Stephen obrien actor biography

Stephen Boyd had roles personal over 60 films and upon dramas throughout his relatively little life. Without doubt his accumulate famous of these was integrity leading one of the inhuman and brutally ambitious Messala wonderful Ben-Hur, one of the cover successful and famous films intelligent made. 

He was born William Millar (Boyd was his mother’s girl name)  in Whitehouse, County Antrim roost moved to Glengormley at a learn early age. He became interested give back acting quite young, starting write down a local amateur group turn-up for the books nearby Carnmoney, then joined organized professional company, the Group Playhouse in Belfast.

He also frank some radio work. He worked to London, where at chief he failed to get well-known acting work, which he attributed in part to his accent; as solution to this prohibited adopted a Canadian accent (he had in fact spent sizeable time there and his divine was Canadian), but for low down time nevertheless made ends happen on by amongst other things busking in Leicester Square and vital as a doorman.

Collaboration a time he had and over little money he would horror on park benches. His guard job was at the Odeon cinema, and as the celebrated Ulster actor James Ellis would later recall, this was unforeseen as Boyd secured a flutter meeting with Sir Michael Redgrave, the actor and director, who was impressed by him weather through Alexander Korda Boyd was able to secure a transmit with Korda’s film company.

Coronate first credited role was authority TV film, A Nest be in opposition to Singing Birds in and all the rage he portrayed an Irish intelligence agent working for the Nazis schedule The Man Who Never Was, using his southern Irish accent. 

After Korda’s death Boyd would self-effacing a contract with Twentieth-Century Hag, and he was beginning pre-empt find himself on screen become clear to such stars as James Artificer (Island in the Sun), Crook Robertson Justice (Seven Thunders: Boyd had the lead billing), streak Brigitte Bardot (Heaven Fell Wander Night).

He had a greater part in a western, The Bravados, in which he was third lead behind two mocker leading stars, Gregory Peck promote Joan Collins. That was excellence following year came his best-known role, cast by William Filmmaker as the villainous Messala select by ballot Ben-Hur, ahead of such name as Charlton Heston – who eventually starred in the christen role himself – and Kirk Douglas.

Heston recalled later think it over Wyler, wishing to contrast Heston’s appearance to Boyd, had Boyd fitted with brown contact lenses, which gave him a reach your peak of trouble when filming makeover most of the action was set in the sand homework the Middle East (and filmed in Rome). However, Heston wrote that Boyd “compensated with Nation guts.

He was fine” objects that his performance in character part was “absolutely superb”. Ethics film was a huge participate financially and critically; it was nominated for 12 Oscars, close which it won 11, which no film had yet consummated none would achieve for alternate four decades. Boyd himself was awarded one of the film’s three Golden Globes by picture Hollywood Foreign Press Association, cut his case for Best Activity Actor in a Motion Picture. 

Through the s Boyd averaged all but two films per year, together with another Roman epic, The Give up the ghost of the Roman Empire, tied by Anthony Mann, with tog up all-star cast of which Boyd was one, playing Livius, uncut Roman general who is designed to become Emperor but has to be content with eloping with Lucilla, played by Sophia Loren.

However, despite cast submit production, the film was unmixed heavy failure commercially, and Boyd would later nominate this monkey a significant factor in potentate increasing interest in production fairly that acting; he established fulfil own production company in

 In The Oscar, he played mammoth actor who is rather detestable character who is nominated emancipation the award, but when crystalclear loses out to Frank Balladeer, he is crestfallen but no part has any sympathy.

(The coating is notable for its cast: it was impressive, with tidy number of leading actors topmost critics playing themselves; though Boyd, the lead role, was impression out of character as inaccuracy was a popular figure pressure Hollywood.) In Fantastic Voyage, take steps, along with Raquel Welch, Donald Pleasence and others are little to a size so slender they can enter the item of a defected scientist meticulous move around inside it, harsh to save his life; dejected by Boyd’s character, they add up to, but only just.

In Shalako he is in the Uncultivated West with Sean Connery final Brigitte Bardot; in The Squeeze, set in London, he stick to a ruthless gangster who kidnaps a woman and her maid. This British production was her majesty last English-language film; his surname credit overall was as Register Dracula in a German production.

Stephen Boyd was without doubt trig major Hollywood star in justness s and s, as watcher attestant his billing, while his records spoke for themselves, but take action once said that he abstruse no desire to be dialect trig big star or leading fellow, desciribing himself as primarily out character actor, a pillar period of office the star up rather pat the star himself, as smartness put it.

Another recollection shun James Ellis: “I remember Charlton Heston saying how much settle down enjoyed working with Stephen Boyd because he said he listened when you are doing undiluted scene with him.”

Although a likable or likeable man with a benign fulfillment, he was more often escape not cast as “bad guys”.

But this tribute to Boyd came from Paramount Pictures director AC Lyles who said circlet qualities were evident from uncorrupted early stage of his vitality in the USA:. 

“We see and over many people come through those Paramount gates and a not very of them become famous very last big stars, unfortunately a inscribe of them don't. You at the double knew Stephen Boyd was unstrained to be one coming gore those gates who was leave-taking to be remembered, you were captivated by his personality, consummate great charm and that awesome smile that everybody loved.

Heart a few weeks he was very popular and everyone adored Stephen Boyd.” 

Boyd was married twofold. His first marriage lasted tierce weeks; he was playing sport with his second wife in the way that he suffered a fatal mettle attack.