Richard Burton
Biography
Richard Burton was a Welsh actor with a powerful presence and baritone voice whose film and stage career spanned several decades. Born in Pontrhydyfen, Wales, he made his feature debut in The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949) and drew notice as Philip Ashley in My Cousin Rachel (1952), earning his first Academy Award nomination. On stage he became known as a Shakespearean actor, taking roles including Prince Hal, Henry V, Hamlet, and Coriolanus, and he later won a Tony Award for playing King Arthur in Camelot (1960). His Hollywood work included The Desert Rats (1953) and The Robe (1953), the latter bringing another Oscar nomination. He went on to receive further Academy Award nominations for Becket (1964), The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), and Equus (1977). He also collected a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy, and died in 1984.
58years old at death
- Born Pontrhydyfen
- Died Céligny
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Richard Walter Jenkins (birth name)Also credited as Richard Walter Jenkins, Jr. and Richard Jenkins
Movie Career
- Films
- 34
- Career span
- 54 years1952 to 2006
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First role
While on tour with the cast of Wynyard Browne's Dark Summer, Burton was summoned by Emlyn Williams to test for The Last Days of Dolwyn. Williams had created the part of Gareth for him, and a telegram quoting The Corn Is Green confirmed his selection.
Behind the award
After a hit show, Burton earned the nickname "The King of Broadway" and later won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Richard Burton movies on Netflix
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of 'The War of the Worlds'as George Herbert, The Journalist (archive sound)
Nineteen Eighty-Fouras O'Brien
Circle of Twoas Ashley St. Clair
The Medusa Touchas John Morlar
The Wild Geeseas Colonel Allen Faulkner
Equusas Martin Dysart
Exorcist II: The Hereticas Father Philip Lamont
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Yearsas Himself
The Klansmanas Breck Stancill
The Battle of Sutjeskaas Josip Broz Tito
Bluebeardas Baron von Sepper
Under Milk Woodas First Man
Raid on Rommelas Foster
Anne of the Thousand Daysas King Henry VIII
Boom!as Chris Flanders
Where Eagles Dareas Maj. Smith
Doctor Faustusas Doctor Faustus
The Comediansas Brown
The Taming of the Shrewas Petruchio
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?as George
The Sandpiperas Edward Hewitt
The Spy Who Came in from the Coldas Alec Leamas
Becketas Becket
The Night of the Iguanaas Rev. Dr. T. Lawrence Shannon
Zuluas Narration spoken (voice)
Cleopatraas Marcus Antonius
The V.I.P.sas Paul Andros
The Longest Dayas Flying Officer David Campbell
Look Back in Angeras Jimmy Porter
Bitter Victoryas Capt. Leith
Alexander the Greatas Alexander
The Desert Ratsas Capt. 'Tammy' MacRoberts
The Robeas Marcellus Gallio
My Cousin Rachelas Philip Ashley
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Peter Glenville directed two of these films, Henry Koster two. Elizabeth Taylor appears in nine of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
Elizabeth Taylor9 films together, 1963 to 1972
Elizabeth Taylor's page Under Milk Wood1972IMDb rating 5.8Burton as First ManTaylor as Rosie Probert
Boom!1968IMDb rating 5.5Burton as Chris FlandersTaylor as Flora 'Sissy' Goforth
Doctor Faustus1967IMDb rating 5.4Burton as Doctor FaustusTaylor as Helen of Troy
The Comedians1967IMDb rating 6.3Burton as BrownTaylor as Martha Pineda
The Taming of the Shrew1967IMDb rating 7.0Burton as PetruchioTaylor as Katharina
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?1966IMDb rating 8.0Burton as GeorgeTaylor as Martha
The Sandpiper1965IMDb rating 6.3Burton as Edward HewittTaylor as Laura Reynolds
Cleopatra1963IMDb rating 7.0Burton as Marcus AntoniusTaylor as Cleopatra
