Editing Richard Burton (section)

=== 1948–1951: Rise through the ranks and film debut ===
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| image1            = Richard Burton - 6 Lyndhurst Road Hampstead NW3.jpg
| image2            = Richard Burton 1925-1984 Actor lived here.jpg
| caption1          = Burton's "rather nice two roomed flat in Hampstead"<ref>Richard Burton [[BBC Wales]] interview 1977 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRTsA4K0-hk&t=891s]</ref> was his from 1949 to 1956 at 6 [[Lyndhurst Road]]. An [[English Heritage]] [[Blue plaque]] is visible on the right just below the first floor.
| caption2          = The [[Blue plaque]] at the address
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In 1948, Burton moved to London to make contact with [[H. M. Tennent]] Ltd., where he again met Beaumont, who put him under a contract of £500 per year (£10 a week).{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1p=45|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2p=56|3a1=Munn|3y=2014|3p=51}} [[Daphne Rye]], the casting director for H. M. Tennent Ltd., offered Burton rooms on the top floor of her house in [[Pelham Crescent, London|Pelham Crescent]], London as a place for him to stay.{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|p=45}}<ref name="Alpert1986">{{cite book|author=Hollis Alpert|title=Burton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rtgdAAAAMAAJ|year=1986|publisher=Putnam|isbn=978-0-399-13093-9|page=45}}</ref> Rye cast Burton in a minor role as a young officer, Mr. Hicks, in ''Castle Anna'' (1948), a drama set in Ireland.{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1p=45|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2p=Appendices: Theatre}}

While touring with the cast and crew members of [[Wynyard Browne]]'s ''Dark Summer'', Burton was called by Emlyn Williams for a screen test for his film, ''[[The Last Days of Dolwyn]]'' (1949).{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=63}} Burton performed the screen test for the role of Gareth, which Williams wrote especially for him, and was subsequently selected when Williams sent him a telegram that quoted a line from ''The Corn Is Green'' — "You have won the scholarship." This led to Burton making his mainstream film debut.{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=63}} Filming took place during the summer and early autumn months of 1948. It was on the sets of this film that Burton was introduced by Williams to [[Sybil Christopher|Sybil Williams]], whom he married on 5 February 1949 at a register office in Kensington.{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|pp=46–48}} ''The Last Days of Dolwyn'' opened to generally positive critical reviews. Burton was praised for his "acting fire, manly bearing and good looks"{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|p=49}} and film critic [[Philip French]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' called it an "impressive movie debut".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/feb/24/last-days-dolwyn-dvd-french | title=The Last Days of Dolwyn | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=24 February 2013 | access-date=17 April 2016 | first=Philip | last=French | author-link=Philip French | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417075528/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/feb/24/last-days-dolwyn-dvd-french | archive-date=17 April 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> After marrying Sybil, Burton moved into a flat at 6 [[Lyndhurst Road]], [[Hampstead]] [[NW postcode area#List of postcode districts|NW3]], where he lived from 1949 to 1956.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-15689077 | title=Michael Sheen unveils plaque at Richard Burton house | publisher=BBC | date=11 November 2011 | access-date=2 May 2016 | first=Neil | last=Prior | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502055613/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-15689077 | archive-date=2 May 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Pleased with the feedback Burton received for his performance in ''The Last Days of Dolwyn'', the film's co-producer [[Alexander Korda]] offered him a contract at a stipend of £100 a week ({{Inflation|UK|100|1949|r=0|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}), which he signed. The contract allowed Korda to lend Burton to films produced by other companies.{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|p=53}} Throughout the late 1940s and early 50s, Burton acted in small parts in various British films such as ''[[Now Barabbas]]'' (1949) with [[Richard Greene]] and [[Kathleen Harrison]], ''[[The Woman with No Name]]'' (1950) opposite [[Phyllis Calvert]], and ''[[Waterfront (1950 film)|Waterfront]]'' (1950) with Harrison. Burton had a bigger part as Robert Hammond, a spy for a newspaper editor in ''[[Green Grow the Rushes (film)|Green Grow the Rushes]]'' (1951) alongside [[Honor Blackman]].