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Burton

For other people named , see Richard Burton (disambiguation).

Richard Burton, CBE (/ˈbɜrtən/; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh stage and cinema [1] noted for his mellifluous baritone voice and his great act- ing talent.[2][3] Establishing himself as a formidable Shakespearean ac- tor in the , with a memorable performance of in 1964, Burton was called “the natural suc- cessor to Olivier" by critic and dramaturg Kenneth Ty- nan. An alcoholic,[3] Burton’s failure to live up to those expectations[4] disappointed critics and colleagues and fu- [3][5] eled his legend as a great thespian wastrel. Burton was born in Pontrhydyfen, where his father and some of Burton was nominated seven times for an Academy his brothers were coal miners Award without ever winning. He was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and for Best Ac- ing with Cecilia, Burton attended nearby Eastern Primary tor. In the mid- Burton ascended into the ranks of School on Incline Row.[13] Burton said later that his sister the top box office stars,[6] and by the late 1960s was one became “more mother to me than any mother could have of the highest-paid in the world, receiving fees of ever been ... I was immensely proud of her ... she felt all $1 million or more plus a share of the gross receipts.[7] tragedies except her own”. Burton’s father would occa- Burton remains closely associated in the public con- sionally visit the homes of his grown daughters but was sciousness with his second wife, actress . otherwise absent.[15]:7, 10 Also important in young Bur- The couple’s turbulent relationship was rarely out of the ton’s life was Ifor (Ivor), his brother, 19 years his senior. news.[8] A miner and rugby player, Ifor “ruled the household with the proverbial firm hand”.[16]:7 Whilst attending Grammar School (now Dyf- 1 Childhood and education fryn Lower Comprehensive School) Burton showed a tal- ent for English and Welsh literature, demonstrating an ex- Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins in cellent memory, though his consuming interest was sports the village of Pontrhydyfen, Port Talbot, . – rugby (in fact famous Welsh centre Bleddyn Williams He grew up in a working class, Welsh-speaking house- said in his autobiography that Burton could have gone far hold, the 12th of 13 children.[9] His father, also named as a player[17]), cricket, and table tennis[18] He later said, Richard Walter Jenkins, was a short, robust coal miner, “I would rather have played for Wales at Cardiff Arms a “twelve-pints-a-day man” who sometimes went off on Park than Hamlet at .”[15]:17 He earned pocket drinking and gambling sprees for weeks. Burton later money by running messages, hauling horse manure, and claimed, by family telling, that “He looked very much delivering newspapers. He started to smoke at the age of like me ... That is, he was pockmarked, devious, and 8 and drink regularly at 12.[10]:25–26 smiled a great deal when he was in trouble. He was, also, Inspired by his schoolmaster, Philip H. Burton, he ex- a man of extraordinary eloquence, tremendous passion, [10]:23 celled in school productions, his first being The Apple great violence.” Cart.[10]:29 Philip Burton could not legally adopt young Burton was less than two years old in 1927 when his Richard due to their age difference; Burton was one mother, Edith Maude (née Thomas), died on 31 October year short of the minimum twenty years required.[19]:47 1927 at age 44[11] after giving birth to her 13th child.[12] Richard Jenkins (as the young man was still known) dis- His sister Cecilia and her husband Elfed took him into played early-on an excellent speaking and singing voice, their Presbyterian mining family at their terraced house winning an prize as a boy soprano. He left on Caradoc Street in Taibach,[13] in the town of Port Tal- school at age 16 for full-time work. He worked for the bot (an English-speaking steel town).[9][14] Whilst stay- local wartime Co-operative committee, handing out sup-

1 2 3 HOLLYWOOD AND LATER CAREER plies in exchange for coupons, but then considered other Williams, on the set, and they married in February 1949. professions for his future, including boxing, religion and They had two daughters, but divorced in 1963 after Bur- singing.[10]:27 ton’s widely reported affair with Elizabeth Taylor. In the When he joined the Port Talbot Squadron of the Air years of his marriage to Sybil, Burton appeared in the Training Corps as a cadet, he re-encountered Burton, his West End in a highly successful production of The Lady’s former teacher, who was the commander. He joined a Not for Burning, alongside Sir and Claire youth drama group led by Leo Lloyd, a steel worker and Bloom, in both the and New York productions. avid amateur thespian, who taught him the fundamentals He had small parts in various British films: Now Barabbas Was A Robber; Waterfront (1950) with ; of acting. Burton, who recognised the youth’s talent, then adopted him as his ward and Richard returned to school. The Woman with No Name (1951); and a bigger part as a smuggler in Green Grow the Rushes, a B-movie.[15]:70–71 Being older than most of the other boys, he was very at- tractive to some of the girls.[10]:30–31 Philip Burton later Reviewers took notice of Burton: “He has all the qualifi- said, “Richard was my son to all intents and purposes. cations of a that the British film industry so I was committed to him.”[10]:34 Philip Burton tutored his badly needs at this juncture: youth, good looks, a pho- charge intensely in school subjects, and also worked at de- togenic face, obviously alert intelligence, and a trick of veloping the youth’s acting voice, including outdoor voice getting the maximum of attention with a minimum of drills which improved his projection.[15]:38 fuss.”[10]:51 In the 1951 season at Stratford, he gave a In 1943, at age 18, Richard Burton (who had taken his critically acclaimed performance and achieved stardom teacher’s surname but would not change it by deed poll for as Prince Hal in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 oppo- several years[16]:41), was allowed into Exeter College, Ox- site 's Falstaff. Philip Burton arrived at ford, for a special term of six months study, made possible Stratford to help coach his former charge, noting in his because he was an air force cadet obligated to later mili- memoir that Quayle and Richard Burton had their dif- tary service. He subsequently served in the RAF (1944– ferences about the interpretation of the Prince Hal role. 1947) as a navigator. Burton’s eyesight was too poor for Richard Burton was already demonstrating the same in- him to be considered pilot-material.[18] dependence and competitiveness as an actor that he dis- played off-stage in drinking, sport, or story-telling.[15]:73 said of Burton’s performance, “His play- ing of Prince Hal turned interested speculation to awe al- 2 Early acting career most as soon as he started to speak; in the first intermis- sion local critics stood agape in the lobbies.”[10]:51 Sud- In the and early 1950s Burton worked on stage and denly, Richard Burton had fulfilled his guardian’s wildest in cinema in the . Before his war service hopes and was admitted to the post-War British acting with the , he starred as Professor Hig- circle which included Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, gins in a YMCA production of . He earned , Hugh Griffith and Paul Scofield. He his first professional acting fees with radio parts for the even met , a fellow hard drinker, who BBC.[10]:35 He had made his professional acting debut in sang his praises back in Hollywood.[10]:56 Liverpool and London, appearing in Druid’s Rest, a play recalled, “Bogie loved him. We all did. You had no al- by (who also became a guru), but his ca- ternative.” Burton bought the first of many cars and cele- reer was interrupted by conscription in 1944.[15]:44 Early brated by increasing his drinking.[15]:73–74 The following on as an actor, he developed the habit of carrying around year, Burton signed a five-year contract with Alexander a book-bag filled with novels, dictionaries, a complete Korda at £100 a week, launching his Hollywood career. Shakespeare, and books of quotations, history, and biog- raphy, and he enjoyed solving crossword puzzles. Burton could, given any line from Shakespeare’s works, recite from memory the next several minutes of lines.[20] His 3 Hollywood and later career love of language was paramount, as he famously stated years later, with a tearful Elizabeth Taylor at his side, In 1952, Burton successfully made the transition to a Hol- “The only thing in life is language. Not love. Not any- lywood star; on the recommendation of Daphne du Mau- thing else.”[15]:43 rier, he was given the leading role in My Cousin Rachel opposite .[10]:59 Burton arrived on the In 1947, after his discharge from the RAF, Burton went Hollywood scene at a time when the studios were strug- to London to seek his fortune. He immediately signed gling. Television’s rise was drawing viewers away and up with a theatrical agency to make himself available for [10]:45 the studios looked to new stars and new film technol- casting calls. His first film was The Last Days of Dol- ogy to staunch the bleeding. 20th Century Fox negoti- wyn, set in a Welsh village about to be drowned to provide ated with Korda to borrow him for this film and a further a reservoir. His reviews praised him for his “acting fire, [10]:48 two at $50,000 a film. The film was a critical success. manly bearing, and good looks.” It established Burton as a Hollywood leading man and Burton met his future wife, the young actress Sybil earned him his first Academy Award nomination and the 3.1 Stage career 3

