Editing Richard Harris (section)

== Early life ==
Harris was born on 1 October 1930, at Overdale, 8 Landsdown Villas, Ennis Road, [[Limerick]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Overdale, 8 Landsdown Villas, Ennis Road, LIMERICK MUNICIPAL BOROUGH, Limerick, LIMERICK|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/21512030/overdale-8-landsdown-villas-ennis-road-limerick-limerick-city|website=Buildings of Ireland}}</ref><ref name="irishind">{{Cite news |date=27 October 2002 |title=He was one of the most outstanding film stars of his time |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/harris-was-one-of-the-most--outstanding-film-stars-of-his-time-504644.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414205509/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/harris-was-one-of-the-most--outstanding-film-stars-of-his-time-504644.html |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |access-date=10 December 2007 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last=Severo |first=Richard |title=Richard Harris, Versatile And Volatile Star, 72, Dies |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9801E2D91E3CF935A15753C1A9649C8B63 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=26 October 2002 |access-date=10 December 2007}}</ref> and was the fifth in a family of eight children, (six boys and two girls), to flour merchant Ivan Harris and Mildred (née Harty).<ref name="auto" /> Overdale was "a tall, elegant, early 19th-century redbrick" house with nine bedrooms, in a wealthy part of Limerick, the houses "built at the turn of the 20th century for Limerick's burgeoning middle class... people who could afford properly grand drawing rooms, a bedroom each for the children and one for the pot, plus space for a few servants".<ref>{{cite news |title=Richard Harris's Limerick childhood home for €785k |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/new-to-market/richard-harris-s-limerick-childhood-home-for-785k-1.3686875 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=8 November 2018 |access-date=2 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Living on a grand scale just a short hop from Limerick city |url=https://www.independent.ie/life/home-garden/homes/living-on-a-grand-scale-just-a-short-hop-from-limerick-city-41112948.html |website=Irish Independent |date=3 December 2021 |access-date=2 November 2022}}</ref> He was educated by the [[Jesuits]] at [[Crescent College]]. A talented [[rugby union]] player, he appeared on several [[Munster Schools Junior Cup|Munster Junior]] and [[Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup|Senior Cup]] teams for Crescent, and played for [[Garryowen Football Club|Garryowen]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Limerick rugby full of heroes |url=http://wesclark.com/rrr/harris_rugby_article.html |website=Wesclark.com |date=24 May 2002 |access-date=8 November 2011}}</ref> Harris's athletic career was cut short when he caught [[tuberculosis]] in his teens. He remained an ardent fan of the [[Munster Rugby]] and [[Young Munster]] teams until his death, attending many of their matches, and there are numerous stories of japes at rugby matches with actors and fellow rugby fans [[Peter O'Toole]] and [[Richard Burton]].

After recovering from [[tuberculosis]], Harris moved to England, wanting to become a director. He could not find any suitable training courses, and enrolled in the [[London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art]] to learn acting. He had failed an audition at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] and had been rejected by the [[Royal Central School of Speech and Drama|Central School of Speech and Drama]], because they felt he was too old at 24.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/richard-harris-615104.html]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> While still a student, he rented the tiny "off-[[West End of London|West End]]" Irving Theatre, and there directed his production of [[Clifford Odets]]'s play ''Winter Journey (The Country Girl)''.

After completing his studies at the academy, he joined [[Joan Littlewood]]'s [[Theatre Workshop]]. He began getting roles in West End theatre productions, starting with ''[[The Quare Fellow]]'' in 1956, a transfer from the Theatre Workshop. He spent nearly a decade in obscurity, learning his profession on stages throughout the UK.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2361801.stm |title=Entertainment &#124; Obituary: Richard Harris |work=BBC News |date=25 October 2002 |access-date=10 November 2012}}</ref>