Richard Attenborough

Sir Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, CBE was born on August 29, 1923 in Cambridge, England. He is a prolific English film and stage actor, director, producer and entrepreneur.

Educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he entered film while still a student, starring in "In Which We Serve" (1942), and making a series of British films and stage productions like the London West End production of Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap," one of the world's longest running stage productions. Both he and his wife were among the original cast members of the production, which opened in 1952 and as of 2007 is still running.

Frustrated by the British film industry, he teamed with actor-writer Bryan Forbes to form Beaver Films in 1959, producing a series of small, ambitious and often socially-conscious films, many of which were directed by Forbes. But even so, his acting career never stopped and in 1967 and 1968, he won two Golden Globe Awards in the category of "Best Supporting Actor," the first time for "The Sand Pebbles," starring Steve McQueen, and the second time for "Doctor Dolittle," starring Rex Harrison.

His feature film directorial debut was in 1969 with the screen version of the hit musical "Oh What a Lovely War," and he later directed two epic films, "Young Winston" (1972), about the early life of Winston Churchill, and "A Bridge Too Far" (1972), about the Operation Market Garden in World War II.

In 1982, Attenborough won an Academy Award for directing the historical epic "Gandhi," a project that was his long-held dream for many years. Known for a close and detailed approach when working with actors, his movies usually benefit from strong and emotional performances like those of Ben Kingsley in "Gandhi," Robert Downey Jr. in "Chaplin" (1992) and Anthony Hopkins in "Magic" (1978).

He still makes sporadic appearances in films, such as the cuddly billionaire ringmaster of a unique theme park in "Jurassic Park" (1993), Kris Kringle in "Miracle on 34th Street" (1994) and as the English Ambassador in Kenneth Branagh's all-star "Hamlet" (1996).

Attenborough is currently the president of RADA, chairman of Capital Radio, president of BAFTA, president of the Gandhi Foundation, and president of the British National Film and Television School. He has been married to British actress Sheila Sim since 1945 and they founded the Richard and Sheila Attenborough Visual Arts Center. They have three children.