Richard Walter Jenkins He was born in 1925, in the village of Pontrhydyfen near the port of Talbot and grew up in poverty with many brothers and sisters.
His father was a miner, who used to drink frequently and often gambled on the few family assets. His mother, Edith, died after his last birth, when Richard I was not even 2 years old.
He was raised as a Presbyterian, under the care of his sister, Cecilia and her husband, Elfed. His older brother, Ifor he would also play an active role in his family group and would always be a close companion in the life of Richard.
Already in elementary school, Richard He showed a natural talent for literature, and also demonstrated broad interests such as rugby and cricket. From an early age, with the help of his vocational teacher, Philip H. Burton, stood out in school theater productions, being his first “The Apple Cart“.
At 16, he dropped out of school in search of a full-time job. Among the professions that I consider were boxing, religion and singing. When he joined the Port Talbot Squadron, from the Air Force training corporations, was reunited with Philip Burton, who was its commander.
Richard, would also join a group of young actors led by Leo Lloyd, who would teach him the basics to be an actor. As for his acting skills, they were promptly recognized by his mentor. Philip Burton, who adopted Richard when he had the chance and made him return to school.
Thus, at 18 and against all odds, he was accepted into the Exeter College, from Oxford England, for a special semester of studies. Also at this time he served as a member of the Royal Air forces, although his vision was not the best for a pilot.
It was at this time that he began to develop the distinctive speech voice that would become his hallmark, being encouraged by Philip (who was also a BBC radio producer) to lose his Welsh accent. To this day, many acting students try to imitate Burton’s style in voiceover, having been praised by critics around the world.
In the 1940s and early 1950s Burton worked in the theater and in the cinema of the United Kingdom. Before serving in war with the Royal air force (Royal Air Force), he had made his professional debut in Liverpool, appearing in a play called “Druid’s Rest“, but his career was interrupted by his conscription in 1944.
While making his first movie, “The Last Days of Dolwyn “In 1947, he met his future wife, the young actress Sybil williams, whom he married in February 1949. They had two daughters, but they divorced in 1963.
In the year of his union with Sybil, Burton appeared in a highly successful production called “The Lady’s Not For Burning“, next to Sir John Gielgud.
In 1952, Burton successfully transitioned to Hollywood stardom, appearing in “my cousin raquel” next to Olivia de Havilland. In 1953, he would make two films, titled “Desert rats” Y “The sacred robes“.
In 1954, he played his most famous radio role, as the narrator of the original production of Dylan thomas “Under Milk Wood“, a role that he would play twenty years later in his film adaptation. He was nominated seven times for the Academy Awards, but never won one.
He had a prolific career in the theater, interpreting in his early days “Hamlet” Y “Coriolanus“, in the Old Vic Theater.
Appeared in Broadway, receiving an award nomination Tony for “TIME Remembered“(1958), and this statuette would finally be awarded to him for his role as King Arthur, on “Camelot“(1960). His female counterpart would not be another person than the famous Julie Andrews.
For some years he would put his theatrical career aside to devote himself entirely to film, although he would receive another award nomination Tony, in 1964, for his reinterpretation of “Hamlet”, under the direction of John gielgud. With this work he would shine once more in Broadway, where it would become the longest-running work on the billboard.
After it, his theatrical appearances were more sporadic, returning to Broadway in 1976, with the memorable “Equus“, then with “Camelot“in 1980 and finally with “Private Lives“(1983) together with Elizabeth taylor.
During the ’50s, in his film career there were not the successes that would be expected from such a debut. He would star in a poor version of “Prince of Players “, and then a slow, stuffy adaptation of “Alexander the Great“, with Claire bloom like her female figure.
In 1957, he would star “Sea Wife“, together with a young Joan collins as a co-star. Other productions in which he would be seen, without achieving significant prominence, would be “Looking back in anger “ and “Empire of the Titans“.
In 1963, he would replace Stephen boyd, in the role of Marco Antonio, For the movie “Cleopatra“This would become the first in a series of successes that finally, Burton would achieve in his career. It was co-starred by Elizabeth taylor, with whom he would marry in 1965 and star in one of the most rumored romances and stories in Hollywood.
Then next to Elizabeth taylor, they would perform “International hotel“(1963), again successful. Other films from this period were”Becket “ (1964) with Peter O`Toole, “Hamlet“(1964), “Castles in the sand“(1965) with Elizabeth taylor, with whom I would also be in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf“,”The cursed woman“, Y “Dr Faustus“which was directed by BUrton himself.
In 1968, his last blockbuster would arrive, from the hand of Clint eastwood, with “The challenge of the Eagles“.
After this, at the end of the ’60s, his career would decline and he was accused of choosing roles inferior to his status with the sole objective of obtaining a check quickly. At this time he was seen in films such as “Bluebeard“(1972) with Rachel Welch, “Pact with the devil“(1972),”The man of the clan“(1974), and”The Exorcist II: The Heretic“(1977) with Cute blair.
In this not outstanding period of his career, he had a success that was acclaimed and that was the film version of the work “Equus“(1977). The following year, he would rise again to the audience by being the narrator of the musical version of”The War of the Clouds“.
Other appearances of the time were “The Wild Geese“(1978) with Roger moore Y Richard Harris, “Circle of two“(1980) and the television series”Wagner“(1983).
His last movie was “The WIld Geese II“, which he was shooting when he passed away due to which he was replaced by Edward fox.
On television he was part of some series, such as “the tempest”, “The fall guy” Y “Here`s Lucy “. He also made some television films such as “Divorce His -Divorce Hers“, “Brief Encounter“and the acclaimed”The Gathering Storm“.
In his personal life, he was married five times. The first, with Sybil williams, between 1949 and 1963, with whom he had two children, the actress Kate burton Y Jessica burton.
His second wife was Elizabeth taylor, whom he married twice, between 1964 and 1974, and a second time between 1975 and 1976. They both adopted a girl named Maria.
His fourth marriage, and his fourth wife, was Suzy hunt, and his fifth wife, was Sally hay, to whom he was still married when he died suddenly, from a brain hemorrhage.