10 Memorable Grandpas In Movies

7. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) - Jurassic Park Richard Attenborough is a wonderfully versatile actor who can play just about anything, from street criminal (Brighton Rock) to Santa Claus himself (Miracle on 34th Street). He is also the well-admired Oscar winning director of Gandhi and superior war films, such as A Bridge Too Far. But in my book, he will forever be remembered as John Hammond, the eccentric billionaire entrepreneur and creator of some kind of amusement park with dinosaurs that you may have heard of. Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park is one of the greatest blockbusters of the 90's - if not of all time. But surprisingly enough, this is not only due to the outstanding special effects (you all remember the first time you watched the T-Rex tearing the Jeep apart, don€™t you?). Indeed, even if the dinosaurs are obviously the movie€™s real stars, Jurassic Park introduced us to a group of unforgettable characters. It€™s no surprise that when the movie became a box office hit, recognizable names such as Alan Grant, the paleontologist who hates children, sarcastic chaos theoretician Ian Malcolm, or Dennis Nedry, the fat and sneaky nerd, all became grounded in pop culture. Likewise, John Hammond could have been played as the typically cold and evil businessman. Or even as a mad Dr. Moreau type scientist, who disregards human life in his pursuit of wealth or the progress of science - blinded by the light of discovery. And yet, he is an enthusiastic and charming old gentleman who is so proud of his park that he even brings his grandchildren along for the ride. His only weakness is his overconfidence towards his creation, but after all, he spared no expense. Attenborough's performance is a joy to watch. His character is playful and never a bore, considering his only job is to explain the plot. You would never imagine that he had not acted for a decade prior to this movie and that he only took the part by respect and admiration for Steven Spielberg.