British actor Albert Finney, the Academy Award-nominated star of films from 91裸聊视频淭om Jones91裸聊视频� to 91裸聊视频淪kyfall,91裸聊视频� has died at the age of 82.

Finney91裸聊视频檚 family said Friday that he 91裸聊视频減assed away peacefully after a short illness with those closest to him by his side.91裸聊视频�

Finney was a rare star who managed to avoid the Hollywood limelight for more than five decades after bursting to international fame in 1963 in the title role of 91裸聊视频淭om Jones.91裸聊视频�

The film gained him the first of five Oscar nominations. Others followed for 91裸聊视频淢urder on the Orient Express,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频漈he Dresser,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频漊nder the Volcano91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淓rin Brockovich.91裸聊视频�

In later years he brought authority to action movies, including the James Bond thriller 91裸聊视频淪kyfall91裸聊视频� and two of the Bourne films.

Displaying the versatility of a virtuoso, Finney portrayed Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, a southern American lawyer, an Irish gangster and an 18th-century rogue, among dozens of other roles over the years. There was no 91裸聊视频淎lbert Finney91裸聊视频�-type character that he returned to again and again.

In one of his final roles, as the gruff Scotsman Kincade in 91裸聊视频淪kyfall,91裸聊视频� he shared significant screen time with Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, turning the film91裸聊视频檚 final scenes into a master class of character acting.

Although Finney rarely discussed his personal life, he told the Manchester Evening News in 2012 that he had been treated for kidney cancer for five years, undergoing surgery and chemotherapy.

He also explained why he had not attended the Academy Awards in Los Angeles even when he was nominated for the film world91裸聊视频檚 top prize.

91裸聊视频淚t seems silly to go over there and beg for an award,91裸聊视频� he told the paper.

The son of a bookmaker, Finney was born May 9, 1936, and grew up in northern England on the outskirts of Manchester. He took to the stage at an early age, doing a number of school plays and 91裸聊视频� despite his lack of connections and his working-class roots 91裸聊视频� earning a place at London91裸聊视频檚 prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He credited the headmaster of his local school, Eric Simms, for recommending that he attend the renowned drama school.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 the reason I am an actor,91裸聊视频� Finney said in 2012.

Finney made his first professional turn at 19 and appeared in several TV movies, including 91裸聊视频淪he Stoops to Conquer91裸聊视频� in 1956 and 91裸聊视频淭he Claverdon Road Job91裸聊视频� the following year.

Soon some critics were hailing him as 91裸聊视频渢he next Laurence Olivier91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a commanding presence who would light up the British stage. Britain91裸聊视频檚 pre-eminent theatre critic, Kenneth Tynan, called the young Finney a 91裸聊视频渟mouldering young Spencer Tracy91裸聊视频� and warned established star Richard Burton about his prowess. In London, Finney excelled both in Shakespeare91裸聊视频檚 plays and in more contemporary offerings.

Still, the young man seemed determine not to pursue conventional Hollywood stardom. After an extensive screen test, he turned down the chance to play the title role in director David Lean91裸聊视频檚 epic 91裸聊视频淟awrence of Arabia,91裸聊视频� clearing the way for fellow RADA graduate Peter O91裸聊视频橳oole to take what became a career-defining role.

But stardom came to Finney anyway in 91裸聊视频淭om Jones91裸聊视频� where he won over audiences worldwide with his good-natured, funny and sensual portrayal of an 18th-century English rogue.

That was the role that introduced Finney to American audiences, and few would forget the lusty, blue-eyed leading man who helped the film win a Best Picture Oscar. Finney also earned his first Best Actor nomination for his efforts and the smash hit turned him into a Hollywood leading man.

Director Tony Richardson said his goal for 91裸聊视频淭om Jones91裸聊视频� was simply to produce an enjoyable romp.

91裸聊视频淣o social significance for once,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淣o contemporary problems to lay bare. Just a lot of colorful, sexy fun.91裸聊视频�

Finney had the good fortune to receive a healthy percentage of the profits from the surprise hit, giving him financial security while he was still in his 20s.

91裸聊视频淭his is a man from very humble origins who became rich when he was very young,91裸聊视频� said Quentin Falk, author of an unauthorized biography of Finney. 91裸聊视频淚t brought him a lot of side benefits. He91裸聊视频檚 a man who likes to live as well as to act. He enjoys his fine wine and cigars. He91裸聊视频檚 his own man, I find that rather admirable.91裸聊视频�

The actor maintained a healthy skepticism about the British establishment and even turned down a knighthood when it was offered, declining to become Sir Albert. Finney once said he did not believe in such honours.

91裸聊视频淢aybe people in America think being a 91裸聊视频楽ir91裸聊视频� is a big deal,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut I think we should all be misters together. I think the 91裸聊视频楽ir91裸聊视频� thing slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery. And it also helps keep us 91裸聊视频榪uaint,91裸聊视频� which I91裸聊视频檓 not a great fan of.91裸聊视频�

Instead of cashing in by taking lucrative film roles after 91裸聊视频淭om Jones,91裸聊视频� Finney took a long sabbatical, travelling slowly through the United States, Mexico and the Pacific islands, then returned to the London stage to act in Shakespeare productions and other plays. He won wide acclaim and many awards before returning to film in 1967 to co-star with Audrey Hepburn in 91裸聊视频淭wo for the Road.91裸聊视频�

This was to be a familiar pattern, with Finney alternating between film work and stage productions in London and New York.

Finney tackled Charles Dickens in 91裸聊视频淪crooge91裸聊视频� in 1970, then played Agatha Christie91裸聊视频檚 super-sleuth Hercule Poirot in 91裸聊视频淢urder on the Orient Express91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� earning his second Best Actor nomination91裸聊视频� and even played a werewolf hunter in the cult film 91裸聊视频淲olfen91裸聊视频� in 1981.

He earned more Best Actor Oscar nominations for his roles in the searing marital drama 91裸聊视频淪hoot the Moon91裸聊视频� in 1982, co-starring with Diane Keaton, and 91裸聊视频淭he Dresser91裸聊视频� in 1983. He was nominated again in 1984 for his role as a self-destructive alcoholic in director John Huston91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淯nder the Volcano.91裸聊视频�

Even during this extraordinary run of great roles, and his critically acclaimed television portrayal of the pope, Finney91裸聊视频檚 life was not chronicled in People Weekly or other magazines, although the British press was fascinated with his marriage to the sultry French film star Anouk Aimee.

He played in a series of smaller, independent films for a number of years before returning to prominence in 2000 as a southern lawyer in the film 91裸聊视频淓rin Brockovich,91裸聊视频� which starred Julia Roberts. The film helped introduce Finney to a new generation of moviegoers, and the chemistry between the aging lawyer and his young, aggressive assistant earned him yet another Oscar nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actor.

His work also helped propel Roberts to her first Best Actress Oscar. Still, Finney declined to attend the Academy Awards ceremony 91裸聊视频� possibly damaging his chances at future wins by snubbing Hollywood91裸聊视频檚 elite.

He went on to star in director Tim Burton91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淏ig Fish91裸聊视频� and portrayed Britain91裸聊视频檚 wartime leader, Winston Churchill, in 91裸聊视频淭he Gathering Storm.91裸聊视频�

Finney also tried his hand at directing and producing and played a vital role in sustaining British theatre.

Finney is survived by his third wife, Pene, son Simon and two grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

Gregory Katz, The Associated Press

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