Attenborough 'stable' after fall

Lord Attenborough is in a stable condition after an accident at home, a hospital spokesman has said as reported in BBC News.

The 85-year-old actor and director had to pull out of a ceremony in honour of Brief Encounter actress Celia Johnson on Thursday after suffering a fall.
Celia Johnson

Richard Attenborough has championed the British film industry for more than 60 years as an actor, Oscar-winning director and prolific movie-maker.

Richard Attenborough was born on 29 August, 1923 in Cambridge. He and his younger brothers, David and John, were brought up to "be conscious of others and their quality of life".

At the outbreak of World War II, the Attenboroughs adopted two Jewish refugees from Germany, who stayed for eight years.

In 1941, Attenborough won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and a year later, he became an overnight sensation as Pinkie in a stage version of Brighton Rock.

In 1947, he starred in the film version, and by the 1950s he was an established star.

In 1962 he starred in The Great Escape. By then he had already set up his own film production outfit.

His directing debut came in 1967, with the satire Oh, What A Lovely War!

Attenborough fulfilled one of his ambitions - to document the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi won eight Oscars, including best picture, best director, and best actor for Sir Ben Kingsley.

Candice Bergen played photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White, who interviewed and photographed Gandhi just a few hours before he died.

Attenborough said later: "The truth is, I didn't really want to direct. I just wanted to direct that one film, Gandhi."

Cry Freedom, released in 1987, was the story of Donald Woods, the white South African newspaper editor who investigated the death in custody of his friend, black activist Steve Biko.

Cry Freedom was a hit around the world, and Chaplin and Shadowlands followed.

But by 2000 Lord Attenborough had become disillusioned with Hollywood, after studios refused to distribute his tale of a Canadian trapper, Grey Owl, in the United States.

Lord Attenborough remains steadfast in his stance against violence on screen.

His recent acting roles have been in family movies, such as Jurassic Park and Miracle on 34th Street, which saw him dress up as Santa Claus.

Knighted in 1976 and made a life peer in 1993, Lord Attenborough is now at the head of a powerful family.

Daughter Charlotte is an actress, while son Michael is the head of London's Almeida Theatre.

He remains close to brother David - himself a household name thanks to his wildlife documentaries.

Now, he is recovering in St George's Hospital in Tooting, south-west London.