In Memoriam: Terence Stamp

The BBC announced the passing of actor Terence Stamp on Sunday, August 17, 2025. The 87-year-old British star was immediately hailed across American media as "the late star of the 1980s Superman films," or, probably more accurately, "the late co-star of the 1980s Superman films," an understandable choice, as most Americans never heard of him until he starred as General Zod. But Stamp was two decades into his career by the time Superman came along, already a household name in the U.K. for receiving an Academy Award nomination for his first-ever film role, Peter Ustinov's Billy Budd.

Stamp was a fixture of the U.K. tabloid scene of the 1960s, dating both Julie Christie and supermodel Jean Shrimpton, the latter of whom turned him into one of the most photographed men of the era. Showing how hip and of the moment Stamp was, when she dumped him, he responded by moving to India and studying under the ashram of Krishnamurti.

However, for most Americans, Stamp will forever be the quintessential British villain, against whom most others will be judged. That's unfortunate, considering the incredible body of work the "master of the brooding silence" was known for. Here are ten films to check out and how they're available in the U.S.