3.1 Stage career

Richard Burton in the film Cleopatra (1963)

Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor. In Desert Rats (1953), Burton plays a young English captain in the North African campaign during World War II who takes charge of a hopelessly out-numbered Australian unit against the indomitable Field Marshal (). Mason, another actor known for his dis- tinctive voice and excellent elocution, became a friend of Burton’s and introduced the new actor to the Hollywood crowd. In short order, he met , , , , , and , and Burton met up again with Humphrey Bog- Burton as with Roddy McDowall in the Broadway art.[15]:82 At a party, he met a pregnant Elizabeth Taylor presentation of (then married to ) whose first impres- sion of Burton was that “he was rather full of himself. I seem to remember that he never stopped talking, and I had given him the cold fish eye.”[10]:60 The following year he created a sensation by starring in , the first film to premiere in the wide-screen process CinemaScope, earning another Oscar nomina- tion. He replaced , who was originally cast in the role of Marcellus, a noble but decadent Roman in command of the detachment of Roman soldiers that cru- cified Christ. Haunted by his guilt from this act, he is eventually led to his own conversion. Marcellus’ Greek slave (played by ) guides him as a spiritual teacher, and his wife (played by Jean Simmons) follows his lead, although it will mean both their deaths. The film marked a resurgence in Biblical blockbusters.[15]:85 Burton was offered a seven-year, $1 million contract by Darryl F. Zanuck at Fox, but he turned it down, though later the contract was revived and he agreed to it.[15]:87 It has been suggested that remarks Burton made about blacklisting Hollywood while filming The Robe may have explained his failure to ever win an Oscar, despite receiv- ing seven nominations. In 1954, Burton took his most famous radio role, as the narrator in the original production of 's with Burton in Broadway’s Camelot , a role he would reprise in the film version twenty years later. He was also the narrator, as Burton was still juggling theatre with film, playing Hamlet , in the highly successful 1960 televi- and at the Old Vic theatre in 1953 and al- sion documentary series .[10]:90 ternating the roles of and with the Old 4 3 HOLLYWOOD AND LATER CAREER

