Richard Attenborough dies aged 90: a life in pictures

Richard Attenborough was born to middle-class stock in Cambridge, on August 29 1923. He made his acting debut as a deserting soldier in 1942's In Which We Serve and cropped up briefly as an awe-struck airman in the celestial classic A Matter of Life and Death. His one line: "It's heaven, isn't it?" Photograph: Kobal

His major breakthrough came courtesy of Brighton Rock, the Boulting brothers' devastating adaptation of the Graham Greene novel. Attenborough was creepily convincing as Pinky Brown, the cold-blooded, baby-faced gang boss who terrorises the promenade. Photograph: Kobal

One of Attenborough's more notable stage credits: performing alongside wife Sheila Sim as part of the original London cast of The Mousetrap, way back in 1952. Some 56 years later, the play is still going strong. Photograph: Rex Features

Peter Sellers' firebrand trade union boss may have hogged most of the attention in I'm All Right Jack - but he needed a foil. Here's Attenborough as Sidney De Vere Cox, the twittish emblem of the old guard of British industry. Photograph: Kobal

Now nudging into middle age, Attenborough was perfectly cast as the stoic squadron leader in 1963's The Great Escape, presiding over an ensemble cast that included Steve McQueen, Donald Pleasance and James Coburn. Which of these POWs has the nous and good fortune to one day wriggle free? Photograph: Kobal

Attenborough won a Bafta for his role as the sickly husband of a self-styled medium in Bryan Forbes' Seance on a Wet Afternoon. For good measure he also served as a co-producer on the picture. It was a sign of things to come. Photograph: Kobal

Doctor Dolittle found Attenborough relegated to a supporting role as the greedy "Albert Blossom", opposite co-stars Rex Harrison and Cheeta the chimp. The production ran three times over budget, crashed and burned at the box office and became a byword for Hollywood disaster. High time for a fresh direction ... Photograph: Kobal

Fortunately Attenborough had other irons in the fire. He had formed his own production company, Beaver Films, in the late 50s. In 1969 he made a well-regarded directing debut with the lavish Oh! What a Lovely War. Henceforth he would be known more for his work behind the camera than in front of it. Photograph: Kobal

Attenborough gave what was arguably his last great acting performance in 10 Rillington Place, playing serial killer John Christie. As with Brighton Rock, it was a role that offered a dark, chilly antidote to the man's sunny public image ... Photograph: Kobal

... as seen here, for instance. It is an image that seems to epitomise the Attenborough persona: extrovert, good-humoured and flamboyant. In his memoir he described himself as "eternally optimistic, and to a degree selfish and egocentric". Photograph: Kobal

Perhaps Attenborough's most high-profile public appearance came at the 1983 Academy Awards, where he reacted with tearful delight as his labour-of-love epic Gandhi scooped a grand total of eight awards. Two of these went to the man himself - as the film's director and producer. Photograph: Cine Text / Allstar

Away from the cameras, Attenborough was an ardent football fan. He served as director of his beloved Chelsea football club from 1969-1982 and was made the club's life president in 1993. Photograph: Phil Cole/Getty

Director Steven Spielberg, who had long cited Attenborough as an influence, was finally able to cast his mentor as the bumbling, good-hearted manager of a dinosaur amusement park. The movie was a global hit and introduced the actor to a whole new audience. Photograph: Kobal

Richard Attenborough married the actor Sheila Sim in 1945 and the pair had three children together, although his eldest daughter, Jane, was killed along with his granddaughter in the 2004 tsunami. Here Dickie reminds younger brother David just who's boss. Photograph: Tom Wargacki/Getty

With beard of snow and eyes a-twinkle, Attenborough was perfectly cast as Kris Kringle in the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street. It was, he said, one of his most cherished roles. Photograph: Kobal

Richard Attenborough died on XXX. "I'm a narrative director," he told the Guardian back in September. "I tell stories." The man is gone, but the stories live on. Photograph: Miquel Benitez/Rex Features