Movie legend Richard Burton has missed being named as one of Britain’s 10
finest actors–even though Peter Sellers and Cary Grant both made the list.
The omission of the late former husband of Elizabeth Taylor from the
nominations assembled by a panel of experts has angered film fans.
Welsh-born Burton, whose classic movies include Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, died in 1984 following a cerebral hemorrhage.
Burton‘s biographer Paul Ferris says, “If these two jokers (Grant and
Sellers) are included, then why not Burton? Nobody would notice if Cary Grant
or Peter Sellers were not in the top 10.
“Who would look at this list and wonder why they were not on it? But one does
think that about Burton. Without a doubt, he would genuinely think he should be
entitled to a place, though he’d probably make a joke about it.”
However, British film critic Barry Norman defends the panel’s choice, and
comments, “The quality all the top ten share, apart from talent, is staying
power. Anyone can be brilliant once–very few people can be brilliant nearly
all the time.
“All the nominations are versatile and gifted–not just personalities but
real actors, capable of submerging themselves into any role.”
The full results of the poll will be broadcast on British TV on July 11. The official list of Britain’s 10 finest actor nominees in alphabetical order is:
3. John Gielgud
4. Cary Grant
8. Ian Mckellen
10. Peter Sellers
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