Paul Scofield
Biography
Paul Scofield was an English actor who spent six decades chiefly in classical theater and is remembered as one of the finest Shakespearean performers. He grew up in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, and made his stage debut in 1940 in Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms, soon drawing comparisons to Laurence Olivier. At the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford, his 1948 Hamlet earned high praise. He took the Tony Award for playing Sir Thomas More on Broadway in A Man for All Seasons, then won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1966 film version. His screen work also included The Train (1964), King Lear (1971), Hamlet (1990), Quiz Show (1994), which brought a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and The Crucible (1996), for which he received a BAFTA. An Emmy for Male of the Species (1969) completed his Triple Crown of Acting.
86years old at death
- Born Hurstpierpoint
- Died Brighton
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- Also credited as David Paul Scofield and David Scofield
Movie Career
- Films
- 9
- Career span
- 41 years1958 to 1999
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A first
Scofield completed the Triple Crown of Acting in only seven years, from his 1962 Tony for A Man for All Seasons to his 1969 Emmy for Male of the Species, and no actor has ever done it faster.
Big break
Columbia Pictures wanted Laurence Olivier or Richard Burton as Thomas More in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons, but Fred Zinnemann and Robert Bolt held out for Scofield, who was cast after the studio gave in.
Behind the award
Scofield won the Oscar for A Man for All Seasons without attending the ceremony, so his leading lady Wendy Hiller collected the statuette for him.
First role
Scofield made his stage debut in 1940 at the Westminster Theatre in Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms. Before long, people were putting him in the same class as Laurence Olivier.
A first
Scofield played Hamlet at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford in 1948, with Claire Bloom as Ophelia. His performance drew such praise that people dubbed him "The Hamlet of his generation."
Paul Scofield movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Three actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Ian Holm's page
Pete Postlethwaite's page
Awards
Ten awards and honors from 1962 to 1997, seven of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1967 | Best Actor | A Man for All Seasons | Won |
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1967 | Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | A Man for All Seasons | Won |
| BAFTA | |||
| 1997 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | The Crucible | Won |
| 1967 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | A Man for All Seasons | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1969 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Won | |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1962 | Best Actor in a Play | Won | |
| 1962 | Best Actor in a Play | A Man for All Seasons | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Critics' Circle Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts | Won | ||
| Sam Wanamaker Award | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.