John Hurt dead: Two-time Oscar nominee, actor of 'The Elephant Man' and 'Harry Potter' was 77

British actor John Hurt, 75, who had starring roles in The Elephant Man and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, passed away, reports said. He was 77.

The Hollywood actor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 but was given an all clear. At that time, he was quoted as saying, that he intended to continue working, with one of his projects in the near future being to record Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell for BBC Radio. In his diverse career, Hurt has played numerous characters in blockbusters including Harry Potter where he played the role of Mr Ollivander. Hurt was nominated for Oscars for his roles in The Elephant Man and Midnight Express. He can be seen in the film Jackie, a biopic about the widow of John F Kennedy, which was released recently, The Independent said. Born in Chesterfield, Hurt was also lauded for his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in the 1975 biographical film, The Naked Civil Servant, directed by Jack Gold. He also starred in Hellboy, the TV series Doctor Who and the 1979 Ridley Scott horror, Alien which earned him a Bafta nomination as the Best Actor in Supporting Role. Watch it here:

The actor received a knighthood in 2015, writes Daily Mail. “He wished his parents had been alive to see him presented with the honour. He added: ‘It does make one inordinately proud.’,” it said. Hurt is survived by his wife of 12 years Anwen Rees-Myers.