Oliver Reed: biography, personal life, roles and films, photos

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

When Oliver Reed passed away while filming Gladiator, the world lost one of the most exciting and mesmerizing actors on and off screen. Since then, the list of his works, spanning over four decades, seems to have been largely forgotten. At the height of his career, he was Britain's highest paid and world famous film star and was constantly surrounded by a huge fan club. However, his career stalled and he soon became famous for his off-screen antics rather than his earlier film successes, which eventually led to Oliver Reed's film involvement fading away. Whether he fought the Cardinal's guards as Athos in The Three Musketeers or as Captain Billy Bones in Treasure Island, Reed was always determined to show his best and was optimistic about his crumbling acting career. His colorful and eventful life, while largely overlooked, is an illustration of true determination and talent, and while Reid never really got to make a successful "comeback," he is still remembered for his roles. Films by Oliver Reed "Trap","Oliver!", "Lion of the Desert" and "Outcast" continued to remember.

Childhood and youth

Robert Oliver Reed was born in London on February 13, 1938. After the divorce of his parents, Oliver was left to his own devices. Since childhood, the future actor had dyslexia, which is why he was constantly on the list of the most backward students. Reed compensated for his academic failures by playing sports and even led the school athletic team.

Oliver changed many schools, but eventually dropped out and got a job as a bouncer in one of the nightclubs in Soho. Later, Reid began serving in the British Army, in the medical corps, but due to the same dyslexia, a career as an officer was closed for him.

Behind Reed's work as a watchman, a boxer and a taxi driver. Only in the late 50s did he start acting in films, initially as an extra, and after a while he became a full-fledged actor.

Career

Without any preparation, his career began with the British children's series Spur in 1959.

Aspiring actor Oliver Reed got his first lead role in The Curse of the Werewolf in 1961, where he played a young man who turned into a hairy beast during a full moon.

The following year, he appeared in "Pirates of Blood River" with Christopher Lee, and starred in "Captain Clegg" with Peter Cushing.

In 1963, Reed became widely known as the leader of the gang in The Damned.

In 1965, he starred in the adventure film "Kandahar Bandit", and in 1966 in the film "Trap". However, in the 60s, the most memorable was hisparticipation in the classic musical adaptation of Oliver!, where he played the role of the villain Bill Sykes.

Oliver Reed spent his first decade as a cameo actor, but he soon began to be cast in more films where he had leading roles. Reed soon played a killer in the comedy Murder Bureau in 1969.

In 1969, he gained international fame after a nude wrestling scene with Alan Bates in Women in Love.

In the 70s, Reed continued to play many varied and challenging roles in films such as The Hunt, The Three Musketeers and The Devils, which made him recognizable internationally, but fame was very short-lived.

Around this time, he became involved with three other British actors: Richard Burton, Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole, with whom he was involved in drinking, vandalism and public brawls with witnesses. This eventually affected his career, which faded away.

After several unsuccessful films, he starred in a series of unreleased horror films. And then he returned to failed projects.

Oliver later appeared as Martin Pinzon in the two-part miniseries Christopher Columbus in 1985.

In 1986, the movie Les Misérables was released, where, as seen in the photo, Oliver Reed played the role of a middle-aged man who was looking for a girl to live with on a remote Pacific island, and received a response fromgray, uninteresting secretary.

Oliver then starred in several other films as a supporting actor, including Horus, Prisoner of Honor and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

In the 1990s, he finally began to overcome his addictions that haunted him, and appeared in the mini-series Lonesome Dove: The Return in 1993. He then starred in Jokes aside with Oliver Pratt and Jerry Lewis.

In 1999, Oliver Reed got a role in the historical thriller "Marco Polo" and in the comedy film "Fatal Shots". And starred, as it turned out, in his last film, Gladiator, but died before the work was completed. Reed played the slave trader Proximo, a former gladiator who turns Russell Crowe's character into a champion.

Main work

Reed is best known for his role as Athos the Musketeer in Richard Lester's film based on the book The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. This version of the hero is considered one of the most memorable images of all time. The actor returned to the role of Athos in the sequel to The Four Musketeers, and was also involved in the adaptation of The Return of the Musketeers.

Awards and achievements

Oliver Reed ranked fifth in the list of the most popular stars in the British box office.

Reed was posthumously nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Gladiator.

Personal life and legacy

Reedmarried Kate Byrne in 1960. The couple had one son but divorced in 1969.

The actor then dated Jacques Daryl, a classical dancer with whom he had a daughter.

Reed married Josephine Burge in 1985 and the marriage lasted until his death.

Oliver Reed died of a heart attack while filming Gladiator. He was 61 years old and several scenes of the film were completed using computer technology.

The actor is buried in Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland.

Interesting facts

Reed is the nephew of renowned British film director, Oscar winner and other award winner Sir Carol Reed.

While filming The Three Musketeers, Oliver Reed was severely injured when his throat was injured during the windmill scene.

According to rumors, Reed was considered for the role of 007 in the late 60s, but the producers decided that the actor's passion for alcohol would harm the film.