Terence Stamp, one of the defining faces of 1960s British cinema who later found renewed fame as a character actor in Hollywood, has died aged 87. His family confirmed that he died on Sunday morning, adding: "He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer, that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. We ask for privacy at this sad time."
Born in Stepney, east London, and raised in Plaistow, the son of a tugboat sailor, Stamp won a scholarship to drama school. His brother Chris went on to manage musical acts including The Who and Jimi Hendrix. After meeting on tour, Stamp shared a flat with Michael Caine, whom he later described as his guru. His first major screen role came in 1962 in Billy Budd, earning him an Oscar nomination and leading to the lead role in William Wyler's 1965 adaptation of The Collector.
Stamp's subsequent 1960s career was erratic. He lost out on James Bond to Sean Connery and was replaced in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up by David Hemmings. However, he starred in Joseph Losey's Modesty Blaise, Ken Loach's hard-hitting debut Poor Cow, and Far from the Madding Crowd with Julie Christie. In 1968, he worked with Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Loach, who directed him in Poor Cow, recalled: "Terry was very pleasant and seemed to enjoy being a working class London lad. It meant he didn't have to pretend to be what he wasn't, and he relaxed into the role."
At the end of the decade, Stamp's profile declined sharply and work dried up. "I was in my prime. When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it," he said. He went to India and stayed on an ashram before being recalled to the screen. His second act included roles in Superman: The Movie, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Steven Soderbergh's The Limey.
Colleagues paid tribute. Stephen Frears, who directed him in The Hit, said: "He was a fine man and a fine actor. It was an honour to have directed him." Guy Pearce, his Priscilla co-star, described him as "a true inspiration, both in & out of heels", while Priscilla director Stephan Elliott called him "a wonderful man". Edgar Wright, who cast him in Last Night in Soho, said he was "a true movie star: the camera loved him, and he loved it right back".
