Legendary British actor Albert Finney has passed away at the age of 82, following a short illness. His screen career spanned six decades – from his first role in 1960 starring alongside Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer, through to his final turn in 2012. One of Finney’s most notable roles came early in his career, playing the titular lead in Tony Richardson’s 1963 comedy Tom Jones. The Oscar-winning film bagged Finney nominations for Best Actor at the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes.
Through his career, Finney went on to be nominated for four more Best Actor Oscars – for his turn as Poirot in Sidney Lumet’s 1974 Murder On The Orient Express, his performance in 1983’s The Dresser, 1984’s Under The Volcano, and a Supporting Actor nomination for playing Ed Masry in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich. Finney worked with some of the world’s most renowned filmmakers across the years, including Ridley Scott (The Duellists, A Good Year), the Coen Brothers (Miller’s Crossing), Tim Burton (Big Fish, Corpse Bride), and Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum).
Among his most beloved roles is ‘Daddy’ Warbucks in John Huston’s 1980 screen adaptation of musical Annie – and that wasn’t the actor’s only song-and-dance role. Finney played the lead in Ronald Neame’s acclaimed 1970 Scrooge, winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor In A Musical / Comedy. He was also celebrated for his performance as Winston Churchill in the BBC and HBO’s 2002 TV film The Gathering Storm – the role saw him win Best Actor at the Golden Globes, Emmys, and BAFTAs.
In his later years, Finney re-teamed with Sidney Lumet for the director’s final film, 2007 crime drama Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead, and he reprised his Bourne Ultimatum role of Dr. Albert Hirch in 2012's Bourne Legacy. His final screen role came in Sam Mendes’ James Bond film Skyfall. Finney starred as Kincade, the gamekeeper of Bond’s family home in Scotland, appearing prominently in the film’s fiery final act – a memorable role to bookend a career of brilliant work.
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