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John Hurt

John Hurt

Known For Acting
Birthday Jan 22, 1940
Died Jan 25, 2017 (77)
Birthplace Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, UK
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Sep 20, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Sir John Vincent Hurt (January 22, 1940 – January 25, 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. He came to prominence for his role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons (1966) and gained BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayals of Timothy Evans in 10 Rillington ... Place (1971) and Quentin Crisp in television film The Naked Civil Servant (1975) – winning his first BAFTA for the latter. He played Caligula in the BBC TV series I, Claudius (1976). Hurt's performance in the prison drama Midnight Express (1978) brought him international renown and earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, along with an Academy Award nomination. His BAFTA-nominated portrayal of astronaut Kane, in the science-fiction horror film Alien (1979), notably included a scene where an alien creature burst out of his chest, named by several publications as one of the most memorable moments in cinema history. Hurt earned his third competitive BAFTA, along with his second Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, as Joseph Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man (1980). Other significant roles during the 1980s included Bob Champion in biopic Champions (1984), Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit (1984), Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and Stephen Ward in the drama depicting the Profumo affair, Scandal (1989). Hurt was again BAFTA-nominated for his work in Irish drama The Field (1990) and played the primary villain, James Graham, in the epic adventure Rob Roy (1995). His later films include the Harry Potter film series (2001–11), the Hellboy films (2004 and 2008), supernatural thriller The Skeleton Key (2005), western The Proposition (2005), political thriller V for Vendetta (2005), action adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), sci-fi action Outlander (2008) and the Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). Hurt reprised his role as Quentin Crisp in An Englishman in New York (2009), which brought his seventh BAFTA nomination. He portrayed the War Doctor in the BBC TV series Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", in 2013. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors; director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in the world". He possessed what was described as the "most distinctive voice in Britain", likened by The Observer to "nicotine sieved through dirty, moonlit gravel". His voice acting career encompassed films such as Watership Down (1978), The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Plague Dogs (1982), The Black Cauldron (1985), Dogville (2003) and Planet Dinosaur (2011) as well as BBC TV series Merlin (2008–2012). In 2012, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Award, in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to cinema". He was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama.

Known For

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Filmography

That Good Night

That Good Night

2017

as Ralph

Damascus Cover

Damascus Cover

2017

as Miki

My Name Is Lenny

My Name Is Lenny

2017

as Leslie Salmon

The Journey

The Journey

2017

as Harry Patterson

Jackie

Jackie

2016

as The Priest

ChickLit

ChickLit

2016

as Francis Bonar

Break

Break

2015

as Jack

The Alchemist's Letter

The Alchemist's Letter

2015

as The Alchemist (voice)

Hercules

Hercules

2014

as Cotys

Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict

Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict

2013

as Narrator (voice)

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

2013

as The War Doctor

Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor

Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor

2013

as The War Doctor

Jayne Mansfield's Car

Jayne Mansfield's Car

2013

as Kingsley Bedford

Only Lovers Left Alive

Only Lovers Left Alive

2013

as Christopher Marlowe

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

2013

as The War Doctor (archive voice)

Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers

Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers

2012

as Narrator (voice)

The Snipist

The Snipist

2012

as The Ministry

Sightseers

Sightseers

2012

as Jerusalem Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

The Confession

The Confession

2011

as Priest

Sailcloth

Sailcloth

2011

as Man

23 Degrees, 5 Minutes

23 Degrees, 5 Minutes

2011

as Professor Orit

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2011

as Control

The Gruffalo's Child

The Gruffalo's Child

2011

as The Owl (voice)

Immortals

Immortals

2011

as Old Zeus

Melancholia

Melancholia

2011

as Dexter

Lou

Lou

2010

as Doyle

Love at First Sight

Love at First Sight

2010

as Arthur

Whistle and I'll Come to You

Whistle and I'll Come to You

2010

as James Parkin

Brighton Rock

Brighton Rock

2010

as Phil Corkery

A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures

A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures

2010

as Grandpa Sammy (voice)

An Englishman in New York

An Englishman in New York

2009

as Quentin Crisp

44 Inch Chest

44 Inch Chest

2009

as Old Man Peanut

The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo

2009

as Owl (voice)

The Limits of Control

The Limits of Control

2009

as Guitar

Waking Sleeping Beauty

Waking Sleeping Beauty

2009

as The Horned King (voice) (archive footage)

The Oxford Murders

The Oxford Murders

2008

as Arthur Seldom

Recount

Recount

2008

as Warren Christopher

Outlander

Outlander

2008

as Rothgar

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

2008

as Trevor Bruttenholm

New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You

2008

as Bellhop

Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron

Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron

2007

as Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)

The Plot Against Harold Wilson

The Plot Against Harold Wilson

2006

as Narrator (voice)

Shooting Dogs

Shooting Dogs

2006

as Christopher

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

2006

as Narrator (voice)

