Actor Donald Sinden’s son left raging by Bafta snub
Film lovers attacked Bafta yesterday for failing to pay tribute to Bob Hoskins at its televised awards ceremony, but Sir Donald Sinden’s family are even more furious he was not featured either.
marc Sinden, whose father became a star after appearing in Fifties classic The Cruel Sea, has spoken of his hurt at the snub in an email to Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry.
‘The fact you couldn’t be bothered to include my late father in your “departed colleagues” section has hurt me almost beyond words,’ he writes. ‘i’m sure that the fact he died so long ago as September may have escaped your memory.
‘Obviously, i have to remind you that before he became a major West End and RSC star, he was a Rank star appearing in 23 films, several of which are still regarded as major films of the Fifties and Sixties. He was also nominated for three Baftas in his time. But what does that matter?’
Sir Donald, who died aged 90, appeared in the hit film Doctor in The House as well as numerous sitcoms.
Bafta paid tribute to 27 film industry figures who died last year, ranging from Hollywood stars lauren Bacall and Robin Williams to make-up artist Dick Smith and sound mixer Walt martin. Organisers were accused by some of failing to include Hoskins in its montage because of his workingclass background. Comedian David Baddiel tweeted: ‘The omission of Bob Hoskins seems symbolic of the erasure in modern times of the working-class actor.’ Hoskins, who died aged 71, won the Best Actor Bafta for his role in mona lisa in 1986 and received three other nominations.
Also missing from the tributes was Rik mayall, despite Bafta describing him on its website as ‘one of Britain’s greatest comic actors’.
Organisers said they had not honoured Hoskins because he ‘was included in the televised obituaries package at the British Academy Television Awards last year’.