Vic’s other rising matinee idol, . Hamlet street clothes (carefully selected while the production re- was a challenge that both terrified and attracted him, as ally was in rehearsal). Burton’s basic reading of Ham- it was a role many of his peers in the British theatre let, which displeased some theatre-goers, was of a com- had undertaken, including John Gielgud and Laurence plex manic-depressive personality, though during the long Olivier.[15]:93 Bogart, on the other hand, warned him run he varied his performance considerably, as a self- as Burton left Hollywood, “I never knew a man who challenge and to keep his acting fresh. On the whole, Bur- played Hamlet who didn't die broke.”[10]:67 Once again, ton had good reviews. Time said that Burton “put his pas- Philip Burton provided expert coaching. sion into Hamlet’s language rather than the character. His played , and their work together led to a turbu- acting is a technician’s marvel. His voice has gem-cutting lent affair.[15]:94 His reviews in Hamlet were good but he precision.”[10]:144 The opening night party was a lavish af- received stronger praise for Coriolanus. His fellow ac- fair, attended by six hundred celebrities who paid homage tor said, “His Coriolanus is quite easily the to the couple. The most successful aspect of the pro- best I've ever seen” but Hamlet was “too strong”.[15]:93 duction was generally considered to be 's Burton appeared on Broadway, receiving a Tony Award performance as , winning Cronyn the only Tony he would ever receive in a competitive category. nomination for Time Remembered (1958) and winning Award the award for playing King Arthur in the musical, Camelot After his Hamlet, Burton did not return to the stage for (1960), directed by and written by Alan Jay twelve years. He did, however, accept the role of Hum- Lerner and .[10]:67 Julie Andrews, fresh bert Humbert in 's musical adaptation of from her triumph in , played Guenevere to entitled Lolita, My Love but withdrew and was re- Burton’s King Arthur, with as placed by his friend and fellow Welshman John Neville. completing the love triangle. The production was trou- His performance as psychiatrist Martin Dysart in bled, with both Loewe and Hart falling ill, numerous won him a in 1976 for his appear- revisions upsetting the schedule and the actors, and the ance, but he had to make Exorcist II: The Heretic – a film pressure- building due to great expectations and huge ad- he hated – before Hollywood producers would allow him vance sales. The show’s running time was nearly five to repeat his role in the 1977 film version. His final star- hours. Burton took it all in his stride and calmed people ring stage performance was in a critically reviled 1983 down with statements like “Don't worry, love.” Burton’s production of Noël Coward's , opposite his intense preparation and competitive desire served him ex-wife Elizabeth Taylor. Most reviewers dismissed the well. He was generous and supportive to others who were production as a transparent attempt to capitalise on the suffering in the maelstrom. According to Lerner, “he couple’s celebrity, although they grudgingly praised Bur- kept the boat from rocking, and Camelot might never have ton as having the closest connection to Coward’s play of reached New York if it hadn't been for him.”[10]:93 As in anyone in the cast. the play, both male stars were enamoured of their lead- ing lady, newly married Andrews. When Goulet turned to Burton for advice, Burton had none to offer, but later 3.2 Hollywood career in the 1950s and he admitted, “I tried everything on her myself. I couldn't get anywhere either.”[10]:94 Burton’s reviews were excel- 1960s lent, Time magazine stated that Burton “gives Arthur the skilful and vastly appealing performance that might be In terms of critical success, Burton’s Hollywood roles expected from one of ’s finest young actors.” The throughout the 1950s did not live up to the early promise show’s album was a major seller. The Kennedys, newly in of his debut. Burton returned to Hollywood to star in the , also enjoyed the play and invited Bur- , another historical Cinemascope film, ton for a visit, establishing the link of the idealistic young this time concerning , the famous Amer- Kennedy administration with Camelot. ican actor and brother of Abraham Lincoln's assassin, . A weak script undermined a valiant He then put his stage career on hold to concentrate on effort by Burton, although the view of director Philip film, although he received a third Tony Award nomi- Dunne was that “The fire and intensity were there, but nation when he reprised his Hamlet under John Giel- that was all. He hadn't yet mastered the tricks of the gud's direction in 1964 in a production that holds the great movie stars, such as .”[10]:71 Next came record for the longest run of the play in Broadway history (1956), written, directed and pro- [10]:148 (136 performances). The performance was immor- duced by , with Burton in the title role, talised both on record and in a film, which played in US on loan to , again with Claire Bloom co- theatres for a week in 1964, as well as being the subject starring. Contrary to Burton’s expectations, the “intelli- of books written by cast members William Redfield and gent epic” was a wooden, slow-paced flop.[10]:75 Richard L. Sterne. Burton took the role on just after his marriage to Taylor. Since Burton disliked wearing period In , Burton plays a noble Hindu clothing, Gielgud conceived a production in a “rehearsal” doctor who attempts the spiritual recovery of an adulter- setting with a half-finished set and actors wearing their ess (). Critics felt that the film lacked star chemistry, with Burton having difficulty with the accent, 3.2 Hollywood career in the 1950s and 1960s 5

and relied too heavily on Cinemascope special effects, in- tor or a household word?" Burton replied, “Both”.[21] The cluding an earthquake and a collapsing dam. Burton re- six-hour film was cut to under four, eliminating many of turned to the theatre in and Othello, alternating Burton’s scenes, but the result was viewed the same—a the roles of Iago and Othello. He and Sybil then moved to film long on spectacle dominated by the two hottest stars to avoid high British taxes and to try to build a in Hollywood. Their private lives turned out to be an end- nest-egg, for themselves and for Burton’s family.[10]:75 He less source of curiosity for the media, and their marriage returned to film again in Sea Wife, shot in Jamaica and di- was also the start of a series of on-screen collaborations. rected by . A young (then Eventually, the film did well enough to recoup its great called by the tabloids “Britain’s bad girl”) plays a nun cost. shipwrecked on an island with three men. But Rossellini was let go after disagreements with Zanuck. According to Collins, Burton had a “take-the-money-and-run attitude” toward the film.[10]:75–77 Then in 1958, he was offered the part of Jimmy Porter, “an angry young man” role, in the film version of 's play , a gritty drama about middle-class life in the British Midlands, directed by , again with Claire Bloom as co-star. Though it didn't do well commercially (many critics felt Burton, at 33, looked too old for the part), and Bur- ton’s Hollywood box-office aura seemed to be diminish- ing, Burton was proud of the effort and wrote to his men- tor Philip Burton, “I promise you that there isn't a shred of self-pity in my performance. I am for the first time ever Burton and in (1964) looking forward to seeing a film in which I play”.[15]:125 Next came and Ice Palace in 1960, nei- ther important to Burton’s career. Burton played Taylor’s tycoon husband in The V.I.P.s, an all-star film set in the VIP lounge of London Airport After playing King Arthur in Camelot on Broadway for which proved to be a box-office hit. Then Burton por- six months, Burton replaced as Mark trayed the archbishop martyred by Henry II in the title Antony in the troubled production Cleopatra (1963). role of , turning in an effective, restrained perfor- -Fox’s future appeared to hinge on mance, contrasting with Peter O'Toole's manic portrayal what became the most expensive movie ever made until of Henry.[10]:130 then, reaching almost $40 million.[10]:97 The film proved to be the start of Burton’s most successful period in Holly- In 1964, Burton triumphed as defrocked Episcopal priest wood; he would remain among the top 10 box-office earn- Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon in ’ The ers for the next four years. During the filming, Burton Night of the Iguana directed by , a film which met and fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor, who was mar- became another critical and box-office success. Richard ried to Eddie Fisher. The two would not be free to marry Burton’s performance in The Night of the Iguana may be until 1964 when their respective divorces were complete. his finest hour on the screen, and in the process helped On their first meeting on the set, Burton said “Has any- put the town of on the map (the Burtons one ever told you that you're a very pretty girl?" Taylor later bought a house there). Part of Burton’s success was later recalled, “I said to myself, Oy gevalt, here’s the great due to how well he varied his acting with the three female lover, the great wit, the great intellectual of Wales, and characters, each of whom he tries to seduce differently: he comes out with a line like that.”[10]:103 In their first Ava Gardner (the randy hotel owner), (the nu- scenes together, he was shaky and missing his lines, and bile American tourist), and Deborah Kerr (the poor, re- she soothed and coached him. Soon the affair began in pressed artist).[10]:135 earnest and Sybil, seeing this as more than a passing fling Against his family’s advice, Burton married Elizabeth with a leading lady, was unable to bear it. She fled the Taylor on Sunday 15 , in Montreal. Ever op- set, first for Switzerland, then for London. timistic, Taylor proclaimed, “I'm so happy you can't be- The gigantic scale of the troubled production, Taylor’s lieve it. This marriage will last forever”.[10]:140 At the ho- bouts of illness and fluctuating weight, the off-screen tel in , the rabid crowd clawed at the newlyweds, turbulence—all generated enormous publicity, which by- Burton’s coat was ripped and Taylor’s ear was bloodied and-large the studio embraced. Zanuck stated, “I think when someone tried to steal one of her earrings.[10]:142 the Taylor-Burton association is quite constructive for After an interruption playing Hamlet on Broadway, Bur- [10]:118 our organization.” But not necessarily for Burton. ton returned to film as British spy Alec Leamas in The “Make up your mind, dear heart”, cabled Laurence Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Burton and Taylor con- Olivier to him at this time. “Do you want to be a great ac- tinued making films together, though the next one, The 6 3 HOLLYWOOD AND LATER CAREER

