British actor Albert Finney, the Academy Award-nominated star of films from 鈥淭om Jones鈥� to 鈥淪kyfall,鈥� has died at the age of 82.

Finney鈥檚 family said Friday that he 鈥減assed away peacefully after a short illness with those closest to him by his side.鈥�

Finney was a rare star who managed to avoid the Hollywood limelight for more than five decades after bursting to international fame in 1963 in the title role of 鈥淭om Jones.鈥�

The film gained him the first of five Oscar nominations. Others followed for 鈥淢urder on the Orient Express,鈥� 鈥漈he Dresser,鈥� 鈥漊nder the Volcano鈥� and 鈥淓rin Brockovich.鈥�

In later years he brought authority to action movies, including the James Bond thriller 鈥淪kyfall鈥� and two of the Bourne films.

Displaying the versatility of a virtuoso, Finney portrayed Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, a southern American lawyer, an Irish gangster and an 18th-century rogue, among dozens of other roles over the years. There was no 鈥淎lbert Finney鈥�-type character that he returned to again and again.

In one of his final roles, as the gruff Scotsman Kincade in 鈥淪kyfall,鈥� he shared significant screen time with Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, turning the film鈥檚 final scenes into a master class of character acting.

Although Finney rarely discussed his personal life, he told the Manchester Evening 亚洲天堂 in 2012 that he had been treated for kidney cancer for five years, undergoing surgery and chemotherapy.

He also explained why he had not attended the Academy Awards in Los Angeles even when he was nominated for the film world鈥檚 top prize.

鈥淚t seems silly to go over there and beg for an award,鈥� he told the paper.

The son of a bookmaker, Finney was born May 9, 1936, and grew up in northern England on the outskirts of Manchester. He took to the stage at an early age, doing a number of school plays and 鈥� despite his lack of connections and his working-class roots 鈥� earning a place at London鈥檚 prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He credited the headmaster of his local school, Eric Simms, for recommending that he attend the renowned drama school.

鈥淗e鈥檚 the reason I am an actor,鈥� Finney said in 2012.

Finney made his first professional turn at 19 and appeared in several TV movies, including 鈥淪he Stoops to Conquer鈥� in 1956 and 鈥淭he Claverdon Road Job鈥� the following year.

Soon some critics were hailing him as 鈥渢he next Laurence Olivier鈥� 鈥� a commanding presence who would light up the British stage. Britain鈥檚 pre-eminent theatre critic, Kenneth Tynan, called the young Finney a 鈥渟mouldering young Spencer Tracy鈥� and warned established star Richard Burton about his prowess. In London, Finney excelled both in Shakespeare鈥檚 plays and in more contemporary offerings.

Still, the young man seemed determine not to pursue conventional Hollywood stardom. After an extensive screen test, he turned down the chance to play the title role in director David Lean鈥檚 epic 鈥淟awrence of Arabia,鈥� clearing the way for fellow RADA graduate Peter O鈥橳oole to take what became a career-defining role.

But stardom came to Finney anyway in 鈥淭om Jones鈥� where he won over audiences worldwide with his good-natured, funny and sensual portrayal of an 18th-century English rogue.

That was the role that introduced Finney to American audiences, and few would forget the lusty, blue-eyed leading man who helped the film win a Best Picture Oscar. Finney also earned his first Best Actor nomination for his efforts and the smash hit turned him into a Hollywood leading man.

Director Tony Richardson said his goal for 鈥淭om Jones鈥� was simply to produce an enjoyable romp.

鈥淣o social significance for once,鈥� he said. 鈥淣o contemporary problems to lay bare. Just a lot of colorful, sexy fun.鈥�

Finney had the good fortune to receive a healthy percentage of the profits from the surprise hit, giving him financial security while he was still in his 20s.

鈥淭his is a man from very humble origins who became rich when he was very young,鈥� said Quentin Falk, author of an unauthorized biography of Finney. 鈥淚t brought him a lot of side benefits. He鈥檚 a man who likes to live as well as to act. He enjoys his fine wine and cigars. He鈥檚 his own man, I find that rather admirable.鈥�

The actor maintained a healthy skepticism about the British establishment and even turned down a knighthood when it was offered, declining to become Sir Albert. Finney once said he did not believe in such honours.

鈥淢aybe people in America think being a 鈥楽ir鈥� is a big deal,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I think we should all be misters together. I think the 鈥楽ir鈥� thing slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery. And it also helps keep us 鈥榪uaint,鈥� which I鈥檓 not a great fan of.鈥�

Instead of cashing in by taking lucrative film roles after 鈥淭om Jones,鈥� Finney took a long sabbatical, travelling slowly through the United States, Mexico and the Pacific islands, then returned to the London stage to act in Shakespeare productions and other plays. He won wide acclaim and many awards before returning to film in 1967 to co-star with Audrey Hepburn in 鈥淭wo for the Road.鈥�

This was to be a familiar pattern, with Finney alternating between film work and stage productions in London and New York.

Finney tackled Charles Dickens in 鈥淪crooge鈥� in 1970, then played Agatha Christie鈥檚 super-sleuth Hercule Poirot in 鈥淢urder on the Orient Express鈥� 鈥� earning his second Best Actor nomination鈥� and even played a werewolf hunter in the cult film 鈥淲olfen鈥� in 1981.

He earned more Best Actor Oscar nominations for his roles in the searing marital drama 鈥淪hoot the Moon鈥� in 1982, co-starring with Diane Keaton, and 鈥淭he Dresser鈥� in 1983. He was nominated again in 1984 for his role as a self-destructive alcoholic in director John Huston鈥檚 鈥淯nder the Volcano.鈥�

Even during this extraordinary run of great roles, and his critically acclaimed television portrayal of the pope, Finney鈥檚 life was not chronicled in People Weekly or other magazines, although the British press was fascinated with his marriage to the sultry French film star Anouk Aimee.

He played in a series of smaller, independent films for a number of years before returning to prominence in 2000 as a southern lawyer in the film 鈥淓rin Brockovich,鈥� which starred Julia Roberts. The film helped introduce Finney to a new generation of moviegoers, and the chemistry between the aging lawyer and his young, aggressive assistant earned him yet another Oscar nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actor.

His work also helped propel Roberts to her first Best Actress Oscar. Still, Finney declined to attend the Academy Awards ceremony 鈥� possibly damaging his chances at future wins by snubbing Hollywood鈥檚 elite.

He went on to star in director Tim Burton鈥檚 鈥淏ig Fish鈥� and portrayed Britain鈥檚 wartime leader, Winston Churchill, in 鈥淭he Gathering Storm.鈥�

Finney also tried his hand at directing and producing and played a vital role in sustaining British theatre.

Finney is survived by his third wife, Pene, son Simon and two grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

Gregory Katz, The Associated Press

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