What Was John Hurt's Net Worth?
Sir John Hurt CBE was a critically-acclaimed English actor who had a net worth of $30 million at the time of his death in 2017. John Hurt's career spanned over five decades. He was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors and won numerous awards and accolades over the course of his career, including the BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award. He was also knighted in 2015 by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama.
Hurt's breakout role was in 1966's "A Man for All Seasons." He appeared in many films over his six-decade career, including "Alien," "Midnight Express," "Rob Roy," "V for Vendetta," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and the "Hellboy" franchise. John played wand shop owner Ollivander in the hugely popular "Harry Potter" film franchise. In 2013, Hurt played The Doctor in three episodes of "Doctor Who." He has also appeared in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," "Contact," "Spaceballs," "Dogville," "New York, and I Love You" among many other films, television, and stage projects. His most iconic roles are considered to be in "The Elephant Man," "Nineteen Eighty-Four," "The Hit," "Scandal," "The Naked Civil Servant," An Englishman in New York," and "I, Claudius."
Unfortunately, John Hurt died on January 27, 2017, at the age of 77.
Early Life
John Hunt was born on January 22, 1940, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. He was the son of Phyllis and Arnold Herbert Hurt. His mother was an engineer and briefly an actress, while his father worked as a mathematician. His father later became a Church of England clergyman who served as vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. When Hurt was five, his father became the vicar of St. Stephen's Church in Woodville, Derbyshire, and remained there until 1953.
At the age of eight, John was sent to the Anglican St. Michael's Preparatory School in Otford, Kent. There, he developed his passion for acting. He decided he wanted to become an actor after his first role as a girl in a school production of "The Blue Bird." However, his parents pushed him more towards art. Hurt later attended Lincoln School and then enrolled in Grimsby Art School at the age of 17. In 1959, he won a scholarship that allowed him to study for an Art Teacher's Diploma at Saint Martin's School of Art in London. In 1960, John won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he trained for two years. He graduated in 1962 with an Acting Diploma.
Career
Hurt's first film role was in the 1962 film "The Wild and the Willing." In 1963, he appeared in "This is My Street" and then had a role in an episode of "Gideon's Way" in 1964. John's first major role was as Richard Rich in the historical drama film "A Man for All Seasons" in 1966. The film received critical acclaim and won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He then appeared in the British romantic drama "The Sailor from Gibraltar" and the adventure comedy "Sinful Davey" in 1969. He also appeared in "Before Winter Comes" and "In Search of Gregory" in 1969.
Hurt earned his first BAFTA nomination in 1971 for his role in "10 Rillington Place." In 1975, his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in the television play "The Naked Civil Servant" earned him a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. He won further acclaim for his performance as Roman emperor Caligula in the BBC drama serial, "I, Claudius" in 1976. In 1978, he appeared in the film "Midnight Express" and won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. John also voiced the character of Aragorn in the animated film adaptation of "Lord of the Rings." In 1979, he appeared in "Alien."
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In 1980, Hurt portrayed the deformed Joseph Merrick in David Lynch's biographical drama film "The Elephant Man." He won another BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. He also appeared in the epic Western film "Heaven's Gate" in 1981. In 1984, John appeared in the film adaptation of "Nineteen Eighty-Four," followed by Disney's "The Black Cauldron" in 1985. He earned a BAFTA nomination for his role in "The Field" in 1990. He appeared in "Rob Roy," "Dead Man," and "Wild Bill" in 1995. In 1997, he starred in "Love and Death on Long Island." The same year, he appeared in "Contact."
In 2000, John played Mr. Ollivander in the first "Harry Potter" film. He returned for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" and "Part 2." He appeared in 2006's "V for Vendetta" and had a role in 2008's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." He voiced a character in "Merlin" in 2008 and narrated the BBC documentary "Planet Dinosaur" in 2011.
At the 65th British Academy Film Awards, Hurt won the award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. In 2004, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and he was later appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2015 New Year's Honours for services to drama. In July of that year, he attended an investiture ceremony at Windsor, where he received the accolade from Queen Elizabeth II.
Personal Life and Death
In 1962, Hurt married actress Annette Robertson. They remained married until 1964. In 1967, he began a relationship with Marie-Lise Volpeliere-Pierrot, a French model. The couple planned to marry after having spent 15 years together until a tragic accident altered their plans. On January 26, 1983, the couple went horseback riding early in the morning near their house in Oxfordshire when Volpeliere-Pierrot was thrown off her horse. She went into a coma and died later that day. The following year, John married his old friend, Donna Peacock, an American actress. The couple moved to Kenya but then divorced in January 1990. The same month, Hurt married Joan Dalton, an American production assistant. With her, he had two sons before their marriage ended in 1996. He then had a seven-year relationship with Sarah Owens, a writer. In July 2002, the couple separated. In March 2005, John married his fourth wife, Anwen Rees-Meyers, a film producer. While married to her, he gave up smoking and drinking.
In June 2015, Hurt announced he had been diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer. He confirmed that he would continue to work while undergoing treatment. Following treatment, he announced that his cancer was in remission by October of that year. He died two years later, on January 25, 2017, three days after his 77th birthday.