Sandpiper (1965), was poorly received. Following that, point), Burton agreed to work in mediocre films, which he and Taylor had great success in 's film hurt his career. He recognised his financial need to do (1966) of the play Who’s Afraid of Vir- so, and that in the era of cinema, neither ginia Woolf?, in which a bitter erudite couple spend the he nor Taylor would be paid as well as at the height of evening trading vicious barbs in front of their horrified their stardom.[24] Films he made during this period in- and fascinated guests, played by and Sandy cluded (1972), (1972), Dennis. Burton was not the first choice for the role of (1974), and Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977). Taylor’s husband. was offered the role He did enjoy one major critical success in the in first, but when he backed off, Jack Warner, with Taylor’s the film version of his stage hit Equus, winning the Golden insistence, agreed on Burton and paid him his price. Al- Globe Award as well as an Academy Award nomination. bee preferred and James Mason, fearing that Public sentiment towards his perennial frustration at not the Burtons’ strong screen presence would dominate the winning an Oscar made many pundits consider him the film.[10]:155, 163 Nichols, in his directorial debut, managed favourite to finally win the award, but on Oscar Night he the Burtons brilliantly. The script, adapted from Albee’s lost to in . , broke new play by Hollywood veteran In 1976 Burton received a Grammy in the category of ground for its raw language and harsh depiction of mar- Best Recording for Children for his narration of The Lit- riage. Although all four actors received Oscar nomina- tle Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He also found tions for their roles in the film (the film received a total success in 1978, when he narrated Jeff Wayne’s Musical of thirteen), only Taylor and Dennis went on to win. So Version of . His distinctive perfor- immersed had the Burtons become in the roles of George mance became a necessary part of the concept album – and Martha over the months of shooting that, after the [10]:142 so much so that a hologram of Burton was used to nar- wrap, Richard Burton said, “I feel rather lost.” rate the live stage show (touring in 2006, 2007, 2009 and Later the couple would state that the film took its toll on 2010) of the musical. In 2011, however, their relationship, and that Taylor was “tired of playing [15]:206 was cast in the part for a “next generation” rerecording, Martha” in real life. and subsequently also replaced Burton as the hologram Their lively version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the character in the stage show. Shrew (1967), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, was a notable Burton had an international box-office hit with The Wild success. Later collaborations, however, Geese (1978), an adventure tale about mercenaries in (1967), Boom! (1968), and the Burton-directed Doctor Africa. The film was a success in the UK and Europe Faustus (1967) (which had its genesis from a theatre pro- but had only limited distribution in the U.S. owing to the duction he staged and starred in at the Oxford Univer- collapse of the studio that funded it and the lack of an sity Dramatic Society), were critical and commercial fail- American star in the movie. He returned to films with ures. Burton even won a Harvard Lampoon The Medusa Touch (1978), Circle of Two (1980), and Award for Worst Actor, for his performances in Doctor the title role in Wagner (1983),[26] a role he said he was Faustus (1967) and The Comedians (1967). Another box born to play, after his success in Equus. His last film per- office failure was the 1969 film Staircase, in which he and formance, as O'Brien in Nineteen Eighty-Four, was criti- his “Cleopatra” co-star appeared as a bick- cally acclaimed,[24] though he was not the first choice for ering homosexual couple. His fee for Staircase, $1.25 the part. According to the film’s director, Michael Rad- million (equivalent to approximately $8,477,273 in to- [22] [23] ford, Paul Scofield was originally contracted to play the day’s funds ) plus a share of the gross, made him part, but had to withdraw due to a broken leg, then Sean the highest-paid actor in the world. Connery, and were all ap- He did enjoy a final commercial blockbuster with Clint proached before Burton was cast. He had “heard stories” Eastwood in the 1968 World War II picture Where Eagles about Burtons heavy drinking, which had concerned the Dare, a major hit in 1969,[24] for which he received a $1 producers.[27] [7] million fee plus a share of the gross. His last film of the At the time of his death, Burton was preparing to film decade, Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), was a com- Wild Geese II, the sequel to , which was mercial and critical disappointment. In spite of those fail- eventually released in 1985. Burton was to reprise the ures, it performed remarkably well at that year’s Academy role of Colonel Faulkner, while his friend Sir Laurence awards (receiving ten nominations, including one for Bur- Olivier was cast as . After his death, Burton ton’s performance as Henry VIII), which many thought to was replaced by , and the character changed be largely the result of an expensive advertising campaign to Faulkner’s younger brother. by Universal Studios.[25]

3.3 Later career 3.4 Oscars

Because of Burton and Taylor’s extravagant spending and He was nominated six times for an Academy Award for his support of his family and others (42 people at one Best Actor and once for an Academy Award for Best Sup- 3.6 Books and articles 7

