Richard Burton

Richard Burton

Acting
Born 1925-11-10 - Died 1984-08-05Pontrhydyfen, Wales, UK

Biography

Richard Burton CBE (born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable performance of Hamlet in 1964. He was called "the natural successor to Olivier" by critic Kenneth Tynan. A heavy drinker, Burton's perceived failure to live up to those expectations disappointed some critics and colleagues and added to his image as a great performer who had wasted his talent. Nevertheless, he is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. Burton was nominated for an Academy Award seven times, but never won an Oscar. He was a recipient of BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Tony Awards for Best Actor. In the mid-1960s, Burton ascended into the ranks of the top box office stars. By the late 1960s, Burton was one of the highest-paid actors in the world, receiving fees of $1 million or more plus a share of the gross receipts. Burton remained closely associated in the public consciousness with his second wife, actress Elizabeth Taylor. The couple's turbulent relationship, in which they were married twice and divorced twice, was rarely out of the news.

Movies (101)

Where Eagles Dare
7.5

Where Eagles Dare

1968Movie7.5
Nineteen Eighty-Four
6.8

Nineteen Eighty-Four

1984Movie6.8
The Longest Day
7.6

The Longest Day

1962Movie7.6
Cleopatra
7.1

Cleopatra

1963Movie7.1
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
7.7

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1966Movie7.7
Exorcist II: The Heretic
4.5

Exorcist II: The Heretic

1977Movie4.5
Candy
5.1

Candy

1968Movie5.1
The Robe
6.8

The Robe

1953Movie6.8
Alexander the Great
6.1

Alexander the Great

1956Movie6.1
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
7.1

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

1965Movie7.1
The Taming of the Shrew
6.9

The Taming of the Shrew

1967Movie6.9
Zulu
7.4

Zulu

1964Movie7.4
The Wild Geese
6.8

The Wild Geese

1978Movie6.8
The Night of the Iguana
7.2

The Night of the Iguana

1964Movie7.2
Anne of the Thousand Days
7.1

Anne of the Thousand Days

1969Movie7.1
The Medusa Touch
6.8

The Medusa Touch

1978Movie6.8
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
7.0

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

2003Movie7.0
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes
6.9

Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes

2024Movie6.9
Boom!
5.9

Boom!

1968Movie5.9
Becket
7.2

Becket

1964Movie7.2
Hamlet
6.9

Hamlet

1964Movie6.9
What's New Pussycat?
5.9

What's New Pussycat?

