Actor John Hurt, famous for his gravelly-yet-vulnerable voice and craggy appearance, is reported dead at 77. Known for his roles in Alien, Elephant Man, Nineteen-Eighty Four, Doctor Who and the Harry Potter series, Hurt was knighted in 2015 for services to Drama and won two Golden Globes, four Baftas and two Academy Award nominations.
Here he is reprising his most famous scene, in a comic turn in Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs.
My first encounter with his brilliance, though, was in Watership Down, where he played bunny hero Hazel. I’m certain John’s off to join a fine Owsla.
