Can't believe this hasn't been posted on theatre sites- including BWW- yet, but five time Academy Award nominee and veteran of the stage (with 2 Tony nominations) Albert Finney passed away today at age 82. He was also Daddy Warbucks in the Annie film.
He was also memorable in the films 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning', 'Murder On the Orient Express', 'Shoot the Moon', 'The Dresser' and 'Under the Volcano'. Every one of those is worth a look. RIP to one of my favorite actors.
I am so sorry to hear this. He was a remarkable performer and very attractive when he was young. I cannot imagine anyone else as Tom Jones. May he rest in peace.
The obits and these comments deal mainly with his film work. But on Broadway, he starred in "Luther" and (I believe) the original production of "Joe Egg."
Back in High School I saw his performance in Joe Egg. It was a riveting performance of a man child who just couldn’t rise to the responsibility of coparenting this child. I’ll never forget his tear stained eyes as he walked away. He had the unique ability of making you sympathize with a character that you just shouldn’t like. A unique presence onstage and onscreen. He was an original artist.
Albert Finney was a true acting professional...i will always love TWO FOR THE ROAD, with Audrey Hepburn, going by car all over Europe as we see scenes of their off again on again marriage...what a wonderful movie...this ending scene is so perfect!
I saw him in The Country Wife at the National Theatre in London in 1978. He didn't get entrance applause when he came out the first time so he left the stage and came on again (sounds douchey but was actually funny).
I saw him thousand years ago in Joe Egg with Zena Walker as the mother. She rightfully won a Tony, but he should have too. Right now, I cannot remember who beat him, so it may have been too much of a great thing that season.
I also saw him in London a couple of times, once in a play by Michael Frain (sic?). He was great in that also...actually don't remember anything about the other show, so it must have been forgettable.
I always wondered why he did not do more films...was he frequently on stage (clearly not so on this side of the ocean)? Very choosy? etc. I thought he would have been a bigger star if he had been more visible.
One of my all time favorite romantic movies is Two For The Road, in which he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn. Both were beyond terrific.,pure charisma, Hepburn glamorous no matter what she wore, him so handsome and charming when his character wanted to be. In its day, 1967, it was pretty ahead of its time, with scenes taking place in many different time periods (generally identified by the car they were driving), out an any semblance of chronological order.