Today brings the sad news that actor John Hurt has died at the age of 77. First seen by a wide audience in Robert Bolt’s classic 1966 film A Man for All Seasons, starring the great Paul Scofield as Thomas More, Hurt played the villainous and ruthlessly ambitious Richard Rich who betrays More for the reward of being appointed Attorney General for Wales. In real life, Rich later became Lord Chancellor of England and, history tells us, the – by then Baron – Rich, died peacefully in his bed aged 70. But many will regard Hurt’s BAFTA-nominated portrayal of Timothy Evans, in the 1970 film 10 Rillington Place, as his finest hour and, alongside Richard Attenborough as John Christie, it is certainly a compelling performance and one of the most impressive aspects of that film, for all its factual failings.
The Murders, Myths and Reality of 10 Rillington Place
…an enduring controversy…
PAT HEYWOOD 1931- 2024. Only just read yesterday, (23rd.August 2024) the sad news that another of the four main stars of the film ’10 Rillington Place’ has passed away, actress Pat Heywood, on the 26th. June 2024, aged 92, Heywood played Ethel Christie along side the film’s other three main stars, the late Richard Attenborough, (Christie) and the late John Hurt (Timothy Evans), with Heywood’s passing that leaves only Judy Geeson (Beryl Evans) as the surviving member of the film’s main cast. Pat Heywood gave a wonderful, believable performance as Christie’s wife and one of Christie’s murder victims.