This former child actor first gained attention and acclaim for his stage performance as Alan Strang the boy who mysteriously blinds horse in Peter Shaffer's well-received play "Equus". Peter Firth reprised the role in Sidney Lumet's 1977 film version and earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Born and raised in Yorkshire, the blond Firth began performing in amateur productions and by the time he was in his teens had dropped out of school to pursue an acting career. He landed a role as one of "The Double Deckers", a group of seven kids who cope with problems, that aired first in the UK