Hugh Griffith
Hugh Griffith | |
|---|---|
Griffith in 1960 | |
| Born | Hugh Emrys Griffith 30 May 1912 Marian-glas, Anglesey, Wales |
| Died | 14 May 1980 (aged 67) London, England |
| Resting place | Golders Green Crematorium, London, England |
| Education | Llangefni County School |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1939–1980 |
| Spouse | Adelgunde Margaret Beatrice von Dechend (m. 1947) |
| Relatives | Elen Roger Jones (sister) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1946 |
| Unit | Royal Welch Fusiliers |
| Battles / wars | |
Hugh Emrys Griffith (30 May 1912 – 14 May 1980) was a Welsh actor. Described by BFI Screenonline as a "wild-eyed, formidable character player", Griffith appeared in more than 100 theatre, film, and television productions in a career that spanned over 40 years. He was the second-ever Welsh-born actor to win an Academy Award (following Ray Milland for The Lost Weekend), winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Ben-Hur (1959), with an additional nomination for Tom Jones (1963).
As a stage actor, he was a renowned Shakespearean and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was nominated for Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for the original production Look Homeward, Angel. He was also a BAFTA Award and a three-time Golden Globe nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (for Tom Jones; 1963, Oliver!; 1968, and The Fixer, also 1968), and a Clarence Derwent Award winner.