Biografía

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

Initially aimed for a career as a pharmacist.

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

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.

British stage and film actor who has played noted supporting roles in films both in England and the U.S. He is best known in the U.S. for his non-singing role as the Kralahome, in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I". He is sometimes confused with South Coast Artistic Director Martin Benson, who has directed Horton Foote's "The Carpetbagger's Children".