TV and Movies

[Oznell]

How wonderful he looked, even decades after his starring role in "Chariots of Fire".

Ben Cross has died after a short illness at 72.  In the acount I read, his daughter Lauren did not specify his illness.

He played everything from real life Olympic hero Harold Abrahams, to "Spock"'s father,  to Prince Charles.  Was also a member  of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

For me, the performance as intense, driven Olympic runner Harold Abrahams still stirs admiration.  He captured the real life Abrahams' dilemma, as a Jewish athlete in Britain, battling the pervasive anti-Semitism of the place and period.  He had to strive, he had to win! 

He, and Ian Charleson as his fellow runner, son of Scottish missionaries Eric Liddell, gave the heat and the soul to that movie.  Abrahams fought prejudice, and devoted Christian Liddell also had to make decisions about his all-important faith-- he said "he ran for the glory of God".

Lovely film and memorable actor, Ben Cross.

[jeanlake]

Sad news. RIP. Chariots... is a top five favorite movie - as much for the season of my life as the movie. 

[SXMGirl]

@Oznell  Thank you for posting.  I loved that movie.  Condolences to his family and friends.

[stevieb]

The NY Times did note for those who seem to be keeping up on everyone impacted by the virus that his passing was not from it...

"His daughter, Lauren, confirmed the death but did not specify the cause, though she said it was not Covid-19."

[Oznell]

Ah, that's interesting, thanks @stevieb .   Whatever it was, at least they indicated it was a "short" illness, always preferable to something agonizingly protracted....

[spiderw]

I am so sorry to hear this news.  Ben Cross, an excellent actor, was superb in Chariots of Fire, one of my favorite movies.  It was such excitement on the screen and he and Liddell and the great theme made that movie .  

May Ben Cross be at peace with God,  he has left his mark in the world of entertainment.

[golding76]

Ditto, jeanlake.

Your words are true for me as well, as odd as it might seem.

[colliegirls]

That was one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

[appm]

Didn't he play Barnabas Collins in a "Dark Shadows" revamp of that TV show?  (I just realized I used the word "revamp" about a show of vampires!)

[Oznell]

What was it that you didn't like about the movie, @colliegirls ?

@appm,  apparently he did--  I didn't know that!