1965Movie5.9
Dylan Thomas
6.2

Dylan Thomas

1962Movie6.2
The Assassination of Trotsky
5.3

The Assassination of Trotsky

1972Movie5.3
Raid on Rommel
5.8

Raid on Rommel

1971Movie5.8
My Cousin Rachel
6.7

My Cousin Rachel

1952Movie6.7
The Sandpiper
6.4

The Sandpiper

1965Movie6.4
The V.I.P.s
6.1

The V.I.P.s

1963Movie6.1
Bluebeard
5.4

Bluebeard

1972Movie5.4
Circle of Two
4.8

Circle of Two

1981Movie4.8
The Gathering Storm
8.2

The Gathering Storm

1974Movie8.2
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1
9.0

Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1

1999Movie9.0
Lionpower from MGM
6.3

Lionpower from MGM

1967Movie6.3
Breakthrough
5.8

Breakthrough

1979Movie5.8
Guilty Rebel

Guilty Rebel

2024Movie
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
6.0

In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton

1988Movie6.0
The Battle of Sutjeska
6.6

The Battle of Sutjeska

1973Movie6.6
Richard Burton: Wild Genius
7.5

Richard Burton: Wild Genius

2025Movie7.5
Massacre in Rome
6.3

Massacre in Rome

1973Movie6.3
Equus
7.0

Equus

1977Movie7.0
Lovespell
5.0

Lovespell

1981Movie5.0
The Desert Rats
6.3

The Desert Rats

1953Movie6.3
Villain
6.1

Villain

1971Movie6.1
The Klansman
5.6

The Klansman

1974Movie5.6
The Comedians
6.1

The Comedians

1967Movie6.1
Look Back in Anger
6.7

Look Back in Anger

1959Movie6.7
John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick
6.0

John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick

1988Movie6.0
Alice in Wonderland
6.8

Alice in Wonderland

1983Movie6.8
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood
7.3

Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood

2001Movie7.3
The Voyage
5.2

The Voyage

1974Movie5.2
Absolution
6.5

Absolution

1978Movie6.5
The Man with No Name
7.0

The Man with No Name

1977Movie7.0
Wuthering Heights
8.0

Wuthering Heights

1958Movie8.0
Doctor Faustus
5.3

Doctor Faustus

1967Movie5.3
Now Barabbas
6.5

Now Barabbas

1949Movie6.5
The Tempest
7.5

The Tempest

1960Movie7.5
A Subject of Scandal and Concern
8.0

A Subject of Scandal and Concern

1960Movie8.0
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
6.0

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC

1988Movie6.0
Borrowed Pasture
6.0

Borrowed Pasture

1960Movie6.0
Ice Palace
6.3

Ice Palace

1960Movie6.3
Waterfront
6.5

Waterfront

1950Movie6.5
Brief Encounter
5.0

Brief Encounter

1976Movie5.0
Bitter Victory
6.4

Bitter Victory

1957Movie6.4
Under Milk Wood
6.1

Under Milk Wood

1972Movie6.1
The Rains of Ranchipur
5.4

The Rains of Ranchipur

1955Movie5.4
Julie Andrews Forever
7.6

Julie Andrews Forever

2019Movie7.6
On Location: Where Eagles Dare
6.0

On Location: Where Eagles Dare

1968Movie6.0
All-Star Party for Frank Sinatra
6.0

All-Star Party for Frank Sinatra

1983Movie6.0
Under Milk Wood
7.0

Under Milk Wood

1992Movie7.0
On the Trail of the Iguana
6.5

On the Trail of the Iguana

1964Movie6.5
To Be Hamlet

To Be Hamlet

1985Movie
Sea Wife
5.6

Sea Wife

1957Movie5.6
The Big Sur
7.3

The Big Sur

1965Movie7.3
Prince of Players
5.5

Prince of Players

1955Movie5.5
This Is Joan Collins
7.2

This Is Joan Collins

2022Movie7.2
Stars' War: The Flight of the Wild Geese

Stars' War: The Flight of the Wild Geese

1978Movie
The Fifth Column
8.3

The Fifth Column

1960Movie8.3
The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe

The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe

1962Movie
Staircase
5.7

Staircase

1969Movie5.7
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
4.8

Mooch Goes to Hollywood

1971Movie4.8
The Bramble Bush
5.3

The Bramble Bush

1960Movie5.3
Thursday's Children
6.9

Thursday's Children

1954Movie6.9
Robert Kennedy Remembered
6.8

Robert Kennedy Remembered

1968Movie6.8
Hammersmith Is Out
5.9

Hammersmith Is Out

1972Movie5.9
The Violent Universe

The Violent Universe

1969Movie
The Woman with No Name
8.0

The Woman with No Name

1950Movie8.0
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
7.3

CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years

1976Movie7.3
The Last Days of Dolwyn
6.9

The Last Days of Dolwyn

1949Movie6.9
March to Aldermaston
8.0

March to Aldermaston

1959Movie8.0
Green Grow the Rushes
6.0

Green Grow the Rushes

1951Movie6.0
The Comedians in Africa
5.8

The Comedians in Africa

1967Movie5.8
Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
5.7

Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry

1976Movie5.7
Mystery of the Sacred Shroud

Mystery of the Sacred Shroud

1978Movie
A Wall in Jerusalem
8.0

A Wall in Jerusalem

1968Movie8.0
A Statue for "The Sandpiper"
7.3

A Statue for "The Sandpiper"

1965Movie7.3
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds: Live
6.9

Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds: Live

2006Movie6.9
I, Leonardo: A Journey of the Mind
10.0

I, Leonardo: A Journey of the Mind

1983Movie10.0
To the Ends of the Earth
7.0

To the Ends of the Earth

1983Movie7.0
Divorce His - Divorce Hers

Divorce His - Divorce Hers

1973Movie
Acting in the 60's: Richard Burton

Acting in the 60's: Richard Burton

1967Movie
For Florence
7.7

For Florence

1966Movie7.7

TV Shows (17)

Great Performances
6.1

Great Performances

1971Series6.1
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956Series
Film '72
5.1

Film '72

1971Series5.1
Spécial cinéma
9.5

Spécial cinéma

1974Series9.5
Dinah!
7.0

Dinah!

1974Series7.0
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948Series6.8
Here's Lucy
6.7

Here's Lucy

1968Series6.7
Bambi
9.0

Bambi

1948Series9.0
Entertainment Tonight
4.3

Entertainment Tonight

1981Series4.3
Talking Pictures
6.2

Talking Pictures

2013Series6.2
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
6.3

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

1973Series6.3
Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years
8.5

Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years

1960Series8.5
Wagner
6.8

Wagner

1983Series6.8
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8
Ellis Island
5.1

Ellis Island

1984Series5.1
Sphinx – Secrets of the History
4.5

Sphinx – Secrets of the History

1994Series4.5
Divorce His, Divorce Hers
6.7

Divorce His, Divorce Hers

1973Series6.7