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| Oscar-winning actor Scofield dies | Oscar-winning actor Scofield dies |
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| Paul Scofield, one of Britain's greatest Shakespearian actors and an Academy Award winner, has died at the age of 86, his agent has said. | Paul Scofield, one of Britain's greatest Shakespearian actors and an Academy Award winner, has died at the age of 86, his agent has said. |
| Scofield won the Oscar for best actor in 1967 for A Man for All Seasons, and was also nominated in 1995 for best supporting actor for Quiz Show. | Scofield won the Oscar for best actor in 1967 for A Man for All Seasons, and was also nominated in 1995 for best supporting actor for Quiz Show. |
| "He was a great friend and a great man," actress Dame Judi Dench said. | |
| The actor died peacefully on Wednesday in a hospital near his Sussex home, his agent Rosalind Chatto said. | The actor died peacefully on Wednesday in a hospital near his Sussex home, his agent Rosalind Chatto said. |
| "He had leukaemia and had not been well for some time," she said. | "He had leukaemia and had not been well for some time," she said. |
| The British-born actor started his stage career in 1940. | The British-born actor started his stage career in 1940. |
| Lear landmark | Lear landmark |
| In 2004, Scofield's portrayal of King Lear in 1962 was voted the greatest performance in a Shakespeare play by a panel of Royal Shakespeare Company actors, including Sir Ian McKellen, Ian Richardson and Sir Antony Sher. | In 2004, Scofield's portrayal of King Lear in 1962 was voted the greatest performance in a Shakespeare play by a panel of Royal Shakespeare Company actors, including Sir Ian McKellen, Ian Richardson and Sir Antony Sher. |
| "Of the 10 greatest moments in the theatre, eight are Scofield's," the actor Richard Burton once said. | "Of the 10 greatest moments in the theatre, eight are Scofield's," the actor Richard Burton once said. |
| Scofield won his Oscar in 1967 for playing Sir Thomas More in the film of the life of the 16th Century Lord Chancellor. | Scofield won his Oscar in 1967 for playing Sir Thomas More in the film of the life of the 16th Century Lord Chancellor. |
| Scofield's other film roles included playing King Lear in the 1972 film version of Shakespeare's play and the French King in Kenneth Branagh's Henry V in 1989. | Scofield's other film roles included playing King Lear in the 1972 film version of Shakespeare's play and the French King in Kenneth Branagh's Henry V in 1989. |
| His TV work included the BBC's £4m adaptation of Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit in 1994 and he was also a familiar voice in radio dramas. | His TV work included the BBC's £4m adaptation of Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit in 1994 and he was also a familiar voice in radio dramas. |
| Honours | Honours |
| Scofield was appointed a CBE in 1956 but he was thought to have rejected attempts to give him a knighthood. | Scofield was appointed a CBE in 1956 but he was thought to have rejected attempts to give him a knighthood. |
| "If you want a title, what's wrong with Mr?" he once said. "If you have always been that, then why lose your title? But it's not political. I have a CBE, which I accepted very gratefully." | "If you want a title, what's wrong with Mr?" he once said. "If you have always been that, then why lose your title? But it's not political. I have a CBE, which I accepted very gratefully." |
| But in the New Year's Honours for 2001, he was made a Companion of Honour. | But in the New Year's Honours for 2001, he was made a Companion of Honour. |
| People are made a Companion of Honour for work of national importance and there are only 65 members at any one time. | People are made a Companion of Honour for work of national importance and there are only 65 members at any one time. |
| Scofield leaves his widow, the actress Joy Parker, a son and a daughter. | Scofield leaves his widow, the actress Joy Parker, a son and a daughter. |