British actor Terence Stamp, the commanding screen presence who terrorized Christopher Reeve’s Superman as the villainous General Zod, has died at the age of 87. His family confirmed his passing on Sunday morning, describing him as leaving behind “an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come.”
Born in Stepney, East London, on July 22, 1938, Stamp rose from humble beginnings as the son of a tugboat stoker to become one of British cinema’s most distinctive talents. His striking good looks and piercing blue eyes made him an icon of Swinging London in the 1960s, when he famously dated supermodel Jean Shrimpton and actress Julie Christie.
Stamp’s remarkable career began with a bang in 1962 when he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in his very first film, “Billy Budd,” directed by Peter Ustinov. This debut performance established him as one of the “angry young men” of British cinema, alongside contemporaries like Michael Caine, with whom he once shared a flat while both were struggling actors.
While Stamp appeared in critically acclaimed art films like “The Collector” (1965), for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes, and Pier Paolo Pasolini’s controversial “Teorema” (1968), his most memorable role came as the megalomaniacal Kryptonian General Zod in “Superman” (1978) and “Superman II” (1980). His commanding declaration “Kneel before Zod!” became an iconic piece of cinema history.
Later in his career, Stamp surprised audiences with his fearless performance as transgender woman Bernadette in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (1994), earning BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. He continued working well into his eighties, with his final role appearing in the 2021 psychological thriller “Last Night in Soho.”
Major Works of Terence Stamp:
Films:
- Billy Budd (1962)
- The Collector (1965)
- Modesty Blaise (1966)
- Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)
- Poor Cow (1967)
- Teorema (1968)
- The Mind of Mr. Soames (1970)
- Superman (1978)
- Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979)
- Superman II (1980)
- The Hit (1984)
- Legal Eagles (1986)
- The Sicilian (1987)
- Wall Street (1987)
- Young Guns (1988)
- Alien Nation (1988)
- The Real McCoy (1993)
- The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
- Bliss (1997)
- The Limey (1999)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Red Planet (2000)
- The Haunted Mansion (2003)
- Valkyrie (2008)
- Unfinished Song (2012)
- Big Eyes (2014)
- Last Night in Soho (2021)
Television:
- Smallville (2004-2011) – Voice of Jor-El
Memoirs:
- Stamp Album (1987)
- Coming Attractions (1988)
- Double Feature (1989)
- Rare Stamps (2011)