V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta

2006

as Adam Sutler

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

2005

as Narrator (voice)

The Skeleton Key

The Skeleton Key

2005

as Ben Devereaux

Valiant

Valiant

2005

as Felix (voice)

The Proposition

The Proposition

2005

as Jellon Lamb

Once Upon a Halloween

Once Upon a Halloween

2005

as The Horned King

Shadowing the Third Man

Shadowing the Third Man

2004

as Narrator (voice)

Hellboy

Hellboy

2004

as Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm

Pride

Pride

2004

as Harry (voice)

Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill

Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill

2003

as Man from Maybury Hill

Owning Mahowny

Owning Mahowny

2003

as Victor Foss

Dogville

Dogville

2003

as Narrator (voice)

Bait

Bait

2002

as Jack Blake

The Alien Saga

The Alien Saga

2002

as Narrator (voice)

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment

2002

as Porfiry, chief investigator

Miranda

Miranda

2002

as Christian

Shaolin: Wheel of Life

Shaolin: Wheel of Life

2001

as Narrator (voice)

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

2001

as Dr. Iannis

Tabloid

Tabloid

2001

as Vince

Krapp's Last Tape

Krapp's Last Tape

2000

as Krapp

Lost Souls

Lost Souls

2000

as Father Lareaux

The Tigger Movie

The Tigger Movie

2000

as Narrator (voice)

All the Little Animals

All the Little Animals

1999

as Mr. Summers

New Blood

New Blood

1999

as Alan White

One Last Score

One Last Score

1999

as Sean Cooper

You're Dead...

You're Dead...

1999

as Maitland

Love and Death on Long Island

Love and Death on Long Island

1998

as Giles De'Ath

The Climb

The Climb

1998

as Chuck Langer

The Commissioner

The Commissioner

1998

as James morton

Night Train

Night Train

1998

as Michael Poole

Contact

Contact

1997

as S. R. Hadden

Bandyta

Bandyta

1997

as Babits

Tender Loving Care

Tender Loving Care

1996

as Dr. Turner

Saigon Baby

Saigon Baby

1995

as Jack Lee

Two Nudes Bathing

Two Nudes Bathing

1995

as Marquis de Prey

Wild Bill

Wild Bill

1995

as Charley Prince

Rob Roy

Rob Roy

1995

as John Graham

Dead Man

Dead Man

1995

as John Scholfield

Great Moments in Aviation

Great Moments in Aviation

1994

as Rex Goodyear

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

1994

as The Countess

Second Best

Second Best

1994

as Uncle Turpin

Thumbelina

Thumbelina

1994

as Mr. Mole (voice)

The World of Jim Henson

The World of Jim Henson

1994

as The Storyteller (archive footage)

Monolith

Monolith

1993

as Villano

Red Fox

Red Fox

1991

as Archie Carpenter

Journey to Knock

Journey to Knock

1991

as Alfred

Lapse of Memory

Lapse of Memory

1991

as Conrad Farmer

I Dreamt I Woke Up

I Dreamt I Woke Up

1991

as Boorman's Alter Ego

King Ralph

King Ralph

1991

as Lord Percival Graves

Windprints

Windprints

1990

as Charles Rutherford

Romeo.Juliet

Romeo.Juliet

1990

as La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)

Who Bombed Birmingham?

Who Bombed Birmingham?

1990

as Chris Mullin

Paul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool

Paul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool

1990

as Narrator (voice)

Frankenstein Unbound

Frankenstein Unbound

1990

as Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator (voice)

The Field

The Field

1990

as Bird' O'Donnell

Resident Alien

Resident Alien

1990

as Actor

Little Sweetheart

Little Sweetheart

1989

as Robert Burger

Scandal

Scandal

1989

as Stephen Ward

David Macaulay: Pyramid

David Macaulay: Pyramid

1989

as Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)

Deadline

Deadline

1988

as Granville Jones

Aria

Aria

1987

as The Actor

Vincent

Vincent

1987

as (voice)

The Hunting of the Snark

The Hunting of the Snark

1987

as The Narrator (voice)

From the Hip

From the Hip

1987

as Douglas Benoit

White Mischief

White Mischief

1987

as Gilbert Colville

Spaceballs

Spaceballs

1987

as John Hurt

Rocinante

Rocinante

1986

as Bill

Jake Speed

Jake Speed

1986

as Syd

After Darkness

After Darkness

1985

as Peter Hunningford

The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima

The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima

1985

as Narrator (voice)

The Black Cauldron

The Black Cauldron

1985

as The Horned King (voice)

The Hit

The Hit

1984

as Braddock

Champions

Champions

1984

as Bob Champion

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Nineteen Eighty-Four

1984

as Winston Smith

Success Is the Best Revenge

Success Is the Best Revenge

1984

as Dino Montecurva

King Lear

King Lear

1983

as The Fool

The Osterman Weekend

The Osterman Weekend

1983

as Lawrence Fassett

The Plague Dogs

The Plague Dogs

1982

as Snitter (voice)

