Biography

In his later years painted portraits of noted Shakespearean actors, including Olivier, Gielgud and Guiness, staging a 1993 exhibition at the Shakespeare Globe Centre.

Due to his dark, somewhat sardonic looks, he was often cast as a continental villain.

Initially aimed for a career as a pharmacist.

Served as a gunner with the British Army in North Africa during World war II, rising to the rank of captain. He organised entertainment for his fellow soldiers and built a theatre from scratch in Alexandria, Egypt, assisted by future "Dad's Army" star Arthur Lowe.

Having played opposite Sean Connery in 'Goldfinger', he later bought a car from another Bond Actor, Roger Moore. The car he bought was the Volvo 1800S that Roger drove in the later episodes of the tv-series The Saint, which happened to be Roger's private car as well.