John Hurt interview, Ireland 2002

John Hurt looks back at his younger days and talks about how he always had the acting bug. He also recalls meeting Samuel Beckett. Actor John Hurt talks to Pat Kenny about growing up and the influence his Anglican clergyman father had on him, He was a good performer, I might say, a very good preacher – short, very abrupt, clear, clean, all of that. By chance, John Hurt was befriended by two Australian women who he met in London and credits them with being the people who set him on the path that led to a long and distinguished acting career, They looked after me and decided that they would go and get the forms necessary for RADA. The rest is history. John Hurt was fortunate enough to meet his hero Samuel Beckett although it was only once he remembers the occasion fondly and was surprised to find him reading the racing pages. This episode of The Late Late Show was broadcast on 22 February 2002. The presenter is Pat Kenny.