porting Actor – but he never won. His first nomination, Burton showed a subtle flair for comedy in a 1970 guest for My Cousin Rachel (1952), was for Best Supporting appearance with Elizabeth Taylor on the sitcom Here’s Actor. His subsequent nominations all came in the Best Lucy, where he recited, in a plumber’s uniform, a haunt- Actor category. ing excerpt of a speech from Shakespeare’s Richard II. He was nominated as Best Actor for The Robe in 1954, He later parodied this role in an episode of the television but did not receive another nomination until 1965, for show The Fall Guy. Becket, at which time he was one of the most famous In 1997, archive footage of Burton was used in the first actors in the world, due to his relationship with Eliza- episode of the television series Conan.[28] beth Taylor. Considered a favorite in the 1966 and '67 contests for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) and Who’s Afraid of ? (1966), he lost to 3.6 Books and articles and Paul Scofield, respectively. His perfor- mance in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) was bested In 1964 Burton wrote a brief memoir of his childhood, A by in True Grit and his comeback perfor- Christmas Story.[29] Set in a small mining town in Wales, mance in Equus (1977) was topped by Richard Dreyfuss this “smart and deeply felt”[30] story is told from the per- in The Goodbye Girl. spective of a young, motherless boy on the night before In contrast to the Oscars, where he was an also-ran, Bur- Christmas. It was published in 1968, and is written in ton was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony the tradition of A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Awards for Best Actor. Thomas—an author Burton refers to in his first sentence, which begins, “There were not many white Christmases From 1982, he and Becket co-star Peter O'Toole shared in our part of Wales in my childhood...”[31] the record for the male actor with the most nominations (7) for a competitive acting Oscar without ever winning. Burton kept a written record of his experiences and In 2007, O'Toole was nominated for an eighth time (and thoughts in the form of a daily journal or a private di- subsequently lost), for Venus (however, O'Toole received ary. This began when he was 14 years old, and it con- an Academy Honorary Award in 2003). tinued, though he would sometimes set the project aside. It was eventually published posthumously in 2012 as The Richard Burton Diaries.[32][33] Burton occasionally though rarely wrote magazine arti- 3.5 Television cles, including his article that appeared in Look Magazine in 1969, “Who Cares About Wales? I Do.”[34] Burton rarely appeared on television, although he gave a memorable performance as in a televised pro- duction of for The in 1960. Later appearances included the television film 4 Personal life and views Divorce His – Divorce Hers (1973) opposite then-wife Elizabeth Taylor (a prophetic title, since their first mar- Burton was married five times and he had four children. riage would be dissolved less than a year later), a remake From 1949 until their divorce in 1963, he was married of the classic film (1974) that was con- to Welsh actress/producer Sybil Williams, with whom sidered vastly inferior to the 1945 original, and a criti- he had two daughters, Katherine “Kate” Burton (born cally applauded performance as Winston Churchill in The 10 September 1957) and Jessica Burton (born 1959).[35] Gathering Storm (1974). Wagner, a film he made about He was married twice, consecutively, to actress Elizabeth the life of (noted for having the only on- Taylor, from 15 March 1964 to 26 June 1974 and from screen teaming of , John Gielgud and 10 to 29 July 1976. Their first wedding in the same scenes) was shown as a took place in Montreal,[20] and their second wedding oc- television miniseries in 1983 after failing to achieve a curred, 16 months after their divorce, in Chobe National theatrical release in most countries due to its nine-hour Park in Botswana. In 1964, the couple adopted a daugh- running time. Burton enjoyed a personal triumph in the ter from Germany, Maria Burton (born 1 August 1961). American television miniseries Ellis Island in 1984, re- Burton adopted Taylor’s daughter by the late producer ceiving a posthumous Emmy Award nomination for his , Elizabeth Frances “Liza” Todd Burton (born final television performance. 6 August 1957).[36] Television played an important part in the fate of his The relationship Burton and Taylor portrayed in the film Broadway appearance in Camelot. When the show’s run Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was popularly likened to was threatened by disappointing reviews, Burton and co- their real-life marriage.[37] Burton disagreed with others star Julie Andrews appeared on to about Taylor’s famed beauty, saying that calling her “the perform the number What Do The Simple Folk Do?. The most beautiful woman in the world is absolute nonsense. television appearance renewed public interest in the pro- She has wonderful eyes, but she has a double chin and an duction and extended its Broadway run. overdeveloped chest, and she’s rather short in the leg.”[38] 8 4 PERSONAL LIFE AND VIEWS

In August 1976, a month after his second divorce from earning vast sums of money for films and holding left- Taylor, Burton married model Suzy Miller, the former wing views since “unlike capitalists, I don't exploit other wife of Formula 1 Champion ;[39] the mar- people.”[47] riage ended in divorce in 1982. From 1983 until his death Burton courted further controversy in 1976 when he in 1984, Burton was married to make-up artist Sally Hay. wrote an unsolicited article for about his In 1957 he became a tax exile, moving to Switzerland, friend and fellow Welsh thespian , who had where he lived until his death. In 1968 Burton’s elder recently died from pneumonia at the age of 48; the article brother, Ifor, slipped and fell, breaking his neck, after a upset Baker’s widow with its depiction of her late husband lengthy drinking session with Burton at the actor’s sec- as an uncultured womaniser.[48] ond home in Céligny, Switzerland. The injury left him paralysed from the neck down.[40] His younger brother , in the notes of his Richard Burton: A Life, Graham Jenkins opined it may have been guilt over this says that Burton told Laurence Olivier around 1970 of that caused Burton to start drinking very heavily, partic- his own (unfulfilled) plans to make his own film of Mac- ularly after Ifor died in 1973.[41] beth with Elizabeth Taylor, knowing that this would hurt Olivier because he had failed to gain funding for his own In a February 1975 interview with his friend David Lewin cherished film version more than a decade earlier. he said he “tried” homosexuality. He also suggested that perhaps all actors were latent homosexuals, and “we cover On his religious views, Burton was an atheist, stating, “I it up with drink".[42] In 2000, Ellis Amburn’s biography wish I could believe in a God of some kind but I simply of Elizabeth Taylor suggested that Burton had an affair cannot.”[49] with Laurence Olivier and tried to seduce Eddie Fisher, although this was strongly denied by Burton’s younger brother Graham Jenkins.[43] 4.1 Health issues Burton was a heavy smoker from the time he was just eight years old; and by his own admission in a Decem- ber 1977 interview with Sir , Burton was smoking 60–100 cigarettes per day. According to his younger brother, as stated in Graham Jenkins’s 1988 book Richard Burton: My Brother, he smoked at least a hundred cigarettes a day. His father, also a heavy drinker, refused to acknowledge his son’s talents, achievements and acclaim.[14] In turn, Burton declined to attend his fu- neral, in 1957.[18] Burton’s father died from a cerebral haemorrhage, in January 1957, at age 81. Burton admired and was inspired by the actor and drama- tist Emlyn Williams. He employed his son, Brook Williams, as his personal assistant and adviser and he was given small roles in some of the films in which Burton starred.[44] Burton was banned permanently from BBC productions in November 1974 for writing two newspaper articles questioning the sanity of Winston Churchill and others in power during World War II – Burton reported hat- ing them “virulently” for the alleged promise to wipe out all Japanese people on the planet.[45] The publica- tion of these articles coincided with what would have been Churchill’s centenary, and came after Burton had played him in a favourable light in A Walk with Destiny, with con- Burton’s gravestone at the Vieux Cemetery in Céligny. He is siderable help from the Churchill family. Politically Bur- buried a few paces away from Alistair MacLean's grave. ton was a lifelong socialist, although he was never as heav- ily involved in politics as his close friend Stanley Baker. Burton was an alcoholic who reportedly nearly died in He admired Democratic Senator Robert F. Kennedy and 1974 from an excess of drinking. According to biogra- once got into a sonnet-quoting contest with him.[46] In pher , “At the height of his boozing in the 1973 Burton agreed to play in a film bi- mid-70s he was knocking back three to four bottles of ography, since he admired the Yugoslav leader. While hard liquor a day.”[50] filming in he publicly proclaimed that he was a communist, saying he felt no contradiction between After drinking himself nearly to death during the shoot- ing of The Klansman (1974), Burton was dried out at 9

Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Califor- 5 Awards and nominations nia. Burton allegedly was so inebriated while making the picture that many of his scenes had to be filmed For his contribution to motion pictures, Richard Burton with him sitting or lying down due to his inability to has a star on the located at 6336 stand. In some scenes, he appears to slur his words or Hollywood Boulevard.[55] Due to his theater work, Bur- [51] speak incoherently. According to his own diaries, sub- ton is also a member of the American Theatre Hall of sequently he used Antabuse to try to stop his excessive Fame.[56] drinking, which he blamed for wrecking his marriage to Elizabeth Taylor.[52] Burton himself said of the time leading up to his near loss of life, “I was fairly sloshed 6 Filmography for five years. I was up there with and Robert Newton. The of them were looking over • my shoulder.”[5] (1949) Burton said that he turned to the bottle for solace “to burn • Now Barabbas (1949) up the flatness, the stale, empty, dull deadness that one • feels when one goes offstage.”[50] The Woman with No Name (1950) The 1988 biography of Burton by Melvyn Bragg[15] pro- • Waterfront (1950) vides a detailed description of the many health issues that • Green Grow the Rushes (1951) plagued Burton throughout his life. In his youth, Burton was a star athlete and well known for his athletic abilities • My Cousin Rachel (1952) and strength. • The Desert Rats (1953) By the age of 41 he had declined so far in health that his arms were by his own admission thin and weak. He suf- • The Robe (1953) fered from bursitis, possibly aggravated by faulty treat- • ment, arthritis, dermatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and kid- Thursday’s Children (1954) (short subject) (narra- ney disease, as well as developing, by his mid-forties, a tor) pronounced limp. How much of this was due to his intake • Prince of Players (1955) of alcohol is impossible to ascertain, according to Bragg, because of Burton’s reluctance to be treated for alcohol • The Rains of Ranchipur (1955) addiction; however, in 1974, Burton spent six weeks in • a clinic to recuperate from a period during which he had Alexander the Great (1956) been drinking three bottles of vodka a day. He was also a • (1957) regular smoker, with an intake of between three and five packs a day for most of his adult life. Health issues con- • Sea Wife (1957) tinued to plague him until his death of a stroke at the age • of 58. Look Back in Anger (1958) • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1959) (narrator) • Ice Palace (1960) • The Bramble Bush (1960) 4.2 Death • Dylan Thomas (1962) (short subject) ( narrator) • The Longest Day (1962) Burton died at age 58 from a brain haemorrhage on 5 • Cleopatra (1963) August 1984 at his home in Céligny, Switzerland, and is buried there.[3] Although his death was sudden, his health • The V.I.P.s (1963) had been declining for several years, and he suffered from • constant and severe neck pain. He had been warned that Zulu (1964) (narrator) [40] his liver was enlarged as early as March 1970, and had • Becket (1964) been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and kidney dis- ease in April 1981. Burton was buried in a red suit, a trib- • The Night of the Iguana (1964) ute to his Welsh roots, and with a copy of Dylan Thomas' • poems.[53] He and Taylor had discussed being buried to- Hamlet (1964) gether; his widow Sally purchased the plot next to Bur- • What’s New Pussycat? (1965) (Cameo) ton’s and erected a large headstone across both, presum- ably to prevent Taylor from being buried there.[54] • (1965) 10 7 STAGE PRODUCTIONS

• (1965) (documentary short) (narrator) • Lovespell (1981) • The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) • Alice in Wonderland (1983) • Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) • Wagner (1983) • • : Days of Destruction (1966) (documentary Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) short) (narrator) • Ellis Island (1984) • (1967) (also producer) |}

| 7 Stage productions • (1967) (also producer and director) • • The Comedians (1967) Measure for Measure (1944) • • The Comedians in Africa (1967) (documentary Druid’s Rest (1944) short) (as himself) • Castle Anna (1948) • Boom! (1968) • The Lady’s Not for Burning (1949) • (1968) • The Lady’s Not for Burning (1950) • Candy (1968) • A Phoenix Too Frequent (1950) • • Staircase (1969) The Boy With A Cart (1950) • Legend of Lovers (1951) • Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) • The Tempest (1951) • (1971) • Henry V (1951) • Villain (1971) • Henry IV (1951) • Under Milk Wood (1972) • Montserrat (1952) • The Assassination of Trotsky (1972) • The Tempest (1953) • Bluebeard (1972) • (1953) • Hammersmith Is Out (1972) • Hamlet (1953) • (Italian: Rappresaglia) (1973) • Coriolanus (1953) • Sutjeska (1973), also known as The Fifth Offensive • Hamlet (1953) and The Battle of Sutjeska • (1953) • The Voyage (1974) • Henry V (1955) • The Klansman (1974) • Othello (1956) • The Gathering Storm (1974) • Sea Wife (1957) • Brief Encounter (1974) • Time Remembered (1957) • Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) • Camelot (1960) • Equus (1977) • Hamlet (1964) • Absolution (1978), also known as Murder by Con- • A Poetry Reading (1964) fession • Doctor Faustus (1966) • The Wild Geese (1978) • Equus (1976) • The Medusa Touch (1978) • War of the Worlds (1978) • Breakthrough (1979) • Camelot (1980) • Circle of Two (1980) • Private Lives (1983) 11

8 Bibliography [19] Bragg, Melvyn (1990). Richard Burton: A Life (paper- back/repack ed.). Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-35938-6.

