Tributes flood in for actor John Hurt who died aged 77 after losing battle with cancer
Fans of the legendary actor have taken to social media to pay tribute to him following his death
JOHN Hurt’s fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor after he died aged 77.
John – whose career spanned over six decades – passed away following a battle with cancer.
The British icon most recently starred in Oscar nominated film Jackie and was best known for his roles in The Elephant Man and as the wand maker Garrick Ollivander in the Harry Potter franchise.
As news of his death broke, his fans flooded social media with poignant tributes to the man they called a "true legend".
John was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and at the time he underwent treatment and remained optimistic.
In a statement at the time, he said: “I have always been open about the way in which I conduct my life and in that spirit I would like to make a statement.
“I have recently been diagnosed with early stage pancreatic cancer. I am undergoing treatment and am more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome, as indeed is the medical team.
“I am continuing to focus on my professional commitments and will shortly be recording Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell (one of life’s small ironies!) for BBC Radio 4.”
John also appeared in the chilling dystopian film 1984, Alien, V for Vendetta and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Other notable appearances in his of career include his work in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Rob Roy, the Hellboy films, Midnight Express and The Hit and Scandal.
His distinctive voice was also used in animated films such as Watership Down, the cartoon version of Lord of the Rings and Dogville, and BBC series Merlin.
The acclaimed actor also appeared on the small screen in Doctor Who and I, Claudius.
He has received a Golden Globe Award and four Baftas including a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to British cinema.]
By DAME ESTHER RANTZEN, Childline founder & friend of 50 years
I FIRST met John in 1964 when he was appearing in an Edinburgh play.
He was very young – but even then it was clear he was an amazing actor. Decades later I asked him to support Childline.
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.
From then on he never turned us down. He spoke at events for us, telling stories about 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 his delivery gave the words so much more strength because of the way he told it.
His passing is a great loss to audiences, but also to children – many of whom will never know just how much he helped them.
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