Richard Burton (actor)

Richard Burton (1925–1984) was a Welsh stage and screen actor celebrated for his powerful voice and Shakespearean performances. His films included Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and his turbulent relationship with Elizabeth Taylor drew intense public attention.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: A 1966 drama film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as a couple whose marriage unravels during a long night. Burton’s performance as George earned him one of his most acclaimed screen roles.
Elizabeth Taylor: An American film star whose screen career included Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Taylor was Burton’s frequent co-star and twice his wife.
Pontrhydyfen: A village in south Wales where Richard Burton was born in 1925. Burton’s Welsh birthplace anchored an identity he retained throughout his career.
Cleopatra (1963 film): A 1963 historical epic starring Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra and Richard Burton as Mark Antony. The production brought Burton and Taylor together and amplified worldwide interest in their relationship.
Becket: A 1964 historical drama film in which Richard Burton plays Thomas Becket opposite Peter O’Toole as Henry II. Burton’s portrayal of the archbishop brought him an Academy Award nomination.
Philip Burton: A Welsh schoolteacher who became Richard Burton’s guardian and helped develop his education and acting career. He mentored Burton and lent him the surname by which he became famous.
Neath: A town in south Wales where Richard Burton grew up after his mother’s death. His childhood in Neath preceded his discovery by schoolteacher Philip Burton.
Academy Award for Best Actor: An annual Academy Award honoring a leading performance by a male actor in a film. Burton received seven nominations without winning, a recurring theme in accounts of his career.
Hamlet: William Shakespeare’s tragedy about a Danish prince seeking to avenge his father’s murder. Burton’s 1964 Broadway Hamlet became a landmark stage performance.
John Gielgud: An English actor and director celebrated for Shakespearean performances on stage and screen. Gielgud directed Burton in Hamlet and helped shape his classical stage work.

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