British actor Ben Cross, who was best known for playing athlete Harold Abrahams in the film Chariots of Fire, has died in Vienna after a short illness. He was 72.
Cross's daughter, Lauren, wrote on Facebook that he had been "sick for a while" but there had been a "rapid decline over the past week".
Born into a working class London family in 1947, Harry Bernard Cross studied acting at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada).
In 1977, he had starred in a minor role in, "A Bridge Too Far" alongside Sir Sean Connery and Sir Michael Caine, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He gained wider acclaim appearing in the 1978 play "Chicago" as Billy Flynn, the lawyer representing murderer Roxie Hart.
That performance is widely believed to have earned him his role in Chariots Of Fire, which won four Oscars including best picture.
Based on a true story, the box office smash and four-time Oscar winner charted the story of two British track athletes, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, and their race for the gold in the 1924 Olympics. While one runs for his faith, the other participates to leave prejudice behind.
Shortly before his death Cross finished filming the horror feature, "The Devil's Light", for Lionsgate.
The late actor has two children, Lauren and Theo.
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