• Burton, Richard (2012). Chris Williams, ed. The [20] Segal, Lionel (26 March 2011). “The witness to the wed- Richard Burton Diaries. Yale University Press. ding”. Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 26 March 2011. ISBN 978-0300180107. [21] “Burton, Richard”, Fascts on File History Database Search 9 References [22] Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2014. Federal Reserve Bank of . Retrieved February 27, 2014. [1] Obituary Variety, 8 August 1984 [23] Miller, Frank. “Staircase”. . Re- [2] Clarke, Gerald (20 August 1984). “Show Business: The trieved 29 September 2013. Mellifluous Prince of Disorder”. Time Magazine 124 (8). Retrieved 30 September 2013. [24] Kashner, Sam; Schoenberger, Nancy (July 2010). “A Love Too Big To Last”. Vanity Fair. Retrieved 24 March [3] Dowd, Maureen (6 August 1984). “Richard Burton, 58, 2011. is Dead; Rakish Stage and Screen Star”. New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2014. [25] Inside Oscar, Mason and Damien Boa, (1986) p. 434 [4] Kalfatovic, Mary C. (2005). American National Biogra- phy: Supplement 2. New York, NY: Oxford University [26] “RICHARD BURTON STARS IN 'WAGNER' ON 13”. Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0195222029. nytimes.com. 24 October 1986.

[5] Sellers, Robert (2009). Hellraisers: The Life and Ine- [27] 'In Conversation with ', Sky Arts 18 Oc- briated Times of Richard Burton, , Peter tober 2013 O'Toole, and . New York, NY: Thomas Dunne [28] Conan at the Internet Movie Database Books. p. 145. ISBN 0312553994. [29] Burton, Richard. “A Christmas Story”. W.W. Norton and [6] “Quigley’s Top Ten Box-Office Champions (1932- Company. 1989. ISBN 0-393-03034-2 Present)". Tony Barnes Journal. Retrieved 29 September 2013. [30] Clarke, Brock. “Untraditional Reading”. The Boston Globe. 23 December 2012 [7] “Biography for Richard Burton (I)". Internet Movie Dat- base. Retrieved 29 September 2013. [31] Publishers Weekly. 4 November 1991[www. publishersweekly.com/978-0-393-03034-1] [8] “Richard Burton: Life, 1957-1970”. The Official Richard [32] Burton, Richard. Editor: Williams, Chris. The Richard Burton Website. 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2014. Burton Diaries. Yale University Press. 2012. [9] [33] Callow, Simon. “Book of the Week: The Richard Bur- [10] Alpert, Hollis (1986). Burton. New York: G. P. Putnam’s ton Diaries edited by Chris Williams”. . 29 Sons. ISBN 0-399-13093-4. November 2012. [34] Burton, Richard. “Who Cares About Wales? I Do.” Look [11] The Richard Burton Diaries, p3 Magazine. 24 June 1969.

[12] Parish, James Robert (2007). The Hollywood Book of Ex- [35] Williams (ed.) (2012) p.70 travagance: The Totally Infamous, Mostly. John Wiley and Sons. p. 26. ISBN 0-470-05205-8. [36] “Q&A: An update on Elizabeth Taylor’s four children”. St. Petersburg Times. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 20 April [13] “ Richard Burton Trail”. 2011.

[14] “Richard Burton”. welshwales.co.uk. [37] Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton: The Film Collection – DVD [15] Bragg, Melvyn (1988). Richard Burton: A Life. Boston, Massachusetts: Little Brown and Co. ISBN 978- [38] Gussow, Mel (23 March 2011). “Elizabeth Taylor, Life- 0446359382. long Screen Star, Dies at 79”. . Re- trieved 23 March 2011. [16] Jenkins, David (subject’s elder brother) Richard Burton: A brother remembered, (2nd edn) Arrow Books London [39] “Richard Burton married model Susan Hunt in Arlington, 1994 Va.”. The Modesto Bee (Modesto, California). AP. 22 August 1976. p. C-9. Retrieved 5 March 2011. [17] “Richard Burton’s Last Match” in Take the Ball and Run by Godfrey Smith (Pavilion, 1991). ISBN 978-1-85145- [40] “Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor: The Love Let- 605-5 ters. How drinking cocooned them from pressure of fame. Without it, they couldn't even make love”. Sam Kashner [18] “Richard Burton”. everything2.com. and Nancy Schoenberger, Daily Mail, 7 June 2010 12 11 EXTERNAL LINKS

[41] Jenkins, Graham Richard Burton: My Brother (1988) 11 External links

[42] Ferris, Paul Richard Burton (1981) pp. 170–71. • Official website of Richard Burton

[43] “Anger at claim Burton was gay”. BBC News (Wales). 10 • Richard Burton at Find a Grave April 2000. Retrieved 31 August 2009. • Richard Burton at the Internet Broadway Database [44] Brook Williams Obituary. . 11 June 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2011. • Richard Burton at the Internet Off-Broadway Database [45] Munn, Michael, Richard Burton: prince of players, Sky- • horse Publishing Inc., 2008. Cf. p.214 on Burton’s dia- Richard Burton at the Internet Movie Database tribe and Winston Churchill. • Richard Burton at the TCM Movie Database [46] Hawthorne, Mary. “All True Love Must Die: Richard • Richard Burton at the 's Burton’s Diaries”. . Condé Nast. Re- Screenonline trieved 21 August 2014. • Richard Burton on the Show, July 1980 [47] Ferris, Paul Richard Burton (1981).

[48] Melvyn Bragg, Rich: the Life of Richard Burton, 1988, ISBN 978-1-4447-5846-7

[49] Richard Burton (2012). Chris Williams, ed. The Richard Burton Diaries. Yale University Press. p. 252. ISBN 978- 0-300-19231-5. Retrieved 30 September 2013. I wish I could believe in a God of some kind but I simply cannot.

[50] Reiner, Jon. “Raising 'Hell' In Dramatic Richard Burton Style”. National Public Radio. Retrieved 29 September 2013.

[51] Lentz, Robert J. (2000). Lee Marvin: His Films and Ca- reer. McFarland. p. 148. ISBN 0-7864-2606-3.

