The teacher who helped to propel Richard Burton to fame

Richard Burton was a legendary actor, celebrated for his deep voice and his passionate relationship with fellow star Elizabeth Taylor. However, many people are unaware of Philip Burton, Richard's school teacher who recognized his talent and played a crucial role in his rise to fame. Philip became Richard's legal guardian, helped him change his name, and guided him toward international stardom. Ed Talfan, a producer of the new biopic Mr Burton, stated, 'It was a friendship built for the ages, an unlikely friendship. ' The film, which was released in UK cinemas, explores Richard's challenging early life in Port Talbot, Wales, and highlights Philip's significant influence. In the movie, Philip, portrayed by Toby Jones, is depicted as a serious and cultured individual who not only taught English but also wrote and produced plays. Richard, played by Harry Lawtey, was a scrappy schoolboy with dreams of becoming an actor. Philip helped him improve his posture and speaking skills, teaching him to articulate his vowels and consonants clearly. Despite their different personalities, the two men shared similar backgrounds, and Philip's mentorship would prove to be life-changing for Richard. Philip grew up just 30 miles from Richard in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Historian and Philip's biographer, Prof Angela John, noted, 'Philip had a rather tragic and lonely childhood. ' His father died in a mining accident when Philip was only 14, and he had a distant relationship with his mother. Philip was an avid reader and a theater enthusiast, earning a scholarship to Cardiff University to study Mathematics at the young age of 16. Angela explained, 'In a way, he forged a whole new persona,' as he worked to eliminate his Welsh accent, believing that to succeed in England, one had to sound different. Richard, born Richard Jenkins in 1925, was twenty years younger than Philip. He was one of 13 children, but two died in infancy. Tragically, Richard's mother passed away from an infection when he was just two years old. Ed Talfan remarked, 'He was a working-class young man growing up in, I think it's fair to say, abject poverty. ' Richard lived with his sister and her family, who struggled financially. 'The outlook for him was really, really tough. If you're a betting person, you'd have just said, 'well he's going to end up down the mines or at the steelworks',' he added. Angela, who authored Behind the Scenes: The Dramatic Lives of Philip Burton, described Richard's family as 'large' and 'caring. ' Despite their financial struggles, they provided as much support as they could. Richard's relationship with Philip began when he had to leave school at 16 to help his family. Philip, who had previously taught Richard, intervened to help him return to school, which was quite unusual. With limited space at his sister's home, Richard moved in with Ma Smith, where Philip was a lodger. From that point on, Richard received daily training from Philip. Philip took on the role of Richard's legal guardian, and Richard changed his name to Richard Burton for several reasons. Angela explained, 'It's an awful thing to say these days, but [Richard] would be in a better position to have a name like Burton, which was seen less as a sort of working-class Welsh name. ' Additionally, Philip was already a respected figure in the theater world, which provided Richard with further opportunities. In the film, Richard's biological father, played by Steffan Rhodri, is suspicious of Philip's interest in his son but is willing to accept money in exchange for signing over legal responsibility. Some biographies have suggested that Philip's interest in Richard was sexual in nature. However, Angela stated, 'There is no evidence or proof whatsoever that there was any problem there or that Richard actually found it a problem. ' She added, 'What I will say is that Philip was gay. much later in life when he lived in America he had one known long-term relationship. ' Ed agreed, stating, 'The people I've spoken to and the people the team have spoken to who knew Richard and Philip personally, and from the vast majority of biographies, our takeaway is that Philip's motives were good, honest and pure. ' Richard's acting career took off thanks to Philip's connections. After establishing himself in theater, Richard made his film debut in 1949 with The Last Days of Dolwyn. He became known as one of the finest actors to come from Wales, starring in iconic films like Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He won a Tony Award for his role as King Arthur in Camelot on Broadway and was nominated for an Oscar seven times but never won. Richard was married five times, including two marriages to Elizabeth Taylor. Meanwhile, Philip worked on nearly 200 radio programs and produced works by Dylan Thomas. He reinvented himself in the mid-1950s, moving to the US to become the first director of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Richard and Philip maintained a close relationship throughout their lives, except for a brief period when they lost contact due to Philip's loyalty to Richard's first wife. Elizabeth Taylor, who had not yet met Philip, played a role in reuniting them. Angela recounted, 'When Philip was dying, Elizabeth went to visit him in the hospital in Florida. ' Ed believes that the story of their relationship will resonate with many people. He said, 'It's almost a cliche that everybody remembers a great teacher, but it's cliche for a reason because you only need one in your life and it's transformative. ' Angela hopes the film will help Philip gain recognition for his contributions, stating, 'He deserves to be known in his own right because he actually was a remarkable man. ' Richard's daughter, Kate, expressed her emotions about seeing the actors portray her father and grandfather, saying, 'It was the weirdest, strangest thing. ' The film Mr Burton, produced by Severn Screen, BBC Wales, and Ffilm Cymru Wales, will be in UK cinemas starting April 4, 2025.