Ben Cross dead at 72
08-18-20, 01:17 PM
#1
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Ben Cross dead at 72
https://deadline.com/2020/08/ben-cro...or-1203016530/
RIP
A very long career in movies and TV.
Although I always thought whenever he was cast as an American character, he really hammed it up and was way over the top. But, overall I enjoyed a lot of his work.
Ben Cross, the English actor best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 multi Oscar-winner Chariots Of Fire and as Sarek in the 2009 reboot Star Trek, has died aged 72 following illness.
The veteran stage and screen star passed away this morning in Vienna, his family has confirmed to us.
Cross was born Harry Bernard Cross in London in 1947 to a working class family. He began acting at a young age, participating in grammar school plays, but left school to work as a window cleaner, waiter, joiner and carpenter before being accepted age 22 into London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He excelled at RADA and won the acting school’s prestigious Vanbrugh prize for performance of the year. He would go on to claim a string of key stage roles and made his big screen debut on 1976 World War II epic A Bridge Too Far.
Cross’s path to international stardom began in 1978 with his performance in the play Chicago, in which he played Billy Flynn, the slick lawyer of murderess Roxie Hart. His performance prompted his casting in the Brit classic Chariots Of Fire, alongside actors such as Ian Charleson, Ian Holm and John Gielgud. Based on a true story, the box office smash charted the story of two British track athletes, one a Jew who ran to overcome prejudice, and the other a devout Christian who ran for the glory of God, who competed in the 1924 Olympics. For their acclaimed performances as fierce running rivals, Cross and co-star Charleson both won Most Promising Artist of 1981 from the Variety Club Awards.
Cross followed up Chariots of Fire with projects including 10-part BBC drama The Citadel, HBO spy film Steal The Sky and NBC TV miniseries Twist Of Fate. Among notable stage roles that decade were in John Guare’s play Lydia Breeze and opposite Charlton Heston in the revival of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
In 1995, Cross starred as the villain Prince Malagant opposite Richard Gere, Sean Connery and Julia Ormond in Columbia Pictures action adventure pic First Knight, and in 2007, he was cast in the role of Sarek in the then-new Star Trek film directed and produced by JJ Abrams.
Among recent performances were The CW series Pandora and 2018 action movie The Hurricane Heist and the actor wrapped his last role as Cardinal Mathews in Lionsgate horror The Devil’s Light only ten days ago.In post-production is Netflix romance Last Letter from Your Lover, in which Cross starred with Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn and Callum Turner. The actor had also been cast in development movies including Resilient 3D and Liberty.
Cross, who was married three times, is survived by his wife Deyana Boneva Cross, and his two children, Theo and Lauren.
The veteran stage and screen star passed away this morning in Vienna, his family has confirmed to us.
Cross was born Harry Bernard Cross in London in 1947 to a working class family. He began acting at a young age, participating in grammar school plays, but left school to work as a window cleaner, waiter, joiner and carpenter before being accepted age 22 into London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He excelled at RADA and won the acting school’s prestigious Vanbrugh prize for performance of the year. He would go on to claim a string of key stage roles and made his big screen debut on 1976 World War II epic A Bridge Too Far.
Cross’s path to international stardom began in 1978 with his performance in the play Chicago, in which he played Billy Flynn, the slick lawyer of murderess Roxie Hart. His performance prompted his casting in the Brit classic Chariots Of Fire, alongside actors such as Ian Charleson, Ian Holm and John Gielgud. Based on a true story, the box office smash charted the story of two British track athletes, one a Jew who ran to overcome prejudice, and the other a devout Christian who ran for the glory of God, who competed in the 1924 Olympics. For their acclaimed performances as fierce running rivals, Cross and co-star Charleson both won Most Promising Artist of 1981 from the Variety Club Awards.
Cross followed up Chariots of Fire with projects including 10-part BBC drama The Citadel, HBO spy film Steal The Sky and NBC TV miniseries Twist Of Fate. Among notable stage roles that decade were in John Guare’s play Lydia Breeze and opposite Charlton Heston in the revival of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
In 1995, Cross starred as the villain Prince Malagant opposite Richard Gere, Sean Connery and Julia Ormond in Columbia Pictures action adventure pic First Knight, and in 2007, he was cast in the role of Sarek in the then-new Star Trek film directed and produced by JJ Abrams.
Among recent performances were The CW series Pandora and 2018 action movie The Hurricane Heist and the actor wrapped his last role as Cardinal Mathews in Lionsgate horror The Devil’s Light only ten days ago.In post-production is Netflix romance Last Letter from Your Lover, in which Cross starred with Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn and Callum Turner. The actor had also been cast in development movies including Resilient 3D and Liberty.
Cross, who was married three times, is survived by his wife Deyana Boneva Cross, and his two children, Theo and Lauren.
RIP
A very long career in movies and TV.
Although I always thought whenever he was cast as an American character, he really hammed it up and was way over the top. But, overall I enjoyed a lot of his work.
08-18-20, 02:11 PM
#3
Re: Ben Cross dead at 72
I feel bad that I never saw Chariots of Fire, only knew him from a terrible 80's horror movie. The Unholy.
08-18-20, 02:34 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Ben Cross dead at 72
Oddly, I mostly remember him for playing Barnabas Collins in the short lived early 90s remake of Dark Shadows but I saw him pop up a lot over the years.
08-18-20, 02:58 PM
#5
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Re: Ben Cross dead at 72
I liked his Sarek. 
RIP
RIP
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mspmms (08-18-20)
08-19-20, 08:27 AM
#7
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
08-20-20, 01:44 AM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Ben Cross dead at 72
I liked the DARK SHADOWS revival, too bad it only lasted a half a season.
