About
British theatre and screen actor who originally made a name for himself acting in productions of Shakespeare plays. He disappeared from the acting scene for nearly forty years, returning in his seventies with roles in films like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Before Fame
He began working as a professional stage actor as a teenager in the 1930's. He served in World War II, at which point he began his long hiatus from acting.
Trivia
He became a painter in his nineties.
Family Life
His mother encouraged him to leave school and start acting when he was thirteen years old. He was the cousin of famed architect Clough William Ellis.
Associated With
He appeared opposite Rowan Atkinson in the 2003 British comedy Johnny English.
