Peter Finch

Peter Finch (September 28, 1916 - January 14, 1977) was a British actor. Born Frederick George Peter Ingle-Finch in London, England, he spent much of his younger life in France, India and Sydney, Australia. In 1939 he appeared on the Australian stage, where he was noticed by Laurence Olivier and encouraged to return to London. Finch returned the favor by having an affair with Olivier's wife, Vivien Leigh.

Despite his stage experience, Finch suffered from stage fright and turned to films. He first appeared in an Australian movie, Dad and Dave Come to Town[?], in 1938, and appeared in several Australian films, appearing in his first UK film, Eureka Stockade[?], in 1949.

His Hollywood debut was in The Miniver Story[?] in 1950, but his first major role was in A Town Like Alice[?] in 1956. In 1972 his role of the homosexual Jewish doctor in Sunday Bloody Sunday earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. It was his over-the-top portrayal of a crazed television anchor man in the 1976 film Network which won him his Academy Award. Unfortunately, it was presented after his death in 1977.

Peter Finch is interred in the Hollywood Forever Memorial Park Cemetery in Hollywood, California.