Brian Blessed
A thunderous-voiced English actor and adventurer whose larger-than-life persona made him unforgettable in roles from Shakespeare to Star Wars.
Born 1936 (age 90)·English actor·Birthday: October 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
Brian Blessed erupted from a Yorkshire mining town to become one of Britain's most recognizable and boisterous personalities. His acting career, beginning in the 1960s, saw him steal scenes with his volcanic energy, whether as the bellowing Prince Vultan in 'Flash Gordon' or the scheming Duke of Exeter in Kenneth Branagh's 'Henry V.' Beyond the stage and screen, Blessed pursued real-life adventures with the same fervor, attempting to climb Mount Everest three times without supplemental oxygen and trekking to the magnetic North Pole. He became a beloved national figure, a storyteller whose tales of exploration matched the grand scale of his performances, embodying a spirit of unquenchable curiosity and robust vitality.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Brian was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 80
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Age 90 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He climbed to Camp VI on Mount Everest at age 55 without the use of supplemental oxygen.
- He originated the role of Old Deuteronomy in the first London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats.'
- His portrayal of King Richard IV in the first series of 'Blackadder' created a foundational comic performance for the show.
- He provided the iconic Tarzan yell for the Disney animated film 'Tarzan.'
Did You Know?
He is a trained opera singer and studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
He holds the world record for the longest distance traveled on foot to the magnetic North Pole.
He is a passionate advocate for animal welfare and has worked with the Born Free Foundation.
He was a close friend of actor Peter O'Toole.
“I've been to the North Pole, the South Pole, Everest three times. I'm an astronaut, you know. I've done more space training than most astronauts.”
