John Hurt
Known for: Acting
Sir John Vincent Hurt (January 22, 1940 – January 25, 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. He came to prominence for his role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons (1966) and gained BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayals of Timothy Evans in 10 Rillington Place (1971) and Quentin Crisp in television film The Naked Civil Servant (1975) – winning his first BAFTA for the latter. He played Caligula in the BBC TV series I, Claudius (1976). Hurt's performance in the prison drama Midnight Express (1978) brought him international renown and earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, along with an Academy Award nomination. His BAFTA-nominated portrayal of astronaut Kane, in the science-fiction horror film Alien (1979), notably included a scene where an alien creature burst out of his chest, named by several publications as one of the most memorable moments in cinema history. Hurt earned his third competitive BAFTA, along with his second Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, as Joseph Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man (1980). Other significant roles during the 1980s included Bob Champion in biopic Champions (1984), Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit (1984), Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and Stephen Ward in the drama depicting the Profumo affair, Scandal (1989). Hurt was again BAFTA-nominated for his work in Irish drama The Field (1990) and played the primary villain, James Graham, in the epic adventure Rob Roy (1995). His later films include the Harry Potter film series (2001–11), the Hellboy films (2004 and 2008), supernatural thriller The Skeleton Key (2005), western The Proposition (2005), political thriller V for Vendetta (2005), action adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), sci-fi action Outlander (2008) and the Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). Hurt reprised his role as Quentin Crisp in An Englishman in New York (2009), which brought his seventh BAFTA nomination. He portrayed the War Doctor in the BBC TV series Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", in 2013. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors; director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in the world". He possessed what was described as the "most distinctive voice in Britain", likened by The Observer to "nicotine sieved through dirty, moonlit gravel". His voice acting career encompassed films such as Watership Down (1978), The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Plague Dogs (1982), The Black Cauldron (1985), Dogville (2003) and Planet Dinosaur (2011) as well as BBC TV series Merlin (2008–2012). In 2012, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Award, in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to cinema". He was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama.
Filmography
Series
Doctor Who
The Doctor
2005
Series
Saturday Night Live
March Hare
1975
Series
NOVA
Narrator
1974
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
1944
Series
Great Performances
Narrator
1971
Series
Play for Today
Alec Cassell
1970
Film
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Mr. Ollivander
2001
Series
Merlin
Kilgharrah (voice)
2008
Series
Natural World
Narrator
1983
Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Ollivander
2010
Series
Screen Two
Rex Goodyear
1985
Series
Screen Two
Jack Lee
1985
Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Ollivander
2011
Film
Alien
Kane
1979
Series
ITV Playhouse
Guy Beresford
1967
Series
GMTV
Self
1993
Series
The Sweeney
Tony Grey
1975
Series
The Hollow Crown
The Chorus
2012
Series
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self
2004
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Bob
1969
Film
Hercules
Cotys
2014
Series
Parkinson
Self
1998
Series
ScreenPlay
Alfred
1986
