Hurt CBE | Sir John Hurt CBE | Sir John Hurt

Height:

5' 9" (1.75 m)

Spouse:

Anwen Rees-Myers  (his death) | See more »

Children:

Hurt, Alexander | See more »

Parents:

Hurt (Massey), Phyllis | Hurt, Arnold Herbert

Relatives:

Hurt, Anselm (sibling) | See more »
Edit

Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

[2011, on V for Vendetta (2005)] We shot it in Berlin, so it was strange behaving like Hitler in the middle of that city. Some of the locations were exactly where Hitler gave speeches. See more »

Trivia:

Hated the idea of being regarded as "a star." John Hurt always claimed that he had no idea what stardom meant. See more »

Trademark:

Frequently played character who died. This happened on more than 40 times See more »
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