Growing up with twelve siblings meant Richard learned to fight, argue, and charm his way through life. Those skills came in handy when he had to romance Elizabeth Taylor or win a Best Actor nomination. He once said his childhood was “poor but happy,” which is polite for “we were broke but didn’t know it because everyone else was broke too.”
Imagine trying to get a moment of peace in a house with twelve kids. The bathroom? A combat zone. The dinner table? A buffet of elbows and grunts. No wonder Richard ended up on the big screen—it was quieter there.
October 1977 News Photo - Getty Images
The One Who Got Away (To Hollywood)
Of all the siblings, only Richard achieved global fame. The rest mostly lived normal lives as miners, teachers, and shopkeepers. But here’s the kicker: none of his siblings ever complained about his success. In fact, they were famously proud of him, even when he blew his fortune on diamonds and divorces.
One story goes that Richard bought his brother Ifor a house. Another time, he paid for his sister’s medical bills. That’s what happens when you’re a movie star with twelve siblings—you become a walking, talking charity for your entire extended family.
