Talk:Richard Burton
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[edit] Name
Richard Burton was also a nineteenth-century British adventurer and eccentric, who first translated the Kama Sutra and, I believe, The Arabian Nights into English, thereby introducing them to the West. He is one of those obscure historical figures with a tremendous cult following even today. Should this be disambiguated for a potential new page? Danny
- Absolutely should be disambiguated. He isn't an obscure figure at all! Total wack job, sure, but he is the true discoverer of the sources of the Nile (Speke was a punk), did much to introduce the cultures of India, Africa, and the Middle East to the West. Disambiguate away and I will work on him. The actor is more obscure than he is at this point. Ortolan88
- How should we distinguish them? Richard Burton (actor) and Richard Burton (whack job)? ;-) Danny
Either Richard Burton (author) or Richard Burton (adventurer) ought to do it; I'm leaning toward "author", as he's so well known for Arabian nights. --Ed Poor
- I thought first of Richard Burton (explorer), but Richard Burton (orientalist) is best. The latter covers Arabian Nights, sneaking into Mecca, chasing the Nile, all in one. After all, his tomb looks like a desert tent. Ortolan88 16:09 Aug 1, 2002 (PDT)
--- I put the sentence It was at this time that he began to develop the distinctive speaking voice that became his hallmark. in this article way back in August and it was meant to be associated with his supposed time at Oxford. It is now in the first paragraph and looks out of place. Mintguy 22:37 Dec 18, 2002 (UTC)
- The Internet sources I perused said that too, and that it was why he left after only six months, that the faculty felt he was overshadowing Shakespeare's lines with his unique style, but you can check out Deb's reaction to that scenario at Talk:University of Oxford. -- isis 22:52 Dec 18, 2002 (UTC)
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- It's true, he may have picked up an "Oxford accent", but he had already had some coaching in "losing his Welsh accent" from Philip Burton, who, as well as a teacher of English, was a BBC radio producer.
What makes you think Burton 'lost his Welsh accent' -- those beautifully rounded vowels are pure Welsh -- ask Bryn Terfel. Burton's official websites simply states Philip Burton encouraged him to speak more distinctly by walking further away and getting him to project his voice -- nothing about a change of accent for a man who had written into his contracts 'not to work on St David's Day'. Philip Burton is often describes as an English teacher, but was, in fact, a teacher of English. He, himself, the son of a miner, came from the heart of the South Wales vallies and for higher education moved no further than Univesity College, Cardiff.
- It's in quotes because it's what Philip Burton said he wanted him to do. But I agree he never quite lost it. Deb 17:06, 28 March 2006 (UTC)
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- Hmm the fags1 and the booze would have assisted in his voice change and I'm not sure he would have been quite so heavily into either at 16.
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- I see. I must have misunderstood what you meant about his distinctive way of speaking! (Although I think he was probably already into fags and booze as a teenager.) Deb
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- Richard began smoking cigarettes when he was only eight years old and for most of his life smoked about sixty a day.
[edit] Churchill
There is a good clip of Burton being interviewed by Michael Parkinson on the BBC I guess in the early 70s in which as his 'party piece' he gives a reading of Churchill's speech to the House of Commons on taking over as Prime Minister.
The Burton-Taylor Theatre in Oxford is named in his (and Liz's) honour. I think it had something to do with the production there of Faust but any idea if they made a cash contribution or endowment.
[edit] Knighthood
Imdb.com bio says he was a CBE. However, this is not a knighthood, is it? Thus he was never "Sir Richard". Incidentally he's not in the WP article with the list of recipients of the Order of the British Empire honours. Can someone who's up on the British honours system clear this up? Ellsworth 23:36, 20 April 2006 (UTC)
- You're right, he wasn't a knight. I think we've been here before. It was the other Richard Burton who was a knight. Deb 16:51, 21 April 2006 (UTC)
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- So the paragraph in the article is correct. I'll put in that he was a CBE as imdb bio information is presumably reliable. Ellsworth 00:54, 22 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Narrative gap
This article jumps from him being an air force cadet in WWII straight to, "In 1952, Burton successfully made the transition to a Hollywood star." I'm guessing he did some other acting in between, like on the stage or in English films. Golfcam 02:09, 24 April 2006 (UTC)
- English films...English films????!!!??? I can't believe you said that! Deb 17:19, 28 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Picture
The picture of him is not sastisfactory. It's too small. The last picture was a close-up and even that one was only decent. The picture's been changed twice over the past couple monthes. I reccomend the picture of him found on IMDB and then keep it that way.
- A picture of Burton as Marcellus in "The Robe (1953), when he was 27, would be best because that film showed the actor at his most handsome.
- I have to agree . It's poor quality. Does anybody have a problem with [http://imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1396/Mptv/1396/0406_0538.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Burton,%20Richard%20(I)
[edit] Source question.
I'd like to add a quote about Richard loving Elizabeth up until the day he died despite remarrying other women, but I can't find it online. I do, however, have it in a biography penned by Richard Burton's brother Graham Jenkins. What's the policy for book citations?
Maybe Jenkins made it up. He seemed to ignore every bad thing about his brother.
- There's no problem with citing a book, especially when it's a primary source. It doesn't matter whether Graham Jenkins made it up - he's still in a better position to know whether it was said than 99.9% of people are. Deb 11:47, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
This is the same Graham who denied his brother's homosexual affairs, despite not being with him at the time.
[edit] Conan 1997?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0545498/ ?
[edit] Bisexual?
"Burton admitted to being bisexual in an interview, although his exact words could be viewed as merely an example of his wit."
What were his exact words? Why not let the reader decide how they could be viewed?
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