{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=Appendices: Films}} His performance in ''Now Barabbas'' received positive feedback from critics. [[C. A. Lejeune]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' believed Burton had "all the qualities of a leading man that the British film industry badly needs at this juncture: youth, good looks, a photogenic face, obviously alert intelligence and a trick of getting the maximum effort with the minimum of fuss."{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=70}} For ''The Woman With No Name'', a critic from ''[[The New York Times]]'' thought Burton "merely adequate" in his role of the Norwegian aviator, Nick Chamerd.{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=Appendices: Films}}<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE0D71438E73ABC4051DFBE66838A649EDE | title=The Screen In Review; 'Her Panelled Door,' Starring Phyllis Calvert, Makes Bow at 60th Street Trans-Lux | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=28 August 1951 | access-date=17 April 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417124755/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE0D71438E73ABC4051DFBE66838A649EDE | archive-date=17 April 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> Biographer Bragg states the reviews for Burton's performance in ''Waterfront'' were "not bad", and that ''Green Grow the Rushes'' was a [[box office bomb]].{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=70}}
{{Quote box|bgcolor=#FAE7B5|quote=He was marvellous at rehearsals. There was the true theatrical instinct. You only had to indicate—scarcely even that. He would get it and never changed it.|source=Gielgud on Burton's acting.{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=69}}|align=left|width=35%}}
Rye recommended Richard to director [[Peter Glenville]] for the part of [[Hephaestion]] in Rattigan's play about [[Alexander the Great]], ''[[Adventure Story (play)|Adventure Story]]'', in 1949. The play was directed by Glenville and starred the then up-and-coming actor [[Paul Scofield]] as the titular character. Glenville, however, rejected him as he felt that Burton was too short compared to Scofield.{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1pp=49–50|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2pp=66–67}}{{efn|Glenville initially gave Burton the part after he successfully auditioned for the role alone on the stage. While rehearsing a scene with Scofield, Glenville found Burton to be "physically wrong", and claims that he did not reject him on the grounds of his talent.{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1pp=49–50|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2pp=66–67}}}} Rye came to the rescue again by sending Burton to audition for a role in ''[[The Lady's Not for Burning]]'', a play by [[Christopher Fry]] and directed by Gielgud. The lead roles were played by Gielgud himself, and [[Pamela Brown (actress)|Pamela Brown]], while Burton played a supporting role as Richard alongside the then-relatively unknown actress [[Claire Bloom]].{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=67}}<ref name="Playbill">{{cite web | url=http://www.playbill.com/production/the-ladys-not-for-burning-royale-theatre-vault-0000010264 | title=The Lady's Not For Burning | work=[[Playbill]] | access-date=17 April 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417085129/http://www.playbill.com/production/the-ladys-not-for-burning-royale-theatre-vault-0000010264 | archive-date=17 April 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> Gielgud was initially uncertain about selecting Burton and asked him to come back the following day to repeat his audition. Burton got the part the second time he auditioned for the role. He was paid £15 a week for the part, which was five more than what Beaumont was paying him.{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|p=50}}{{efn|Bragg writes that Fry himself intervened and persuaded Gielgud to cast Burton in the play. Gielgud stated that he did not properly remember how Burton was selected as he was "in a hurry" to complete the casting process. Gielgud found Burton "very striking to look at" and called him "a dream Prince".{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=68}}}} After getting the part, he pushed for a raise in his salary from £10 to £30 a week with Williams' assistance, in addition to the £100 Korda paid him; Beaumont accepted it after much persuasion.{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1p=50|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2pp=68–69}} Bloom was impressed with Burton's natural way of acting, noting that "he just was" and went further by saying "He was recognisably a star, a fact he didn't question."{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1pp=50–52|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2p=70}}
[[File:John Gielgud - 1953.jpg|thumb|left|Gielgud (photographed 1953) gave Burton his career breakthrough, directing him in ''The Lady's Not For Burning'', London and New York (1949).]]
