After father's death, moved with mother to Plymouth

Worked as stage hand in the West End (date approximate)

Stage debut in "It's a Two Foot Six Inches Above the Ground World"

TV acting debut in the ATV miniseries "Edward VII"

Member of the Royal Shakespeare Company; made London debut in 1975 in "Hamlet"

Feature acting debut, "For Your Eyes Only"

Had leading role in the Granda Television production "The Jewel in the Crown"

First film starring role, "Plenty"

Portrayed D W Griffith in the Taviani brothers film "Good Morning, Babylon"

Co-starred opposite Shirley MacLaine in the ABC miniseries "Out on a Limb"

Played leading role in Michael Radford's "White Mischief"

Had villainous role in "The Last Action Hero"

Starred in "The Blood Oranges"

Played the patriarch of the du Pre family in "HIlary and Jackie"

Appeared on the British stage to acclaim in a revival of the play "Good"

Acted alongside Ian Richardson in the British telefilm "Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes"

Starred as James Tyrone opposite Jessica Lange in a London production of "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

Cast as Ralph Nickleby in the ITV adaptation of Dickens' "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby"

Had featured role in the WWII drama "Dark Blue World"

Portrayed a WWI veteran in "Gosford Park", directed by Robert Altman

Donned drag for a comic role in "Ali G Indahouse"

Earned an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for "Bleak House" (Masterpiece Theatre)

Co-starred in the adaptation of the David Nicholls novel, "Starter for Ten"