Ben cross dies: ‘chariots of fire’, ‘star trek’ & ‘first knight’ star was 72

Ben Cross, the English actor best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 Best Picture Oscar winner _Chariots of Fire_ and as Sarek in the 2009

reboot _Star Trek_, died today in Vienna after a short illness. He was 72. The veteran stage and screen star’s family confirmed the news to Deadline. Cross was born Harry Bernard Cross in

London in 1947 to a working-class family. He began acting at a young age, participating in grammar school plays, but left school to work as a window cleaner, waiter, joiner and carpenter

before being accepted into London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts at age 22. He excelled at RADA and won the acting school’s prestigious Vanbrugh Prize for performance of the year. He would

go on to claim a string of key stage roles and made his big-screen debut on 1977 World War II epic _A Bridge Too Far_. WATCH ON DEADLINE Cross’ path to international stardom began in 1978

with his performance in the play _Chicago_, in which he played Billy Flynn, the slick lawyer of murderess Roxie Hart. His performance prompted his casting in the Brit classic _Chariots of

Fire_, alongside actors such as Ian Charleson, Ian Holm and John Gielgud. Based on a true story, the box office smash and four-time Oscar winner charted the story of two British track

athletes — one a Jew who ran to overcome prejudice and the other a devout Christian who ran for the glory of God — who competed in the 1924 Olympics. For their acclaimed performances as

fierce running rivals, Cross and co-star Charleson both won Most Promising Artist of 1981 from the Variety Club Awards. Cross followed up _Chariots of Fire_ with projects including 10-part

BBC drama _The Citadel_, HBO spy film _Steal The Sky_, NBC miniseries _Twist of Fate _and the same network’s _Dark Shadows _revival. Among notable stage roles that decade were in John

Guare’s play _Lydie Breeze_ and opposite Charlton Heston in the revival of _The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial._ In 1995, Cross starred as the villain Prince Malagant opposite Richard Gere, Sean

Connery and Julia Ormond in Columbia Pictures action-adventure pic _First Knight, _and was cast as Sarek in 2009’s _Star Trek,_ directed and produced by JJ Abrams. Among recent performances

were the CW series _Pandora _and 2018 action movie _The Hurricane Heist _and the actor wrapped his last role as Cardinal Mathews in Lionsgate horror _The Devil’s Light_ only 10 days ago. In

post-production is Netflix romance _Last Letter from Your Lover_, in which Cross starred with Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn and Callum Turner. The actor also had been cast in

development movies including _Resilient 3D_ and _Liberty_. Cross, who was married three times and was also a talented and enthusiastic singer, is survived by his wife Deyana Boneva Cross,

and his two children, Theo and Lauren, and grandchildren Violet, Zinnia, and Alexander. His family told us, “Today the world has lost a talent, but our family has lost a beloved husband,

dad, and grandpa. He was a born showman and entertainer, a walking encyclopedia of music who could sing anything. He was a man who taught us to embrace our feelings, whatever they may be. We

are grateful for the time we had with him. His spirit lives on in our hearts through his words, his music, and the love that we still feel. If you would like to remember him, please make a

donation to Save the Children. As he would say, support musicians, love each other, do only good.” Here is a sampling of tributes to the actor on social media: > RIP actor Ben Cross. 

Johnny Romita and I got to know him quite well > at a film event in Monaco a couple of years back, a highlight being > when he got up and walked around a packed restaurant singing a

> completely ad-libbed song about Johnny to 200 other customers :) > https://t.co/IMtOcVarAy >  > — Millarworld (@mrmarkmillar) August 19, 2020

https://twitter.com/joannagoing1/status/1295966952196698114 https://twitter.com/MartinBashir/status/1295828324040749065 > So long Ben Cross. Glad to have met you amigo. RIP x > 

pic.twitter.com/7eTeDgav7s >  > — Antony Starr (@antonystarr) August 19, 2020 > We just lost a member of our @seriespandora family. Ben was an > incredible actor and a delight to

 work with. He will be greatly > missed by all of us. #BenCross #pandoraCW https://t.co/VUKTEaYxIK >  > — Mark A. Altman * (@markaaltman) August 18, 2020 > RIP #bencross. We 

worked together on Steal the Sky For HBO IN 1988. > We worked in Jerusalem together. It was right after having my first > baby dreelouisehemingway #goodpeople #beforehistime #movies 

#hbo > @hbo https://t.co/Z259D4mzAx >  > — Mariel Hemingway (@MarielHemingway) August 18, 2020 https://twitter.com/macfadyenangus/status/1295796264643198976 > Sad to hear Ben 

Cross passed away today. Did a great UK tour with > him back in the day, followed by a run at the Queens in the West > End, in The Caine Mutiny (with @RichardLinford). Very driven 

actor, > very highly-charged. RIP. pic.twitter.com/PPuly2qQet >  > — Julian Dutton 🎭📚🎟️🇬🇧 (@JulianDutton1) August > 18, 2020 > I'm still in shock and saddened to know 

that my friend of many > years, Ben Cross, had passed away today. For years I was his agent, > then his manager and always his friend. The world is a little less > interesting today

 knowing that Ben is no longer here. RIP Ben > pic.twitter.com/pAcvXzOej2 >  > — Jeffrey Goldberg (@jgoldbergmgmt) August 18, 2020