News about Richard Attenborough

Just two people were set to attend the funeral of Lance Corporal Terence 'Paddy' Purcell, who died aged 70. But after a social media call-out, hundreds of veterans gathered to give him a proper military send-off (pictured). The service was held at Kingston upon Thames Crematorium yesterday and was conducted by former SAS Sgt Maj Bob Craft, who paid tribute to the 'outpouring of support and energy from the veteran community'.

The Great Betrayal came after the Great Escape. On March 25, 1944, German guards at the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp made the most audacious escape from the war at 5 a.m. 76 RAF officers were able to flee along a tunnel more than 100 yards long after almost a year of digging with makeshift equipment, avoiding detection by microphones around the perimeter fence, as well as the 'ferts' or Nazi military intelligence in the camp.

The National Archives has unearthed a shocking report that sheds a whole new light on the Great Escape from the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp. A recently released National Archives paper details Flight Lieutenant Desmond Plunkett's account (pictured left), the map-maker and 13th man to flee the camp. Plunkett informs British authorities that an unidentified pair of English double agents was responsible for exposing the scheme to Nazi captors, causing the death of hundreds of prisoners. On the night of March 24, 1944, the eerie discovery comes as the Great Escape's 80th anniversary of the Great Escape draws near.

Department stores in the United States were once the shopping industry's biggest stores. People came to buy, what they wore, and the items they bought out their homes with, but mall anchors all around the country dictated how people shopped, how they looked, and what they bought. Macy's was one of the most popular and ubiquitous of any era. But this week, the company revealed this week that it would close 150 underperforming stores by 2026, almost a third of its total number, with 50 closings by the end of this year alone. So just what went wrong at the 166-year-old retailer?

While a few people have been praised for their contributions, there are others whose efforts fell short of winning the covered statuette. Some, you might argue, were robbed - but which are the biggest Oscars snubs in the ceremony's rich and varied history?

Peter Butterworth was an extraordinary wartime soldier whose true story can now be told in full for the first time. Lieutenant Butterworth was instrumental in orchestrating the famous Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, but he also played a vital role in passing encrypted messages back to British intelligence in seemingly innocent letters from home. According to researchers who uncovered new information about his Second World War victories in the National Archives, he may have stayed in camp to continue his vital coding duties.

Several well-known actors have performed in blockbuster hits throughout the years, from Richard Attenborough in 'Miracle on 34th Street' to Kurt Russell in 'The Christmas Chronicles.' But who would take on the leading role if Hollywood cast a new movie featuring Father Christmas? MailOnline launched ChatGPT to answer this vehement request. Although the AI bot claims that casting for a dream Santa will depend on the film's tone and style, it does suggest five actors who might play the role. So, do you agree with its star-studded suggestions?

This season, Disney+ has released a dazzling collection of the best classic Christmas movies and family favorites. Here's a rundown on what fans can look forward to over the holidays. The charming animated hit Frozen, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is a great way to get the family into the festive spirit this season.

CRAIG BROWN: This celebrity cricket match took place in East Grinstead, and actor Richard Attenborough needed 12 stiches to the face after being struck by a rogue ball.

Antonio Mancini, 39, was about to pay the price for stabbing to death a gangster who had started a brawl in his Soho nightclub while standing on the gallows at London's Pentonville Prison, with his arms pinioned behind his back and a noose around his neck. The trapdoors under his feet would crack open within seconds, causing him to crash to death. But, on that chilly Friday morning in October 1941, he had remarkably relaxed as his ankles were tied together and the customary white hood was woven over his head. He smiled as if leaving a party.'Cheerio,' he said jokingly as if leaving a party. That was the last thing Mancini ever said, but even though his composure was impressive, it was more than matched by the man about to kill him, 36-year-old Albert Pierrepoint.

EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: As Prince Andrew ponders his strategy to discredit Virginia Giuffre's recollections, might he seek inspiration from nephew Harry's account of Meghan's first meeting with the Queen, when she asked Harry to identify HM's 'assistant'? 'I asked who she was talking about,' Harry writes in Spare. "The man holding the purse," Mmeg replied. "The guy who led her to the door" was the man who carried her to the door.' 'That wasn't her servant,' Harry explained.

The Mousetrap is the world's longest running play, but it has never been a film. Agatha Christie has long objected to film adaptations of her books. Damian Jones, a producer from the 1950s, has devised a wonderfully comedic whodunnit set. With the rest of the cast, Sam Rockwell appears as Inspector Stoppard and Saoirse Ronan as Constable Stalker.

Peter Bridgmont, an actor and comedian, died leaving his three sons with his live-in carer and friend Frances Zammit. Mr Bridgmont, a retired professor and voice coach, appeared in ITV's acclaimed police series Z-Cars in the 1960s and also spent time as a theatre director and voice coach in New York.