Robert Stephens’s Legacy and Personal Life
Robert Stephens was an English actor during the years of Britain’s Royal National Theatre. He is best known for his work in theatre, television, and film. Stephens was one of the most distinguished and skilled British actors of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he earned a reputation for his skill and daring performances. After years of sickness, he died on 12 November 1995 at the age of 64 due to surgery complications.
Robert Stephens Early Life and Family
Robert Stephens was born in 1931 in Shire Hampton, Bristol. His father, George Stephens, was a lecturer in English at the University of Bristol, while his mother, Violet, was a teacher. Stephens attended Clifton College and then went on to study at the University of East Anglia. He opted to pursue a career in theatre, and in 1950, he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
At age 18, he won a scholarship to Esme Church’s Bradford Civic Theatre School in Yorkshire and he met his first wife Nora who was also a student. They married in 1951 and had one child but unfortunately, they divorced in 1952. His second marriage was to Tarn Bassett in 1956 and after one child and 11 years together, they divorced in 1967. His actor sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens are from his marriage to Maggie Smith till 1975. He went through a drinking problem after his marriage came to an end. In 1995, he married Belfast, they welcomed their child Patricia Quinn and the two were together till his last day.
Robert Stephen’s Career Journey
Stephens’s first professional acting job was in 1954 after he joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) where he performed roles in classic Shakespearean plays, such as Hamlet. His first film role came in 1961, where he played a supporting role in War and Peace followed by Pirates of Tortuga, Lisa, Zero One, The Year of the French, Anyone for Denis, and Birth of a Nation.
His career continued to thrive throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. He became a household name for his roles in various films, including his portrayal of a diverse range of characters in both classical and contemporary genres. Stephen has appeared in several British television productions, often portraying intellectual or strange characters that fit with his versatile acting style. His contributions to both the stage and screen were significant, and he left behind a legacy as one of Britain’s most accomplished actors
Stephen has been credited in over 104 films including Without Walls, Screen Two, Minder, 99-1, Dandelion Dead, and Century. He was nominated for the Broadway Tony Award, in 1959, as Best Actor for Epitaph for George Dillon. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1993 for Best Actor for his performance as Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts I &II at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In his later years, he returned to the stage in a series of critically acclaimed performances, such as his portrayal of The Caretaker and The Hollow Crown, where his stage presence and ability to convey complex emotions resonated deeply with audiences.
