Julian Rochfort Belfrage (19 February 1934 – 28 December 1994) was an actor's agent whose clients included
Dame Judi Dench,
Sir John Hurt,
Daniel Day-Lewis,
David Warner,
Sir Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company ...
and
Colin Blakely.
[Obituary in '' The Independent'', ''Julian Belfrage'', 6 January 1995] For ten years he was in partnership with
Michael Whitehall under the brand ''Leading Artists''.
Belfrage's obituary in ''
The Independent'' stated that he ‘often fired clients he did not like and yet the lowest he would sink in condemnation was that such and such didn't know how to live’.
Belfrage, however, was a true bon viveur.
He had a particular love of
the turf which he playfully enjoyed with
John Hurt
Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in ...
and
Christopher Reeve.
Despite his success, he was described as caring not one jot for money, unless it afforded a day at the races.
Life
Julian Rochfort Belfrage was born in
London on 19 February 1934, the son of
Bruce Belfrage, who read the nine o'clock news during
World War II, and the actress
Joan Henley
Joan Henley (2 September 1904 – 10 February 1986) was an Irish actress and radio presenter. She was active on the London stage since at least 1927 in ingenue roles, and appeared there throughout the 1930s. Her first film role was a supporting ...
. He started his career as the understudy to
Peter Barkworth in a London play, ''Roar Like a Dove''.
Despite the theatrical background of his family it was not entirely a success, and Belfrage was later persuaded to use his talents to become a theatrical agent with
Kenneth Carten.
In the 1960s he joined another London agency, Terence Plunkett-Green, before going into partnership with
Michael Whitehall trading as ''Leading Artists''.
When his partnership with Whitehall ended, he set up Julian Belfrage Associates.
Belfrage persuaded
Daniel Day-Lewis to play Christy Brown in ''
My Left Foot'', a part for which Day-Lewis won an Oscar.
Belfrage described the moment as the happiest day of his life.
During the course of his career, his clients included
Dame Judi Dench,
Sir John Hurt,
Daniel Day-Lewis,
David Warner,
Sir Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company ...
and
Colin Blakely.
An ardent racegoer, Belfrage owned several racehorses. He died in London on 28 December 1994 and a number of races were subsequently named in his honour; the ''Julian Belfrage Memorial Chase'' was held at
Towcester Racecourse on 19 March 1997.
Belfrage married firstly, Gilly Pratt, by whom he had two sons, one of whom, Crispian Belfrage, became a Hollywood actor.
He married secondly, Victoria Van Moyland, who inherited Belfrage's agency.
On Belfrage's death,
Daniel Day-Lewis is said to have suffered a nervous breakdown as Belfrage had become a father figure in his life.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belfrage, Julian Rochfort
1934 births
1994 deaths
British talent agents