Charles Laughton (July 1, 1899 – December 15, 1962) was a legendary English-American actor of stage and screen, a true giant of his craft renowned for his immense versatility and his powerful, transformative performances.
A classically trained stage actor, Laughton brought an incredible range to the screen. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his boisterous portrayal of the titular king in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). He was equally masterful at playing villains and sympathetic monsters, creating two of cinema’s most unforgettable characters: the tyrannical Captain Bligh in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and the tragic Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).
Laughton directed only one film, the haunting and visually stunning thriller The Night of the Hunter (1955), which is now considered one of the greatest films ever made. In a lifelong partnership with his wife, actress Elsa Lanchester, he remained a powerful force in theatre and film until his death, leaving a legacy as one of the most gifted and commanding actors in history.