[52] Burton, Richard (20 November 2012). “Booze. Booze. Booze. Must stop! Vodka for breakfast so Liz wouldn't smell it when they kissed. Hands that couldn't stop trem- bling. In his own shame filled words, how alcohol killed Burton’s second marriage to Taylor”. Daily Mail. Re- trieved 29 September 2013.

[53] “South West Wales – Hall Of Fame”. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2011. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried with a copy of the Complete Works of Dylan Thomas.

[54] Boshoff, Alison (25 March 2011). “Is Liz Taylor’s gay manager about to inherit her millions?". Daily Mail (UK). Retrieved 26 March 2011.

[55] http://www.walkoffame.com/richard-burton.

[56] “Broadway’s Best”. New York Times. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

10 Further reading

• Shipman, D. The Great Movie Stars: The Interna- tional Years, Angus & Robertson 1982. ISBN 0- 207-14803-1 13

12 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

12.1 Text

• Richard Burton Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Burton?oldid=674508383 Contributors: Mav, Koyaanis Qatsi, Jeronimo, Ed Poor, Danny, Unukorno, Deb, Ortolan88, William Avery, Ellmist, Mintguy, Isis~enwiki, Leandrod, Frecklefoot, Paul Barlow, Lquil- ter, Dori, Tregoweth, Ahoerstemeier, Arwel Parry, Ventura, Adam Bishop, Tpbradbury, Curero, Romanm, Timrollpickering, Mervyn, UtherSRG, JackofOz, Bean shadow, Dina, Bailey, Rossrs, Lupin, Angmering, Vk2tds, JillandJack, Wmahan, DavidBrooks, RobinCar- mody, Kjetil r, Quadell, MisfitToys, Ellsworth, Ganymead, Bodnotbod, Yossarian, Grunners, Beginning, Ukexpat, Klemen Kocjancic, Philip ,לערי ריינהארט ,Cwoyte, D6, Freakofnurture, Mattstan, Abelson, Dlloyd, Sc147, Ylee, SpencyB, TMC1982, Causa sui, Elipongo Cross, Robin Johnson, Ashley Pomeroy, Jackliddle, Bbsrock, Cburnett, Aka, Ghirlandajo, RyanGerbil10, Dismas, Megan1967, Bacteria, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), Alvis, Woohookitty, Camw, PatGallacher, Towpilot, Candice, Wikiklrsc, Astanhope, SDC, Graeme- Leggett, Emerson7, Rachel1, Kbdank71, Ted Wilkes, Peter Maggs, Snafflekid, Noirish, Angusmclellan, Ian Dunster, MarnetteD, Tbone, Kamoranakrre T. Eyaelitenan, FlaBot, RobertG, CarolGray, Jay-W, Thefourdotelipsis, 3finger, Gareth E Kegg, Aleal, The Rambling Man, YurikBot, RussBot, Pigman, Sasuke Sarutobi, TommyP, Azucar~enwiki, Tenebrae, CambridgeBayWeather, Stephen Burnett, Golfcam, Wiki alf, Chick Bowen, Astorknlam, Jpbowen, Zenexp, Zwobot, Ospalh, BraneJ, Black Falcon, Wknight94, Paul Magnussen, Yahoo, J. Van Meter, [email protected], Ecoleetage, Jogers, TheMatt, Mais oui!, Garion96, SDS, Theroachman, Vulturell, SmackBot, Tom- Green, Rjmunro, Tom Lougheed, GWP, Verne Equinox, Drkarthi, Timotheus Canens, IstvanWolf, Sloman, Gilliam, Carl.bunderson, The monkeyhate, CajunGypsy, Chris the speller, Ajsmen91, Thumperward, MalafayaBot, Rothery, Colonies Chris, GoodDay, Hgrosser, George Ho, Tonyodysseus, Tsca.bot, GRuban, Greenshed, Oanabay04, John.McDougall, Regencypanther, Jagarin, Risker, Ohconfucius, Michael David, Murph24, SashatoBot, Lambiam, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, BrownHairedGirl, Wavy G, Jzummak, John, Pliny, UberCryxic, Moloch981, Nigel45, Michael Bednarek, Deadflagblues, Joshua Scott, ZincOrbie, JHunterJ, Booksworm, Mr Stephen, AxG, Neddysea- goon, Condem, LaMenta3, Pilipala9, Dl2000, Norm mit, Simon12, Lc 04, Newone, Leaky caldron, Supertigerman, Courcelles, GiantSnow- man, Danlev, Anthony22, CmdrObot, Mattbr, AlbertSM, Nunquam Dormio, Drinibot, Location, Cydebot, Ntsimp, Antonova, JFBridge, AbsoluteDann, Gogo Dodo, Zgystardst, CiaranG, Jayen466, Trident13, Srajan01, Ameliorate!, After Midnight, Ebyabe, Betacommand- Bot, Thijs!bot, Serpent-A, Edwardx, SGGH, Mr. Brain, Gianmaria Framarin, Dawkeye, Nick Number, Escarbot, Clever curmudgeon, RobotG, Majorly, StrawIntoGold121, SummerPhD, Dr. Blofeld, Kbthompson, Tjmayerinsf, Postlewaight, Bjenks, Amarkov, JAnDbot, Dsp13, Bodragon, East718, Gavia immer, MegX, Geniac, Wildhartlivie, Bencherlite, Magioladitis, Hullaballoo Wolfowitz, Headbeater, WagByName, Gabe1972, Cartoon Boy, Allied45, Grantsky, Daemonic Kangaroo, Enaidmawr, Gwern, Salimi, PhantomS, Tvoz, Billchav, Bruin69, Beowulf7120, CommonsDelinker, Johnpacklambert, J.delanoy, DrKiernan, Caravaggio31, Siryendor, Peteparadise, Thaurisil, Revans1953, FruitMonkey, Litteharbor, Cinemaretro, Nwbeeson, Films addicted, Nielsh, Dorftrottel, VolkovBot, Stevo34, Alyssa kat13, Alfietucker, AlnoktaBOT, Bovineboy2008, Davidwr, Station1, LeilaniLad, Titocavalera, TXiKiBoT, Canberrajim, A4bot, HarveyCarter, Martin451, Snowbot, Jeremy Bolwell, Coldness, Billinghurst, Jamesmarkhetterley, 12thNight, Senpai71, Sealman, Andreas Carter, Je- horn, Planet-man828, Rontrigger, SieBot, RHodnett, Ken from Dublin, WereSpielChequers, Ballroom16, SE7, Rogersleigh, A. 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