Robert Oliver Reed English actor Date of Birth: 13.02.1938 Country: Malta

1. Biography of Robert Oliver Reed
2. Early Career
3. Potential James Bond
4. Career Decline
5. Personal Life and Tragic End

Biography of Robert Oliver Reed

Robert Oliver Reed was born on February 13, 1938, in Wimbledon, London. He was the son of sports journalist Peter Reed and his wife Marcia Andrews. Reed was the nephew of film director Sir Carol Reed and the grandson of actor and director Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. He attended Ewell Castle School in Surrey, an independent boys' school.

Early Career

Reed started his acting career in the 1950s, initially appearing in films without any formal training or theatrical experience. He landed his first notable roles in films such as "Sword of Sherwood Forest," "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll," "Captain Clegg," and "The Curse of the Werewolf." He also became part of the ensemble cast of horror film "Paranoiac" and the science fiction drama "The Damned."

Potential James Bond

Reed was considered a potential candidate to replace Sean Connery as James Bond in the franchise. In 1969, the producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were looking for a new Bond and mentioned Reed as a possible choice. However, he was not ultimately selected for the role. After his death, the British website "Guardian Unlimited" called this decision "one of the most serious missed opportunities in the post-war history of English cinema."

Career Decline

From 1980 onwards, Reed's popularity waned. His last successful films included Terry Gilliam's fantasy film "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen," the television film "Treasure Island," where he portrayed Captain Billy Bones, and Peter Chelsom's comedy-drama "Funny Bones." His final on-screen role was in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator," released after his death. Reed received a posthumous nomination from the British Academy for his performance in the film.

Personal Life and Tragic End

In 1959, Reed married Kate Byrne, with whom he had a son named Mark before they divorced in 1969. During the filming of "Oliver!," Reed had a romance with dancer Jacquie Daryl, who gave birth to their daughter Sarah. In 1985, he married Josephine Burge, and they remained married until his death.

Reed was notorious for his alcohol addiction. There is a story of him consuming nearly 230 liters of beer, 32 bottles of scotch, 17 bottles of gin, 4 cases of wine, and one bottle of Babycham in a single evening with 36 friends. He later revised this story, claiming to have consumed 60 liters of beer over two days before marrying Josephine.

On May 2, 1999, at the age of 61, Reed suffered a fatal heart attack during a break from filming "Gladiator." He was significantly intoxicated at the time, having spent approximately £450 at a pub. The pub was later named "Ollie's Last Pub" in his honor. At his funeral, the song "Consider Yourself" from the film "Oliver!" was played.