The play opened at the [[Gielgud Theatre|Globe Theatre]] in May 1949 and had a successful run in London for a year.<ref>[[John Gielgud|Gielgud, John]] (5 November 1950). "Mr. Gielgud discovers Mr. Fry; Reliance on designer". ''[[The New York Times]]''. p. 98.</ref> Writer and journalist [[Samantha Ellis]] of ''The Guardian'', in her overview of the play, thought critics found Burton to be "most authentic" for his role.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/may/28/theatre.samanthaellis | title=The Lady's Not For Burning, Globe Theatre, May 1949 | work=The Guardian | date=28 May 2003 | access-date=17 April 2016 | first=Samantha | last=Ellis | author-link=Samantha Ellis | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417101604/http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/may/28/theatre.samanthaellis | archive-date=17 April 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> Gielgud took the play to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in the United States, where it opened at the [[Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre|Royale Theatre]] on 8 November 1950. Theatre critic [[Brooks Atkinson]] appreciated the performances and praised the play's "hard glitter of wit and skepticism", while describing Fry as precocious with "a touch of genius".<ref>[[Brooks Atkinson|Atkinson, Brooks]] (9 November 1950). "At the theater". ''The New York Times''. p. 42.</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/05/theater/christopher-fry-british-playwright-in-verse-dies-at-97.html | title=Christopher Fry, British Playwright in Verse, Dies at 97 | work=The New York Times | date=5 July 2005 | access-date=17 April 2016 | first=Benedict | last=Nightingale | author-link=Benedict Nightingale | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417134700/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/05/theater/christopher-fry-british-playwright-in-verse-dies-at-97.html?_r=0 | archive-date=17 April 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> The play ran on Broadway until 17 March 1951, and received the [[New York Drama Critics' Circle]] award for the [[New York Drama Critics' Circle#Best Foreign Play|Best Foreign Play]] of 1951.<ref>[[John Patrick Shanley|Shanley, J. P]] (4 April 1951). "'Darkness at Noon' wins critics' prize; Drama circle award winners". ''The New York Times''. p. 34.</ref> Burton received the [[Theatre World Award]] for his performance, his first major award.<ref name="Playbill"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatreworldawards.org/past-recipients.html|title=Theatre World Award Recipients|publisher=[[Theatre World Award]]|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-date=4 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004022514/http://www.theatreworldawards.org/past-recipients.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Burton went on to feature in two more plays by Fry – ''The Boy With A Cart'' and ''A Phoenix Too Frequent''. The former opened at the [[Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)|Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith]] in February 1950, while the latter premiered at the Dolphin Theatre, [[Brighton]] the following month.{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=Appendices: Theatre}} Gielgud, who also directed ''The Boy With A Cart'', said that Burton's role in the play "was one of the most beautiful performances" he had ever seen.{{Sfn|Alpert|1986|p=52}} During its month-long run, [[Anthony Quayle]], who was looking for a young actor to star as [[Prince Hal]] in his adaptations of ''[[Henry IV, Part I]]'' and ''[[Henry IV, Part 2]]'' as a part of the [[Royal Shakespeare Theatre|Shakespeare Memorial Theatre]] season for the Festival of Britain, came to see the play and as soon as he beheld Burton, he realised he had found his man and got his agreement to play the parts.{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1p=53|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2p=71}} Both plays opened in 1951 at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] to mixed reviews, but Burton received acclaim for his role as Prince Hal, with many critics dubbing him "the next [[Laurence Olivier]]".{{Sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1986|1pp=54–56|2a1=Bragg|2y=1988|2p=72–74}} Theatre critic [[Kenneth Tynan]] said of his performance, "His playing of Prince Hal turned interested speculation to awe almost as soon as he started to speak; in the first intermission local critics stood agape in the lobbies."{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=74}} He was also praised by [[Humphrey Bogart]] and his wife [[Lauren Bacall]] after both saw the play. Bacall later said of him: "He was just marvellous [...] Bogie loved him. We all did."{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=74}} Burton celebrated his success by buying his first car, a [[Standard Flying Fourteen]], and enjoyed a drink with Bogart at a pub called [[The Dirty Duck, Stratford-upon-Avon|The Dirty Duck]].{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|pp=73–74}} Philip too was happy with the progress his ward made, and felt "proud, humble, and awed by god's mysterious ways".{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|pp=72–73}}

Burton went on to perform in ''[[Henry V (play)|Henry V]]'' as the titular character, and played [[Ferdinand (The Tempest)|Ferdinand]] in ''[[The Tempest]]'' as a part of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre season as well. Neither role was overwhelmingly received by the critics, with a reviewer saying "he lacked inches" as Henry V. Olivier defended Burton by retaliating that he too received the same kind of review by the same critic for the same role.{{Sfn|Bragg|1988|p=76}} His last play in 1951 was as a musician named Orphée in [[Jean Anouilh]]'s ''[[Eurydice (Anouilh play)|Eurydice]]'' opposite [[Dorothy McGuire]] and fellow Welsh actor [[Hugh Griffith]]. The play, retitled as ''Legend of Lovers'', opened in the [[Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre|Plymouth Theatre]], New York City and ran for only a week, but critics were kind to Burton, with Bob Francis of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine finding him "excellent as the self-tortured young accordionist".<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fR4EAAAAMBAJ | title=Broadway Openings&nbsp;— Legend of Lovers | publisher=[[Nielsen N.V.]] | location=New York City | page=31 | issn=0006-2510 | first=Bob | last=Francis | magazine=Billboard | date=5 January 1952}}</ref>{{Sfnm|1a1=Cottrell|1a2=Cashin|1y=1971|1p=120|2a1=Alpert|2y=1986|2pp=55–56|3a1=Bragg|3y=1988|3p=79}}