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Oscar-nominated actor Terence Stamp had a film career that spanned six decades
Terence Stamp, the English actor who played the arch-villain General Zod in Superman films, has died at the age of 87.
In a career that spanned six decades, the Oscar-nominated actor starred in films including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far From the Madding Crowd and Valkyrie.
Stamp died on Sunday morning, his family said in a statement to Reuters news agency.
"He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and a writer that will continue to touch people for years to come," they said.
Born in Stepney, east London, to working-class parents on 22 July 1938, Stamp attended grammar school before pursuing a career in advertising.
After securing a scholarship to go to drama school, he shot to fame in the 1960s, making his debut playing the titular role in Billy Budd, a 1962 film about a naive young seaman in the 18th century.
His performance earnt him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor and a Golden Globe for best newcomer.
He went on to make a name for himself as a villain, with stand-out performances in Superman and Superman II as General Zod, Freddie Clegg in The Collector, and Sergeant Troy in Far From the Madding Crowd.
During his heyday in the 1960s, Stamp was known for his good looks, fashion sense and high-profile girlfriends, including actress Julie Christie - who he later starred alongside in Far From the Madding Crowd - and supermodel Jean Shrimpton.
His relationship with Christie only lasted a year but was immortalised by the Kinks in the song Waterloo Sunset with the line "Terry meets Julie".
Stamp was approached to replace Sean Connery when he relinquished his role as James Bond, but said his radical ideas about how he could interpret the character put off producer Harry Saltzman.
"I think my ideas about it put the frighteners on Harry," he said. "I didn't get a second call from him."
He spent some time in Italy, working with directors Pier Paolo Pasolini and Federico Fellini, but found his star had faded when he returned to London at the end of the 1960s.
"When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it," he later said.
He moved away from acting for a while, buying a round-the-world ticket and ending up in India where he studied yoga and spent time living in a spiritual retreat - before being offered his most high-profile role, as General Zod in Superman, in 1976.
Returning to the silver screen, the following decades saw dozens of appearances in films including Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, A Song for Marion, The Adjustment Bureau and Last Night in Soho.
One of his most celebrated and notable performances came in 1994 when he played a transgender woman in the Australian film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Stamp was due to appear in a sequel to Priscilla, director Stephan Elliott confirmed last year.
