RIP Richard Attenborough

[Gob]

British actor and film director Richard Attenborough has died at the age of 90.



He died at lunchtime on Sunday, his son told BBC News.

Lord Attenborough was one of Britain's leading actors, before becoming a highly successful director.

In a career that spanned six decades, he appeared in films including Brighton Rock, World War Two prisoner of war thriller The Great Escape and later in dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park.

As a director he was perhaps best known for Gandhi, which won two Oscars.

Lord Attenborough had been in a nursing home with his wife for a number of years, BBC arts editor Will Gompertz said.

He had also been in a wheelchair since falling down stairs 6 years ago, our correspondent added.

His family is expected to make a full statement tomorrow.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Part of my '50s growing up TV.... movies on TV I should have said... Boys in Brown I remember. The one about the Battle of Britain

[Lord Jim]

I'm really sorry to hear this...what an enormous talent, both as an actor and as a director...

Another cinematic giant has left the stage....

[Lord Jim]

[Lord Jim]

I've always felt that as an actor, Attenborough's portrayal of Lew Moran in The Flight Of The Phoenix was his best on screen performance ...

The chemistry between his character Jimmy Stewart's was classic...

He should have gotten an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor for that role, but in 1965 it was Ian Bannen, (anybody remember who the hell "Ian Bannen" was? he played a much smaller role in that movie than Attenborough did...but he got nominated for Best Supporting Actor from Flight Of The Phoenix...)

In that flick, you had four great actors who would have made excellent winners for Best Supporting Actor...

Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine...

But that was the same year that Eli Wallach didn't get nominated for his portrayal of "Tuco The Rat" and Martin Balsam won Best Supporting Actor for his role in "A Thousand Clowns"...

A movie nobody remembers...

Let's have a show of hands...

How many folks here have actually watched the movie, A Thousand Clowns...?

(As opposed to those who have watched either The Good The Bad And The Ugly, or The Flight Of The Phoenix...)

I thought so...

[Big RR]

I saw it; not one of my favorites, but if I recall Balsam played the mean clown role in the movie (at TV clown who abused and belittled his staff and everyone he came into contact with). I recall that being pretty memorable, because at the time you never really saw the mean clown--it was a break from the run of the mill movies that way (although the overall picture was a bit saccharine--almost disgustingly so).

[Gob]

whoopsy!!

Social media has exploded as users mourn the death of TV wildlife presenter David Attenborough. The problem is, he isn't dead.

Attenborough's brother, British director and actor Richard Attenborough, died on Sunday at the age of 90 after battling a long illness.

But despite his success, it appears Attenborough's younger brother has stolen the limelight, with thousands of Twitter users mistakenly paying tribute to the world-renowned broadcaster and wildlife documentary maker on Monday.

Upon hearing the news, user "Richard" tweeted: "David Attenborough you will be sorely missed!", before another user, "Chloe-Amanda Bailey", corrected him with a terse: "you mean Richard* Attenborough".

Another fan, "Elise", farewelled Sir David with an: "RIP David Attenborough xo", while amused user "KC" said: "Some lovely tweets paying respect to David Attenborough tonight. I'm sure he'll enjoy reading them, what with him not being dead & all that".

Even a major Canadian newspaper, the Toronto Star, became confused, and tweeted a picture of a moose "selfie" in honour of the late Attenborough, saying on Twitter: "RIP Sir Richard Attenborough. In honour we present these 'Wildlife selfies' from Parks Canada".

The newspaper soon corrected the mistake after other users pointed out it had the right name, but wrong brother.

Other fans have also been unable to match the brothers' names with their careers, with one user tweeting: "Sir David Attenborough's performance in The Great Escape will never be forgotten, nor his work in British cinema. RIP Sir David".

But some Twitter vigilantes have taken to correcting their misguided fellow users, replying to each incorrect tribute and asking the user to correct themselves.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/mov ... z3BRP27dki

[Lord Jim]

Social media has exploded as users mourn the death of TV wildlife presenter David Attenborough. The problem is, he isn't dead.

Oh well, being mistaken for being dead is surely something David Attenborough must be used to by now....

[Gob]

[oldr_n_wsr]

So who died?