The V.I.P.s1963IMDb rating 6.3Burton as Paul AndrosTaylor as Frances Andros
Michael Hordern7 films together, 1956 to 1978
Michael Hordern's page The Medusa Touch1978IMDb rating 6.9Burton as John MorlarHordern as Altropos - Fortune Teller
Anne of the Thousand Days1969IMDb rating 7.4Burton as King Henry VIIIHordern as Thomas Boleyn
Where Eagles Dare1968IMDb rating 7.6Burton as Maj. SmithHordern as Adm. Rolland
The Taming of the Shrew1967IMDb rating 7.0Burton as PetruchioHordern as Baptista
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold1965IMDb rating 7.5Burton as Alec LeamasHordern as Ashe
The V.I.P.s1963IMDb rating 6.3Burton as Paul AndrosHordern as Airport Director
Alexander the Great1956IMDb rating 5.8Burton as AlexanderHordern as Demosthenes
Harry Andrews3 films together, 1956 to 1978
Harry Andrews's page The Medusa Touch1978IMDb rating 6.9Burton as John MorlarAndrews as Assistant Commissioner
Equus1977IMDb rating 7.1Burton as Martin DysartAndrews as Harry Dalton
Alexander the Great1956IMDb rating 5.8Burton as AlexanderAndrews as Darius
Claire Bloom3 films together, 1956 to 1965
Claire Bloom's page The Spy Who Came in from the Cold1965IMDb rating 7.5Burton as Alec LeamasBloom as Nancy 'Nan' Perry
Look Back in Anger1959IMDb rating 7.0Burton as Jimmy PorterBloom as Helena Charles
Alexander the Great1956IMDb rating 5.8Burton as AlexanderBloom as Barsine
Niall MacGinnis3 films together, 1956 to 1965
Niall MacGinnis's page The Spy Who Came in from the Cold1965IMDb rating 7.5Burton as Alec LeamasMacGinnis as Checkpoint Charlie Guard
Becket1964IMDb rating 7.7Burton as BecketMacGinnis as Baron
Alexander the Great1956IMDb rating 5.8Burton as AlexanderMacGinnis as Parmenio
Torin Thatcher3 films together, 1953 to 1965
Torin Thatcher's page The Sandpiper1965IMDb rating 6.3Burton as Edward HewittThatcher as le juge Thompson
The Desert Rats1953IMDb rating 6.7Burton as Capt. 'Tammy' MacRobertsThatcher as Col. Barney White
The Robe1953IMDb rating 6.7Burton as Marcellus GallioThatcher as Sen. Gallio
Peter GlenvilleDirector, 2 films, 1964 to 1967
All films by Peter Glenville The Comedians1967IMDb rating 6.3Burton as Brown
Becket1964IMDb rating 7.7Burton as Becket
Henry KosterDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1953
All films by Henry Koster The Robe1953IMDb rating 6.7Burton as Marcellus Gallio
My Cousin Rachel1952IMDb rating 7.1Burton as Philip Ashley
Also three films together3 more actors
- Cyril CusackNineteen Eighty-Four (1984), The Taming of the Shrew (1967) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
- Brook WilliamsRaid on Rommel (1971), Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) and Where Eagles Dare (1968)
- William SquireAnne of the Thousand Days (1969), Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Alexander the Great (1956)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Richard Burton's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$304 million
15 of the 34 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 34 films: 15 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 17 figure not found.
- 15Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 17Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 83% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$58M19.0% of the total
- 2$50M16.5% of the total
- 3$36M11.9% of the total
- 4$34M11.1% of the total
- 5$31M10.1% of the total
- 6$21M6.9% of the total
- 7$12M4.0% of the total
- 8$9.9M3.3% of the total
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1951 to 1976, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| Awards | Won | ||
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1961 | Best Actor in a Musical | Camelot | Won |
| Grammy Awards | |||
| Grammy Awards | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| 1976 | Special Tony Award | Won | |
| 1951 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.












