Aug. 24, 2014 8:25 p.m. ET
Sir Richard Attenborough Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
LONDON—Oscar-winning film director, actor and producer Richard Attenborough, one of the leading lights of British cinema, has died at the age of 90, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported his son as saying on Sunday.
Across a career that started in the early 1940s, Mr. Attenborough acted in films including "Brighton Rock", where he played the psychotic Pinkie Brown, World War II prisoner of war classic "The Great Escape" and Stephen Spielberg's "Jurassic Park".
Among his directorial highlights were World War II movie "A Bridge Too Far", and the acclaimed biopics "Chaplin", "Cry Freedom", about South African political activist Steve Biko, and "Gandhi", with the story of the Indian nationalist leader winning eight Oscars, including best director for Mr. Attenborough.
"His acting in "Brighton Rock" was brilliant, his directing of "Gandhi" was stunning—Richard Attenborough was one of the greats of cinema," Prime Minister David Cameron said in a message on Twitter.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts said it was saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Attenborough, a former president of the organization.
"He will be sorely missed," it said in a statement. "A titan of British cinema, to say he embodied its finest qualities is to have it backwards. British film would do well to live up to the example of industry, skill and compassion set by Richard, Lord Attenborough."
Among his many claims to fame, Mr. Attenborough was, along with his wife Sheila Sim, part of the original cast of Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" in 1952, appearing in the first performances of what has become the longest running play in a theater, Bafta said.
Mr. Attenborough, who was knighted in 1976, died at lunchtime on Sunday, the BBC reported his son as saying. The family is expected to make a full statement on Monday, it said.
Write to Nicholas Winning at nick.winning@wsj.com
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