Richard, Lord Attenborough, 1923 - 2014. in The odd entries from life …….

Last night I caught the news of the death of Richard Attenborough, he was an actor and director over his long life, he was acting from 1942 to 1998, some of his films, In which we serve – 1942, Brighton Rock – 1947, The Great Escape – 1963, 10 Rillington Place – 1871 and Jurassic Park 1993. As a director, Oh! What a Lovely War – 1969, Young Winston - 1972, Gandhi – 1982 and Chaplin in 1992.

He was a man who was widely liked in the film world and beyond, but was also a man who also had great authority, in one meeting in he said to have “banged the desk” and “frightened the life” out of then home secretary Douglas Hurd and a group of civil servants; good on him.

In resent years is wife Sheila Sim had moved into the actors’ home Denville Hall, which they had helped raise funds for; she had been diagnosed with senile dementia. Richard Attenborough had had a stroke in 2008, he had joined his wife in Denville Hall last year; where he passed away yesterday.

His younger brother is Sir David Attenborough, a broadcaster and naturalist, and a maker of many Wildlife programs and series for the BBC.

Last updated August 25, 2014