Series
Performance
The Father
1991
Series
I, Claudius
Caligula
1976
Film
Snowpiercer
Gilliam
2013
Film
V for Vendetta
Adam Sutler
2006
Series
Playhouse Presents
The Ministry (voice)
2012
Film
Spaceballs
John Hurt
1987
Film
Contact
S. R. Hadden
1997
Series
Gideon's Way
Freddy Tisdale
1965
Film
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Narrator (voice)
2006
Film
Hellboy
Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm
2004
Series
The Storyteller
The Storyteller
1988
Drama 61-67
Private Briggs
1961
Drama 61-67
Tom
1961
Film
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Professor Harold Oxley
2008
Film
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Trevor Bruttenholm
2008
Film
Immortals
Old Zeus
2011
Series
A Ghost Story for Christmas
James Parkin
1971
Series
The Jim Henson Hour
The Storyteller (archive footage)
1989
Film
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Control
2011
Film
The Elephant Man
John Merrick
1980
Film
Midnight Express
Max
1978
Film
New York, I Love You
Bellhop
2008
Film
Thumbelina
Mr. Mole (voice)
1994
Film
Outlander
Rothgar
2008
Film
Dogville
Narrator (voice)
2003
Film
A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures
Grandpa Sammy (voice)
2010
Film
Melancholia
Dexter
2011
Film
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Winston Smith
1984
Film
The Lord of the Rings
Aragorn (voice)
1978
Film
The Skeleton Key
Ben Devereaux
2005
Series
Watership Down
General Woundwort (voice)
1999
Film
Dead Man
John Scholfield
1995
Film
Valiant
Felix (voice)
2005
HypaSpace
Self
2002
Film
The Black Cauldron
The Horned King (voice)
1985
Film
Jackie
The Priest
2016
Film
The Tigger Movie
Narrator (voice)
2000
Series
Masters of Science Fiction
Samswope
2007
The Sunday Drama
Dave
1977
Series
The Hollywood Greats
1977
Film
Rob Roy
John Graham
1995
Film
Watership Down
Hazel (voice)
1978
Film
Heaven's Gate
Billy Irvine
1980
Film
Only Lovers Left Alive
Christopher Marlowe
2013
Series
The Last Panthers
Tom
2015
Series
Labyrinth
Audric Baillard
2012
Series
Human Planet
Narrator (voice)
2011
Film
Shooting Dogs
Christopher
2006
Film
Manderlay
Narrator (voice)
2005
Film
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Dr. Iannis
2001
Film
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor (War) (picture) (uncredited)
2015
Film
Wild Bill
Charley Prince
1995
Film
Scandal
Stephen Ward
1989
Film
Lost Souls
Father Lareaux
2000
Series
Picture Windows
Marquis de Prey
1995
Film
The Proposition
Jellon Lamb
2005
Film
The Plague Dogs
Snitter (voice)
1982
Series
The Alan Clark Diaries
Alan Clark
2004
Film
A Man for All Seasons
Richard Rich
1966
Series
The Confession
Priest
2011
Series
Armchair Theatre
Joe
1956
Film
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor
The War Doctor
2013
Film
Pride
Harry (voice)
2004
Film
Aria
The Actor
1987
Film
Recount
Warren Christopher
2008
Film
The Gruffalo
Owl (voice)
2009
Film
Miranda
Christian
2002
Film
The Field
Bird' O'Donnell
1990
Film
The Shout
Anthony Fielding
1978
Series
Planet Dinosaur
Narrator
2011
Film
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)
2007
Thursday Theatre
Orpheus
1964
Film
Partners
Kerwin
1982
Series
Wessex Tales
Joshua Harlborough
1973
Film
The Limits of Control
Guitar
2009
Film
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
The Countess
1994
Film
The Hit
Braddock
1984
Film
Night Crossing
Peter Strelzyk
1982
Film
The Gruffalo's Child
The Owl (voice)
2011
Film
Live Aid
Self
1985
Film
King Ralph
Lord Percival Graves
1991
Film
The Osterman Weekend
Lawrence Fassett
1983
Film
The Oxford Murders
Arthur Seldom
2008
Film
Monolith
Villano
1993
Film
White Mischief
Gilbert Colville
1987
Film
Sightseers
Jerusalem Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
2012
Film
Waking Sleeping Beauty
The Horned King (voice) (archive footage)
2009
Film
History of the World: Part I
Jesus - The Roman Empire
1981
Film
David Macaulay: Pyramid
Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)
