British actor Albert Finney, the Academy Award-nominated star of films from 害羞草研究所淭om Jones害羞草研究所� to 害羞草研究所淪kyfall,害羞草研究所� has died at the age of 82.

Finney害羞草研究所檚 family said Friday that he 害羞草研究所減assed away peacefully after a short illness with those closest to him by his side.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所淭om Jones.害羞草研究所�

The film gained him the first of five Oscar nominations. Others followed for 害羞草研究所淢urder on the Orient Express,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所漈he Dresser,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所漊nder the Volcano害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淓rin Brockovich.害羞草研究所�

In later years he brought authority to action movies, including the James Bond thriller 害羞草研究所淪kyfall害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淎lbert Finney害羞草研究所�-type character that he returned to again and again.

In one of his final roles, as the gruff Scotsman Kincade in 害羞草研究所淪kyfall,害羞草研究所� he shared significant screen time with Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, turning the film害羞草研究所檚 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 world害羞草研究所檚 top prize.

害羞草研究所淚t seems silly to go over there and beg for an award,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� despite his lack of connections and his working-class roots 害羞草研究所� earning a place at London害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 the reason I am an actor,害羞草研究所� Finney said in 2012.

Finney made his first professional turn at 19 and appeared in several TV movies, including 害羞草研究所淪he Stoops to Conquer害羞草研究所� in 1956 and 害羞草研究所淭he Claverdon Road Job害羞草研究所� the following year.

Soon some critics were hailing him as 害羞草研究所渢he next Laurence Olivier害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a commanding presence who would light up the British stage. Britain害羞草研究所檚 pre-eminent theatre critic, Kenneth Tynan, called the young Finney a 害羞草研究所渟mouldering young Spencer Tracy害羞草研究所� and warned established star Richard Burton about his prowess. In London, Finney excelled both in Shakespeare害羞草研究所檚 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 Lean害羞草研究所檚 epic 害羞草研究所淟awrence of Arabia,害羞草研究所� clearing the way for fellow RADA graduate Peter O害羞草研究所橳oole to take what became a career-defining role.

But stardom came to Finney anyway in 害羞草研究所淭om Jones害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淭om Jones害羞草研究所� was simply to produce an enjoyable romp.

害羞草研究所淣o social significance for once,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淣o contemporary problems to lay bare. Just a lot of colorful, sexy fun.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭his is a man from very humble origins who became rich when he was very young,害羞草研究所� said Quentin Falk, author of an unauthorized biography of Finney. 害羞草研究所淚t brought him a lot of side benefits. He害羞草研究所檚 a man who likes to live as well as to act. He enjoys his fine wine and cigars. He害羞草研究所檚 his own man, I find that rather admirable.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淢aybe people in America think being a 害羞草研究所楽ir害羞草研究所� is a big deal,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I think we should all be misters together. I think the 害羞草研究所楽ir害羞草研究所� thing slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery. And it also helps keep us 害羞草研究所榪uaint,害羞草研究所� which I害羞草研究所檓 not a great fan of.害羞草研究所�

Instead of cashing in by taking lucrative film roles after 害羞草研究所淭om Jones,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所淭wo for the Road.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所淪crooge害羞草研究所� in 1970, then played Agatha Christie害羞草研究所檚 super-sleuth Hercule Poirot in 害羞草研究所淢urder on the Orient Express害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� earning his second Best Actor nomination害羞草研究所� and even played a werewolf hunter in the cult film 害羞草研究所淲olfen害羞草研究所� in 1981.

He earned more Best Actor Oscar nominations for his roles in the searing marital drama 害羞草研究所淪hoot the Moon害羞草研究所� in 1982, co-starring with Diane Keaton, and 害羞草研究所淭he Dresser害羞草研究所� in 1983. He was nominated again in 1984 for his role as a self-destructive alcoholic in director John Huston害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淯nder the Volcano.害羞草研究所�

Even during this extraordinary run of great roles, and his critically acclaimed television portrayal of the pope, Finney害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所淓rin Brockovich,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� possibly damaging his chances at future wins by snubbing Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 elite.

He went on to star in director Tim Burton害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淏ig Fish害羞草研究所� and portrayed Britain害羞草研究所檚 wartime leader, Winston Churchill, in 害羞草研究所淭he Gathering Storm.害羞草研究所�

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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