David Hemmings, the stylish actor whose aristocratic good looks and insouciant manner helped to define London's "Swinging '60s" image through film roles in the cult classics Blow-Up and Barbarella, died of a heart attack on December 3rd during filming in Romania for his latest movie, Samantha's Child. He was 62.

Born on November 18, 1941 in Guildford, England. His father, a professional pianist, gave him singing lessons, which led him by age nine to join the prestigious English Opera Group as a boy soprano performing the works of Benjamin Britten. Hemmings would eventually break into movies through his work as a singer. In fact, some of his early roles were "pop idol"-type parts in some hilariously dated British Rock musicals in the early '60s. Just a quick scan through such titles as: Some People (1962), Play It Cool (1962), and Live It Up (1963), should point out Hemming's rather unpromising start of a film career.

It wasn't until Michelangelo Antonioni cast him as Thomas, a self-centered photographer in Blow-Up (1966), that Hemmings' career blossomed. The movie, complete with stylish photography; kinetic editing; montage shots of bright young things parading around London's Carnaby Street; and Hemming surrounded by beautiful models in various states of undress, earned the film smash commercial success, the much coveted Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, and international fame for the young actor, who was only 25 at the time of release.

After Blow-up (1966) Hemmings was in demand as a leading man, but some of his choices were puzzling: He was panned by the critics for his singing as Mordred in Josh Logan's Camelot (1967); although appreciated now as a camp classic, his role as Dildano opposite Jane Fonda in Roger Vadim's Barbarella (1968) was chided as a misstep; and his lead performance in Clive Donner's stodgy biopic Alfred the Great (1969); dimmed Hemming's fortunes slightly.

Throughout the '70s, Hemmings proved himslef a capable actor, especially in some serviceable, if unmemorable action fare: Juggernaut (1974), Island in the Stream (1977), and The Squeeze (1978). These movies were not big box-office hits, but they kept this very talented performer working. By the '80s, Hemmings turned to directing such popular American television shows as Magnum P.I., The A Team, Murder, She Wrote and Quantum Leap.

It's safe to say that Hemming's profile was relatively low when Ridley Scott cast him as Cassius in his Oscar-winning Gladiator (2000). Critics and audiences were a bit surprised by his appearance, as he was now stocky with a low, gruff voice. Still, it opened a new phase for him as a character actor, and a flood of acting offers for Hemming opened up, most notably his critically recognized appearances in Fred Schepisi's marvelous serio-comedyLast Orders (2001) and Martin Scorsese's epic Gangs of New York (2002). Hemming was briefly married to actress Gayle Hunnicutt (1968-1974). He is survived by his fourth wife, Lucy Williams, and six children.

by Michael T. Toole