- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRonald William Lacey
- Nickname
- Ronnie
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- A prolific character actor on British television for three decades, Ronald Lacey was born on June 18, 1935 in the suburbs of London. He began his career in 1961 after compulsory National Service. He attended The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. His first notable performance was delivered on stage in 1962 at The Royal Court Theatre in "Chips With Everything". Lacey had an unusual pug look with beady eyes and cherub's cheeks which landed him repeatedly in bizarre roles on both stage and screen. However it was his unforgettable demonic smile and peculiar Peter Lorre mannerisms that would bring Lacey a short period of fame in Hollywood.
After performing on British television throughout the 1960's and 1970's, Lacey finally landed the role for which these characteristics could be used to full advantage. In 1981 he was cast as the villainous Nazi henchman in Steven Spielberg's widescreen blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) He followed this with a series of various villainous roles for the next five to six years: Firefox (1982) with Clint Eastwood, Sahara (1983) with Brooke Shields, and Red Sonja (1985) with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lacey turned in two hilarious cinematic performances in full drag (Disney's Trenchcoat (1983) with Margot Kidder from 1982 and Invitation to the Wedding (1983) from 1985 - in which he played a husband/wife couple!).
Lacey died in London of liver failure on May 15, 1991. A tremendous talent with great depth and many facets, Ronald Lacey will probably be remembered best for his small but significant role as the dapper yet psychotic Nazi in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
- IMDb mini biography by: Michael Loris
- SpousesJoanna Baker(1973 - 1989) (her death, 1 child)Mela White(1962 - 1969) (divorced, 2 children)
- Children
- He had his lower intestines removed in his early twenties and as a result had to have a colostomy bag implemented. Over the years he was refused certain film roles in other countries at his personal doctor's fervent request. His lack of "guts", so to speak, prevented the classically trained character actor from travelling abroad for the sake of appearing in motion pictures.
- Being of Welsh decent, he owned a family cottage in Wales which was passed on to his three children after his death. The family would spend their holidays together at the cottage.
- Disappointed with his acting career by the late 70s, he began to consider starting a talent agency. Spielberg then cast him as the sadistic Nazi villain, Toht, in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and after basking in the afterglow of the film's blockbuster success, the classically-trained character actor quickly changed his mind.
- He gained and lost weight over the last ten years of his life as he was ill with cancer off and on. He occasionally looked bloated and swollen as a result of medical treatment. He finally succumbed to the cancer when it overtook his liver in May of 1991 and he died under the care of his daughter, Rebecca.
- Ian Bartholomew sang 'Sometimes When We Touch' (The Honesty Song) at Lacey's.memorial service which took place at St. James in Covent Garden almost three months after his death in 1991.
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