History Creator / OliverReed

* ''Film/BurntOfferings (1976) as Ben Rolf

*

Robert Oliver Reed was an English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[Film/HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with Creator/KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Creator/CarolReed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by TheEighties and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

Robert Oliver Reed was an English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[Film/HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with Creator/KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by TheEighties and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

He was part of [[TrueCompanions the infamously hard-drinking thespian foursome]] with Creator/RichardBurton, Creator/RichardHarris and Creator/PeterOToole. He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on Creator/SteveMcQueenActor. He was also close friends with [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''Literature/OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on Creator/SteveMcQueenActor. He was also close friends with [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''Literature/OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on Creator/SteveMcQueenActor. He was also close friends with [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[Film/HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with Creator/KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by TheEighties and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[Film/HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with Creator/KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

In fairness, Reed could be a nice guy when he was sober - though to be sure, such moments were relatively rare. One anecdote, recounted in Robert Sellers's book ''Hellraisers'', describes Reed getting into a barroom brawl and roughing up several policemen. The incident was widely reported, less so its epilogue: Reed regretted the incident and sent the police a bouquet by way of apology. Reed also avoided the womanizing of peers like Creator/RichardBurton, though his marriages were undoubtedly strained by his drinking problems. But even sober, Reed often indulged in crude sexism and enjoyed flashing and scandalizing bemused onlookers, both privately and publicly; alcoholism just pushed these traits UpToEleven. By his own admission, Reed wasn't the easiest guy to live with.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. However, BrianBlessed managed to wrangle him into sobriety for the length of filming on ''PrisonerOfHonor'', primarily by being large and scary (in essence, by simply being BrianBlessed). Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] Film/JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[Film/HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

English actor (February 13, 1938 -- May 2, 1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

In fairness, Reed could be a nice guy when he was sober - though to be sure, such moments were relatively rare. One anecdote, recounted in Robert Sellers's book ''Hellraisers'', describes Reed getting into a barroom brawl and roughing up several policemen. The incident was widely reported, less so its epilogue: Reed regretted the incident and sent the police a bouquet by way of apology. Reed also avoided the womanizing of peers like Creator/RichardBurton, though his marriages were undoubtedly strained by his drinking problems. But even sober, Reed often indulged in crude sexism and enjoyed flashing and scandalizing bemused onlookers, both privately and publicly; alcoholism just pushed these traits UpToEleven. By his own admission, Reed wasn't the easiest guy to get along with.

In fairness, Reed could be a nice guy when he was sober - though to be sure, such moments were relatively rare. One anecdote, recounted in Robert Sellers's book ''Hellraisers'', describes Reed getting into a barroom brawl and roughing up several policemen. Reed regretted the incident and sent the police a bouquet by way of apology. Reed also avoided the womanizing of peers like Creator/RichardBurton, though his marriages were undoubtedly strained by his drinking problems. But even sober, Reed often indulged in crude sexism and enjoyed flashing bemused onlookers, both privately and publicly. By his own admission, Reed wasn't the easiest guy to get along with.

English actor (1938-1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', his first starring role and Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

In fairness, Reed could be a nice guy when he was sober - though to be sure, such moments were relatively rare. One anecdote, recounted in Robert Sellers's book ''Hellraisers'', describes Reed getting into a barroom brawl and roughing up several policemen. Reed regretted the incident and sent the police a bouquet by way of apology. Reed also avoided the womanizing of peers like RichardBurton, though his marriages were undoubtedly strained by his drinking problems. But even sober, Reed often indulged in crude sexism and enjoyed flashing bemused onlookers, both privately and publicly. By his own admission, Reed wasn't the easiest guy to get along with.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. However, BrianBlessed managed to wrangle him into sobriety for the length of filming on ''PrisonerOfHonor'', primarily by being large and scary (in essence, by simply being BrianBlessed). Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of. (Newspapers noted the strange similarities between Reed's death and that of Robert Newton, who had played Bill Sykes in a 1948 production of ''OliverTwist'' and died from one last bout of heavy drinking during the production of what was supposed to be his comeback picture, ''Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.)

English actor (1938-1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[TheWho Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. However, BrianBlessed managed to wrangle him into sobriety for the length of filming on ''PrisonerOfHonor'', primarily by being large and scary (in essence, by simply being BrianBlessed). Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of.

English actor (1938-1999) known for his brutish persona and extraordinary real-life drinking. Some of his minor early roles were in [[HammerHorror Hammer films]], including ''Film/TheCurseOfTheWerewolf'', Hammer's only werewolf movie. He also made several films with KenRussell, including ''Film/TheDevils'', ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' (based on Music/TheWho's rock opera) and ''Film/WomenInLove''. He played Bill Sikes in the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}''. (The director, Carol Reed, was his uncle. Oliver had refused to work with him until he was established as an actor to avoid accusations of nepotism.) For a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Interestingly, he was the only British star of the period who ''didn't'' have any experience or training in the [[ShakespearianActors theater]]. (He stated in interviews that he considered "life" to be the best teacher for actors, and thought that acting coaches were just actors who couldn't get work.) He played Athos in Richard Lester's trilogy of Musketeer films (including ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', ''The Four Musketeers'', and ''The Return of the Musketeers''). His career faltered by the 80s and he was mostly reduced to doing [[MoneyDearBoy paycheck]] roles, though he did get some respectable work, including playing the god Vulcan in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', Billy Bones in a well-received 1990 TV adaptation of ''[[Film/TreasureIsland1990 Treasure Island]]'', and the slave dealer Proximo in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''. He died while filming that last one, forcing some [[FakeShemp creative]] story alterations.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls." He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. He was also close friends with [[TheWho|Keith Moon]], a relationship which caused him no end of trouble. However, BrianBlessed managed to wrangle him into sobriety for the length of filming on ''PrisonerOfHonor'', primarily by being large and scary (in essence, by simply being BrianBlessed). Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of.

Reed was infamous for his heavy drinking and marathon "pub crawls". He got into a bar brawl in 1963 that resulted in a scar on his face that he was afraid would end his career (and accounted for the facial hair he often sported thereafter); another time he threw up on SteveMcQueen. However, BrianBlessed managed to wrangle him into sobriety for the length of filming on ''PrisonerOfHonor'', primarily by being large and scary (in essence, by simply being BrianBlessed). Rumor has it that his alcoholism [[WhatMightHaveBeen cost Reed the role of]] JamesBond in the late 1960s. On the night of his death, he had [[DyingMomentOfAwesome won four arm-wrestling bouts while heavily plastered]]. He also left behind a bar tab measured in ''thousands'' of Pounds Sterling for the ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' crew to take care of.