Oliver Reed
- Acting
- February 13, 1938 · Wimbledon, London, England, UK
- May 2, 1999
Biography
Robert Oliver Reed (February 13, 1938 – May 2, 1999) was an English actor known for his "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his notable films include The Trap (1966), playing Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner Oliver! (a film directed by his uncle Carol Reed), Women in Love (1969), Hannibal Brooks (1969), The Devils (1971), portraying Athos in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974); the lover and stepfather in Tommy (1975), Funny Bones (1995) and Gladiator (2000). For playing Antonius Proximo, the old, gruff gladiator trainer in Ridley Scott's Gladiator, in what was his final film, Reed was posthumously nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2000. At the peak of his career, in 1971, British exhibitors voted Reed fifth most popular star at the box office. The British Film Institute (BFI) stated that "partnerships with Michael Winner and Ken Russell in the mid-60s saw Reed become an emblematic Brit-flick icon", but from the mid-1970s his alcoholism began affecting his career, with the BFI adding "Reed had assumed Robert Newton's mantle as Britain's thirstiest thespian".
Known for
Filmography
- Director of Devils · Self
- The Devils Original on-set footage
- Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator' · Self
- Celebrity Naked Ambition · Self
- Living Famously · (archive footage)
- L'esattore (parodia de "Il gladiatore")
- Orpheus & Eurydice · Narrator
- Hellraisers · Self
- Gladiator · Proximo
- The Real Oliver Reed · Self
- Parting Shots · Jamie Campbell-Stewart
- Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' · Self
- Jeremiah · General Safan
- The Incredible Adventures of Marco Polo · Captain Cornelius Donovan
- The Bruce · Bishop Wisharton
- Superbrain · Professor Norbert Marcus
- Funny Bones · Dolly Hopkins
- Luise knackt den Jackpot · Matthias
- Russian Roulette - Moscow 95
- The World of Hammer: Lands Before Time · Narrator
- The World of Hammer: Chiller · narrator
- The World of Hammer: Trials of War · Narrator
- The World of Hammer: Wicked Women · Narrator (Voice)
- The World of Hammer: Vamp · Narrator (Voice)
- The World of Hammer · Narrator, Self
- Return to Lonesome Dove · Gregor Dunnigan
- Severed Ties · Dr. Hans Vaughan
- Prisoner of Honor · Gen. de Boisdeffre
- The Pit and the Pendulum · Cardinal
- Alex Higgins: I'm No Angel · Self
- That's Action · General Turner (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Word
- Treasure Island · Billy Bones
- Panama Sugar · Generale
- Hired to Kill · Michael Bartos
- A Ghost in Monte Carlo · The Rajah
- The House of Usher · Roderick Usher
- The Return of the Musketeers · Athos
- The Revenger · Jack Fisher
- Captive Rage · General Belmondo
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen · Vulcan
- The Lady and the Highwayman · Sir Phillip Gage
- Rage to Kill · General Turner
- Skeleton Coast · Captain Simpson
- Blind Justice · Ian Ballinger
- The Misfit Brigade · The General
- Master of Dragonard Hill · Captain Shanks
- Dragonard · Captain Shanks
- Gor · Sarm
- The Best of Max Headroom · Self
- Captive · Gregory Le Vay
- Castaway · Gerald Kingsland
- Black Arrow · Sir Brackley
- The Max Headroom Show · Self
- Christopher Columbus · Martin Pinzon
- Masquerade · Peter Serkov / Wolfen
- Two of a Kind · Beasley
- Spasms · Jason Kincaid
- The Sting II · Lonnegan
- Clash of Loyalties · Colonel Leachman
- Fanny Hill · Edward Widdlecome
- Venom · Dave Averconnelly
- Condorman · Krokov
- Lion of the Desert · General Rodolfo Graziani
- Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype · Dr. Henry Heckyl/Mr. Hype
- A Touch of the Sun · Captain Daniel Nelson
- The Brood · Dr. Hal Raglan
- The Class Of Miss MacMichael · Terence Sutton
- The Big Sleep · Eddie Mars
- Tomorrow Never Comes · Jim Wilson
- US Against the World · Self
- The Prince and the Pauper · Miles Hendon
- The Ransom · Nick McCormick
- Burnt Offerings · Ben Rolf
- The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday · Joe Knox
- The Sell Out · Gabriel Lee
- Royal Flash · Otto von Bismarck
- Lisztomania · Princess Carolyn's Servant
- Tommy · Frank
- Blue Blood · Tom the butler