OBITUARY: British Actor Terence Stamp Known for ‘Billy Budd’, ‘The Collector’ and General Zod Dies at 87

career spanned six decades, leaves behind an extraordinary body of work

Terence Stamp, the striking British actor whose career spanned six decades and who became a screen icon for both his early leading-man roles in the 1960s and his later turn as the unforgettable villain General Zod in the Superman films, has died at the age of 87.

“He leaves 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,” his family said in a statement.

With his piercing blue eyes, commanding presence, and a career defined by bold choices, Stamp emerged in the 1960s as one of Britain’s most promising young actors. His film debut in Peter Ustinov’s 1962 adaptation of Billy Budd earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor and near-universal praise.

He quickly followed with William Wyler’s The Collector (1965), in which he portrayed a socially repressed man who kidnaps a young woman, played by Samantha Eggar. The chilling performance won him the Best Actor award at Cannes and established him as a leading talent.

He continued to earn acclaim in John Schlesinger’s Far From the Madding Crowd (1967), Ken Loach’s Poor Cow (1967), and Pier Paolo Pasolini’s provocative Teorema (1968), which cemented his reputation as one of the most daring actors of the era.

Despite his early success, Stamp’s career slowed in the 1970s, during which he spent years living abroad, including time in India. His return to prominence came in Richard Donner’s Superman (1978), where he appeared briefly as General Zod before reprising the role as the main antagonist in Superman II (1980). His icy delivery of the line “Kneel before Zod” became one of cinema’s most enduring villainous moments.

Stamp’s range allowed him to move between high-profile Hollywood projects and more unconventional fare. He starred in Stephen Frears’ crime drama The Hit (1984), Oliver Stone’s Wall Street (1987), and the cult sci-fi thriller Alien Nation (1988). In 1994, he surprised audiences with his sensitive portrayal of Bernadette, a trans woman traveling through the Outback with two drag performers, in the Australian hit The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The late 1990s marked another peak in his career. In 1999, Stamp delivered one of his most acclaimed performances in Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey, playing a recently released convict determined to uncover the truth about his daughter’s death in Los Angeles. That same year, he appeared as Chancellor Valorum in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace and as a cult leader parody in the comedy Bowfinger, showcasing his versatility across genres.

Through the 2000s, Stamp continued to work steadily, with roles in Red Planet (2000), Disney’s The Haunted Mansion (2003), Wanted (2008), and Valkyrie (2008). He also lent his voice to the character of Jor-El, Superman’s father, in the long-running series Smallville. In 2013, he gave a touching performance opposite Vanessa Redgrave in Unfinished Song, playing a curmudgeonly husband learning to heal through music after his wife’s illness.

His final screen appearances included Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho (2021) and the television adaptation of His Dark Materials.

Born in Stepney, London, in 1938, Stamp trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art before beginning his career in repertory theatre. His early stage work included a national tour of Willis Hall’s The Long and the Short and the Tall, where he performed alongside Michael Caine, a close friend and former roommate whom Stamp recommended for the film version of Alfie (1966), a role that launched Caine to stardom.

Offscreen, Stamp’s matinee-idol looks and magnetic charm made him a fixture in 1960s celebrity culture. He was romantically linked with Julie Christie, Brigitte Bardot, and supermodel Jean Shrimpton. His memoir, Stamp Album, was published in 1988, offering a candid reflection on his life in film and beyond.

Stamp was married to Elizabeth O’Rourke from 2002 until their divorce in 2008.

Throughout his life, he remained a performer of striking presence and daring choices, remembered as much for his angelic early roles as for the menace of his villains. Whether as Billy Budd, General Zod, or the vengeful father in The Limey, Terence Stamp left behind a legacy that continues to captivate audiences across generations.

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