Biografia

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.

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.

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 I predatori dell'arca perduta (1981) and after basking in the afterglow of the film's blockbuster success, the classically-trained character actor quickly changed his mind.

Lacey was twice married. Originally wed to actress Mela White, he became the father of two children (Rebecca and Jonathan) in the 1960s. After a turbulent divorce he remarried in 1973. Joanna Baker, his second wife, gave birth to his third child, Matthew.