1989
Film
Frankenstein Unbound
Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator (voice)
1990
Film
Damascus Cover
Miki
2017
Series
Inside the Actors Studio
Self
1994
Film
Owning Mahowny
Victor Foss
2003
Film
Little Sweetheart
Robert Burger
1989
Film
Muse of Fire
Self
2013
Film
Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie
Carnak
2010
Series
Crime and Punishment
Rodion Raskolnikov
1979
Film
Brighton Rock
Phil Corkery
2010
Film
Crime and Punishment
Porfiry, chief investigator
2002
Film
After Darkness
Peter Hunningford
1985
Film
10 Rillington Place
Timothy Evans
1971
Film
44 Inch Chest
Old Man Peanut
2009
Film
Hiroshima
Narrator (voice)
2005
Film
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Self
2007
Film
Once Upon a Halloween
The Horned King (voice) (archive sound)
2005
Film
The Naked Civil Servant
Quentin Crisp
1975
Film
Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie
Sailor John (voice)
2015
Film
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
The War Doctor (archive voice)
2013
Film
Jake Speed
Syd
1986
Film
Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers
Narrator (voice)
2012
Film
Champions
Bob Champion
1984
Film
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs
Malcolm Scrawdyke
1974
Film
The Pied Piper
Franz
1972
Film
The Commissioner
James morton
1998
Film
The Alien Saga
Narrator (voice)
2002
Film
All the Little Animals
Mr. Summers
1999
Film
Hellboy: The Seeds of Creation
Self
2004
Film
From the Hip
Douglas Benoit
1987
Film
King Lear
The Fool
1983
Film
Sinful Davey
Davey Haggart
1969
Film
Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film
Self / Self - Krapp ("Krapp's Last Tape")
2003
Film
Doctor Who at the Proms
The Doctor (War) (archive footage)
2024
Film
Jayne Mansfield's Car
Kingsley Bedford
2013
Film
Alpha to Omega: Exposing 'The Osterman Weekend'
Self
2004
Film
New Blood
Alan White
1999
Film
Who Bombed Birmingham?
Chris Mullin
1990
Film
ChickLit
Francis Bonar
2016
Film
I, Claudius: A Television Epic
Self
2002
Film
Verity Lambert: Drama Queen
2008
Film
The Alchemist's Letter
The Alchemist (voice)
2015
Film
Spectre
Mitri Cyon
1977
Film
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch
Self
1990
Film
Richard Attenborough: A Life in Film
Self
2014
Film
You're Dead...
Maitland
1999
Film
Success Is the Best Revenge
Dino Montecurva
1984
Film
My Name Is Lenny
Leslie Salmon
2017
Film
The Wild and the Willing
Phil Corbett
1962
Film
The Journey
Harry Patterson
2017
Film
Second Best
Uncle Turpin
1994
Film
The Beast Within: Making Alien
Self
2003
Film
Doctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War
The Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
Film
Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty
Self
2013
Film
Before Winter Comes
Lieutenant Pilkington
1969
Film
The Final Reel
Self - Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
The Disappearance
Atkinson
1977
Film
If... Dog... Rabbit
Sean Cooper
1999
Film
Bait
Jack Blake
2002
Film
The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima
Narrator (voice)
1985
Film
The World of Jim Henson
The Storyteller (archive footage)
1994
Film
Ballybrando
Self
2009
Film
Brute
Babits
1997
Film
Love and Death on Long Island
Giles De'Ath
1998
Film
Lecture 21
Mondrian Kilroy
2008
Film
The Ghoul
Tom Rawlings
1975
Film
The Bengali Night
Lucien Metz
1988
Film
In Love with Alma Cogan
MC
2011
Film
The Confession
Priest
2011
Film
Tabloid
Vince
2001
Film
Red Fox
Archie Carpenter
1991
Film
Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
More Than Honey
Narrator (english voice)
2012
Film
Dark at Noon
Anthony / Le Marquis
1992
Film
An Englishman in New York
Quentin Crisp
2009
Film
Tender Loving Care
Dr. Turner
1996
Remembrance
Bellhop
2009
Paul McCartney - Take It Away
Self
1982
Film
Hello: A Portrait Of Leslie Phillips
Self / Stephen Ward
2013
Film
Stream Line
Chandler
1976
Hiroshima: The First Weapon of Mass Destruction
Narrator
