Sir John Hurt's widow pays tribute to 'the most sublime of actors' after his death aged 77

Legendary British actor John Hurt with his wife Anwen Hurt
EPA
Tom Powell28 January 2017

The widow of Sir John Hurt has said it will be a "strange world" without the veteran actor following his death aged 77.

Anwen Hurt said that the Oscar-nominated star died at his home in Norfolk on Wednesday following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

She said: "It is with deep sadness that I have to confirm that my husband, John Vincent Hurt, died on Wednesday 25th January 2017 at home in Norfolk.

"John was the most sublime of actors and the most gentlemanly of gentlemen with the greatest of hearts and the most generosity of spirit. He touched all our lives with joy and magic and it will be a strange world without him."

Sir John was well known for roles including Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant, the title role in The Elephant Man and wand merchant Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter films.

The British actor was nominated for two Academy Awards, for The Elephant Man and Midnight Express, and won four Bafta Awards, including a lifetime achievement accolade in recognition of his outstanding contribution to British cinema in 2012.

Author of the Harry Potter books, JK Rowling, tweeted: "So very sad to hear that the immensely talented and deeply beloved John Hurt has died. My thoughts are with his family and friends."

In pictures: Legendary actor Sir John Hurt

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Childline founder and president Dame Esther Rantzen hailed Sir John, who was a fundraiser for the children's charity, saying he had an "extraordinary career".

Dame Esther said she approached him after a London theatre performance, some 30 to 40 years after first meeting him when he was a young actor, and he "immediately agreed" to help the organisation.

She said: "He understood it was a unique way for children to seek help.

"There was something in his own past which made him connect with vulnerable children - I believe it happened when he was in school.

"From then on he never turned us down, he spoke at events for us, telling stories of some of the children we had helped, and took part in carol services for us.

"Because he was such a great artist, I remember writing for him and he gave it so much more strength because of the way he told it.

"He will be a great loss to the children in this country."

He was knighted by the Queen for services to drama at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2015.

Other celebrated roles included his performance as Stephen Ward - a key figure in the Profumo affair - in Scandal and a reprisal of his role as Crisp in An Englishman In New York in 2009, 34 years after his original portrayal of the flamboyant figure.

Sir John's distinctive voice has been used several times as narrator, and accompanied a chilling Aids awareness advertising campaign in the 1980s. He also voiced the roles of Hazel in Watership Down, and Aragorn in Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of The Lord Of The Rings.

Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Sir John went to art college before he studied at Rada (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and picked up TV and film roles until he had his major breakthrough, appearing in A Man For All Seasons as Richard Rich.

Sir John achieved further prominence in the film 10 Rillington Place as Timothy Evans, who was wrongly executed for the crimes of serial killer John Christie, played by Sir Richard Attenborough.

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