Richard Attenborough Net Worth

Richard Attenborough's Quotes

• At my age the only problem is with remembering names. When I call everyone "darling", it has damn all to do with passionately adoring them, but I know I'm safe calling them that. Although, of course, I adore them, too.
• I want to make a film about Tom Paine. I think Tom Paine is one of the greatest men that's ever lived. He lived in the 18th century, as you all know, he was an Englishman who was involved in the writing of American Declaration of Independence, the American Constitution, the French Constitution, wrote the great book called The Rights of Man - commercial over! But nobody wants to make it. Nobody. Because it's politics, it's period, it doesn't have any of the things that now are supposedly our prerequisites to commercial success. I'm going to make it, provided I'll stand on my feet, but it's not easy, any more than Gandhi (1982) was, any more than Cry Freedom (1987) was, et cetera. Those movies are very difficult to make, and if you're not prepared or interested in science fiction, which in terms of movies I'm not, if you're not interested in terms of all the CGI stuff that you can now do in the cinema which is quite remarkable compared to the time that I was making movies, 30, 40, 50 years ago, then if you're not prepared to indulge in the pornography of violence or overt sexual matter, it's very, very difficult. It is hard to raise the money. I don't think it's any easier. It wasn't easy then and I don't think it's become any easier. What I am sad about is that there is now, in America, no equivalent to the art circuit. In other words, the cost of promoting movies, the advertising and promotion of a movie, the budget is almost as large as the cost of the movie. And these huge blockbusters that you see have tens and hundreds of millions of pounds and dollars spent promoting them. And if you don't have something which they believe will reach an enormous audience, then they won't go for it. And so you fall out. And there are companies in the UK, terrific companies, young companies, who made, you know, whether it be Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) or whatever, or Trainspotting (1996) or whatever, who are having a go, but it is not any easier, in fact I think it's even probably more difficult than it was when Forbesy (Bryan Forbes) and I were starting, which is a pity.
• [on the competition between Gandhi (1982) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) at the 1983 Academy Awards] Diana (Diana Hawkins) and I went to see E.T. in Los Angeles shortly before all the awards and we used language, when we came out, to the extent of saying 'we have no chance - E.T. should and will walk away with it'. Without the initial premise of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the film would be nothing. Therefore it's a narrative film but it's a piece of narration rather than a piece of cinema, as such. E.T. depended absolutely on the concept of cinema and I think that Steven Spielberg, who I'm very fond of, is a genius. I think E.T. is a quite extraordinary piece of cinema.
• I hate and despise the pornography of violence. I don't believe that we can totally excuse ourselves from that situation. I believe that both cinema and film to a certain extent have encouraged it.
• [on Kevin Kline] A complex character, a total chameleon - and an engaging and bewitching man. He can charm the birds off the trees, but he is also terribly shy.

Interesting Facts about Richard Attenborough

1. It was his life ambition to direct Gandhi (1982).
2. Philosophies include believing in content as opposed to style and sincerity rather than intelligence.
3. He reprised his Jurassic Park (1993) character, John Hammond, for Universal Studio's Jurassic Park: The Ride attraction. He appears in a short film at the beginning of the ride telling you that the NEW Jurassic Park (the ride you're on) is completely safe, and that there will never be another incident like that at Costa Rica in 1993.
4. 2004: 57 years after he starred in Brighton Rock (1948), his son Michael Attenborough directed a musical version of Graham Greene's novel.
5. 1952: Was the first to star in Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap", now the longest-running play in the world.
6. Has two brothers, naturalist/presenter David Attenborough, and John Attenborough. Also, during World War Two, his parents adopted two German Jewish girls, who had been brought to Britain as part of the Kindertransport.
7. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1967 Queen's Birthday Honours List, made a Knight Bachelor in the 1976 Queen's New Year Honours List and a life peer in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
8. 2002-: Third president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
9. 1971-94: Vice-president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
10. 1990: Freeman of the City of Leicester, England.
11. 1993: Fellow of King's College, London.
12. Created an honorary D.Litt of the Universities of Leicester, Kent and Sussex in 1970, 1981 and 1987 respectively.
13. 12/02: Said he would go back on his claim to never appear in front of the camera again for one role only: that of Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films.
14. Brother-in-law of actor Gerald Sim
15. Former father-in-law of actress Jane Seymour.
16. Life President of Chelsea Football Club.
17. 2003: Was made President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), a role that had been vacant since the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
18. 2003: Was awarded the Patricia Rothermere Award for his lifelong service to theatre at the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
19. He was trained at RADA (The Royal Acadamy of Dramatic Arts), where he later became Chairman.
20. Father, with Sheila Sim of son, director Michael Attenborough born 1950, and daughters, Jane Attenborough, born 1955 and actress Charlotte Attenborough.born 1959. All, along with his brother David, lived within 15 minutes of each other.