Night Crossing

Night Crossing

1982

as Peter Strelzyk

Partners

Partners

1982

as Kerwin

History of the World: Part I

History of the World: Part I

1981

as Jesus - The Roman Empire

The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man

1980

as John Merrick

Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate

1980

as Billy Irvine

Alien

Alien

1979

as Kane

Watership Down

Watership Down

1978

as Hazel (voice)

The Shout

The Shout

1978

as Anthony Fielding

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings

1978

as Aragorn (voice)

Midnight Express

Midnight Express

1978

as Max

East of Elephant Rock

East of Elephant Rock

1977

as Nash

Spectre

Spectre

1977

as Mitri Cyon

Three Dangerous Ladies

Three Dangerous Ladies

1977

as Lt. George Simmonds

The Disappearance

The Disappearance

1977

as Atkinson

The Naked Civil Servant

The Naked Civil Servant

1975

as Quentin Crisp

The Playboy of the Western World

The Playboy of the Western World

1974

as Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)

The Pied Piper

The Pied Piper

1972

as Franz

Mr. Forbush and the Penguins

Mr. Forbush and the Penguins

1971

as Richard Forbush

10 Rillington Place

10 Rillington Place

1971

as Timothy Evans

In Search of Gregory

In Search of Gregory

1969

as Daniel

Before Winter Comes

Before Winter Comes

1969

as Lieutenant Pilkington

A Man for All Seasons

A Man for All Seasons

1966

as Richard Rich

This Is My Street

This Is My Street

1964

as Charlie

The Wild and the Willing

The Wild and the Willing

1962

as Phil Corbett

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Organization Category Movie
Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Midnight Express Won
Television Credits

Merlin

as Kilgharrah (voice)

Episodes: 65

First Aired: Sep 20, 2008

Watership Down

as General Woundwort

Episodes: 39

First Aired: Sep 28, 1999

I, Claudius

as Caligula

Episodes: 12

First Aired: Sep 20, 1976

The Confession

as Priest

Episodes: 10

First Aired: Mar 28, 2011

The Storyteller

as The Storyteller

Episodes: 9

First Aired: May 15, 1988

Human Planet

as Narrator (voice)

Episodes: 8

First Aired: Jan 13, 2011

The Alan Clark Diaries

as Alan Clark

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Jan 15, 2004

Planet Dinosaur

as Narrator

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Sep 14, 2011

The Last Panthers

as Tom

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Nov 12, 2015

Crime and Punishment

as Raskolnikov

Episodes: 3

First Aired: May 22, 1979

Edge of the Universe

as Narrator (voice)

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Jan 07, 2002

Natural World

as Narrator

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 30, 1983

Labyrinth

as Audric Baillard

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Nov 24, 2012

The Sweeney

as Tony Grey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 02, 1975

Gideon's Way

as Freddy Tisdale

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 18, 1965

Play for Today

as Alec Cassell

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 15, 1970

Performance

as The Father

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 22, 1991

NOVA

as Narrator

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 03, 1974

Doctor Who

as War Doctor

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 26, 2005

A Ghost Story for Christmas

as James Parkin

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 24, 1971

Wessex Tales

as Joshua Harlborough

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 07, 1973

Doctor Who

as The Doctor

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 26, 2005

Great Performances

as Narrator

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 28, 1971

Armchair Theatre

as Joe

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 08, 1956

The Hollow Crown

as The Chorus

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 30, 2012

Picture Windows

as Marquis de Prey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1995

Masters of Science Fiction

as Samswope

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 04, 2007

The Jim Henson Hour

Episodes: 12

First Aired: Apr 14, 1989

I, Claudius

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Sep 20, 1976

Inside the Actors Studio

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 14, 1994

The One Show

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 14, 2006

HypaSpace

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 13, 2002

The Hollywood Greats

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 04, 1977

GMTV

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 01, 1993

Who Do You Think You Are?

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 12, 2004

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Nominee

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 20, 1944

Parkinson

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 09, 1998

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 41 58 31
2024 6 36 123 19
2024 7 41 54 23
2024 8 34 55 22
2024 9 25 48 12
2024 10 18 27 11
2024 11 20 35 14
2024 12 23 37 13
2025 1 29 47 14
2025 2 20 50 3
2025 3 9 32 0
2025 4 2 2 1
2025 5 4 6 2
2025 6 3 5 1
2025 7 2 3 1
2025 8 3 10 1
2025 9 2 3 1

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 363 32
2024 6 307 17
2024 12 674 362
2025 1 555 79
2025 2 259 1
2025 3 517 212
2025 5 541 487
2025 7 547 108
2025 8 420 94
2025 9 580 71

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