2005
Film
Resident Alien
Self - Actor
1990
Film
Lou
Doyle
2010
Film
Windprints
Charles Rutherford
1990
Film
Great Moments in Aviation
Rex Goodyear
1994
Film
A.K.A Nadia
347
2015
Film
Love at First Sight
Arthur
2010
Film
Night Train
Michael Poole
1998
Film
The Climb
Chuck Langer
1998
Film
Vincent
(voice)
1987
Film
Swan Lake 3D - Live from the Mariinsky Theatre
The Voice of the Winter Palace / Self
2013
Film
Henry Fonda for President
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
Deadline
Granville Jones
1988
Film
The Sailor from Gibraltar
John
1967
Behind Jim Jarmusch
Self
2010
Film
In Search of Gregory
Daniel
1969
Film
That Good Night
Ralph
2017
Film
Sailcloth
Man
2011
Film
East of Elephant Rock
Nash
1977
The Hunting of the Snark
The Narrator (voice)
1987
Film
Short Order
Felix
2005
Film
On Borrowed Time
Self
2011
Film
The Plot Against Harold Wilson
Narrator (voice)
2006
Film
The Storyteller: The True Bride
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Three Dangerous Ladies
Lt. George Simmonds
1977
Film
Thames Film
Narrator
1986
Film
Boxes
Fanny's father
2007
Film
The Hidden Wars of Desert Storm
Narrator (voice)
2001
Journey to Knock
Alfred
1991
Rocinante
Bill
1986
Film
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
Richard Forbush
1971
Film
Six Characters in Search of An Author
The Father
1992
Film
Break
Jack
2015
Film
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Krapp's Last Tape
Krapp
2000
Film
Whistle and I'll Come to You
James Parkin
2010
Film
'V for Vendetta' Unmasked
Adam Sutler
2006
Film
The Storyteller: The Luck Child
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Paul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool
Narrator (voice)
1990
Film
The Journey – Stories from the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
Narrator
2011
Film
Wimbledon The Official Film 2014
Narrator
2014
Film
The Storyteller: A Story Short
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Shaolin: Wheel of Life
Narrator (voice)
2001
Film
Romeo.Juliet
La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)
1990
Film
Ayamé
Narrator (voice)
2018
Film
23 Degrees, 5 Minutes
Professor Orit
2011
Film
Picture Windows: Two Nudes Bathing
Marquis de Prey
1995
Film
The Storyteller: The Heartless Giant
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Monolith
Narrator (voice)
1987
Series
Edge of the Universe
Narrator (voice)
2002
Film
Iceberg
Narrator (voice)
1987
Film
The Snipist
The Ministry
2012
Film
I Dreamt I Woke Up
Boorman's Alter Ego
1991
Film
The Day of the Doctor: Cinema Intro
The War Doctor
2013
The Twilight Hour: Visions of Ireland's Haunted Past
Self
2002
Film
Lapse of Memory
Conrad Farmer
1991
Film
The Storyteller: The Soldier and Death
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor
The War Doctor
2013
Film
Centenary: The BP Story
Narrator (voice)
2009
Film
This Is My Street
Charlie
1964
Film
The Terrible Elephant Man Revealed
Self
2001
Film
Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict
Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
Whaledreamers
Self
2006
An Evening with Quentin Crisp
Host
1980
Film
Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill
Man from Maybury Hill
2003
Film
Back to Utopia
Professor Peter Panludic (voice)
2016
The Pity of War: The Loves and Lives of the War Poets
Siegfried Sassoon
2016
Film
Interview with John Hurt
Self
2007
Film
The Peddler
Alec Cassell
1976
Frightmares
1987
Film
Rabbit Ears - Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
Narrator (voice)
1994
The Playboy of the Western World
Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)
1974
Saigon Baby
Jack Lee
1995
Film
The Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Sunset People
Self
1984
Film
The Storyteller: Fearnot
The Storyteller
1988
Film
Shadowing the Third Man
Narrator (voice)
2004
Film
Dmitri Shostakovich: A Man of Many Faces
Narator
2015
On Jupiter
Narrator (voice)
1995
Green Julia
Bob
1971