Charles Laughton

Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British-American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future wife Elsa Lanchester, with whom he lived and worked until his death. Laughton played a wide range of classical and modern roles, making an impact in Shakespeare at the Old Vic. His film career took him to Broadway and then Hollywood, but he also collaborated with Alexander Korda on notable British films of the era, including The Private Life of Henry VIII, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the title character. He received two further nominations for his roles in Mutiny on the Bounty and Witness for the Prosecution, and reprised the role of Henry VIII in Young Bess. He portrayed everything from monsters and misfits to kings. Among Laughton's biggest f... ()