How Lord Attenborough brought a touch of glamour to Sussex

How Lord Attenborough brought a touch of glamour to Sussex. The vast archive of Lord Attenborough's personal and work papers, looked after by the University of Sussex at The Keep and now open to the public, contains many precious documents that chart the actor and film director's much-cherished association with the University. From the late 1960s until his death in 2014, actor and film director Lord (Richard) Attenborough enjoyed a close association with the University of Sussex. For the University he brought the glamour and excitement of the entertainment industry, albeit with a social conscience. In turn, Attenborough's roles at the University, first as Pro Vice-Chancellor, and then as Chancellor, satisfied his yearning to be involved in academia. It was while filming Oh! What a Lovely War in Brighton, in 1968, that Attenborough first forged a relationship with the University. He approached the then Vice-Chancellor, the late Lord (Asa) Briggs, to see if he could spare a few students for some of the crowd scenes on the West Pier and the Downs.