What's After the Movie
Richard Burton
Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr. on 10 November 1925 in the industrial village of Pontrhydyfen, Glamorgan, Wales, the twelfth of thirteen children in a Welsh‑speaking mining family. His early years were marked by hardship; his mother died when he was barely two, and he was raised by his elder sister Cecilia and her husband, who provided the stability that shaped his later determination. Burton’s prodigious vocal talent emerged early, winning an eisteddfod prize as a boy soprano, and he found his calling on the stage after a transformative mentorship with his schoolmaster Philip Burton, who later became his legal guardian and gave him the surname that would launch his career. After a brief stint in the Royal Air Force during World II, he pursued drama at Exeter College, Oxford, and quickly attracted attention with a compelling performance as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion. His breakthrough came with the 1949 Welsh film The Last Days of Dolwyn, which led to a contract with Alexander Korda and a series of British film roles that highlighted his striking baritone voice and commanding presence. By the early 1950s Burton had become a celebrated Shakespearean actor, earning critical acclaim for Hamlet at the Old Vic and for his powerful stage portrayals of Prince Hal and Henry V, which cemented his reputation as the natural successor to Olivier. Transitioning to Hollywood, he delivered a memorable debut in My Cousin Rachel (1952) and earned his first Academy Award nomination, followed by further nominations for The Robe, Becket and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. His personal life was as dramatic as his career, with five marriages—most famously to Elizabeth Taylor—and three children, including actress Kate Burton. Despite battles with alcoholism and the pressures of stardom, Burton remained one of the most revered actors of his generation, celebrated for his resonant voice, emotional depth, and unmistakable screen magnetism, until his untimely death in 1984.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about Richard Burton, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Richard Burton rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.
Born: Pontrhydyfen, Glamorgan, Wales
Citizenship: British
Birthday: November 10, 1925
Occupations: Actor
Years Active: 1943-1984
Children: 3
Spouses: Sybil Williams, Elizabeth Taylor, Suzy Miller, Sally Hay
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Awards and Nominations Received by Richard Burton
Explore the awards, honors, and nominations Richard Burton has earned across their acting career. From prestigious wins to critical acclaim, see how their talent has been recognized by the film industry and major award bodies.
Movies Featuring Richard Burton
The Longest Day
Becket (re-release)
1984
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Cleopatra
Where Eagles Dare
Exorcist II: The Heretic
Look Back in Anger
The V.I.P.s
The Medusa Touch
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes
Julie Andrews Forever
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood
Lovespell
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Ellis Island
To Be Hamlet
All-Star Party for Frank Sinatra
Wagner
John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
Circle of Two
Wagner
Alice in Wonderland
Now Barabbas
The Voyage
The Battle of Sutjeska
The Sandpiper
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Borrowed Pasture
Absolution
Becket
Waterfront
On Location: Where Eagles Dare
The Rains of Ranchipur
The Assassination of Trotsky
Villain
The Tempest
Ice Palace
The Wild Geese
A Statue for ‘The Sandpiper’
The Comedians
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Brief Encounter
A Tribute to Dylan Thomas
The Klansman
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
The Desert Rats
Under Milk Wood
Bitter Victory
Anne of the Thousand Days
The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe
Thursday’s Children
March to Aldermaston
The Gathering Storm
The Bramble Bush
The Big Sur
The Night of the Iguana
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Under Milk Wood
Sea Wife
Bluebeard
Candy
Divorce His, Divorce Hers
Raid on Rommel
Hamlet from the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Equus
Breakthrough
The Robe
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
The Comedians in Africa
Green Grow the Rushes
Wuthering Heights
Staircase
Paris Hilton, Inc.
Massacre in Rome
Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
Prince of Players
Doctor Faustus
On the Trail of the Iguana
Hammersmith Is Out
The Taming of the Shrew
My Cousin Rachel
Alexander the Great
What’s New Pussycat?
Boom!
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of Richard Burton, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
1988
John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick
Self (archive footage)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage)
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
Self (Archive Footage)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage)
In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton
Self (Archive Footage)
1976
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Self
Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
Malcolm Lowry (voice)
1974
The Voyage
Cesare Braggi
Brief Encounter
Alec Harvey
The Klansman
Breck Stancill
The Gathering Storm
Winston Churchill
1972
The Assassination of Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Under Milk Wood
First Man
Bluebeard
Baron von Sepper
Hammersmith Is Out
Hammersmith
1971
Villain
Vic Dakin
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Raid on Rommel
Capt. Alex Foster
1967
The Comedians
Brown
The Comedians in Africa
Self (uncredited)
Doctor Faustus
Doctor Faustus
The Taming of the Shrew
Petruchio
1965
The Sandpiper
Edward Hewitt
A Statue for ‘The Sandpiper’
Self
The Big Sur
Self / Narrator
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Alec Leamas
What’s New Pussycat?
Man In Strip Club
1964
Becket
Thomas Becket
The Night of the Iguana
Rev. Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon
Hamlet from the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Hamlet
On the Trail of the Iguana
Self
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