Actor. He was a 20th-century British actor of stage, film, and television. He was the son of Maude Elizabeth Marshall and Donald Gray, a surveyor. As a young man, he trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and at the Old Vic, making his professional debut in 1952 in "As You Like It." By 1956, he had the lead in a revival of "Troilus And Cressida." He made his television debut the following year in the British series, "Sword of Freedom" and his feature film debut in 1958 in "I Accuse!" In 1961, he appeared on Broadway, in "Kean." In 1964, he received the Clarence Derwent Award for the year's best supporting actor in the West End production of "Poor Bitos." Throughout the 1960s, he was seen more often on both the large and small screen in such productions as "ITV Play of the Week," "Armchair Mystery Theatre," and "Masquerade" in 1965. His breakout film role came with "Night of the Generals" in 1967. He then became a staple character actor; utilizing a memorable voice, described as "Iron-in-velvet," and chilly persona, he played a string of imperious or malevolent characters in such films as 'The Secret War of Harry Frigg' and "The Devil Rides Out" in 1967; "Mosquito Squadron" in 1969, "Cromwell" in 1970, and the memorable villain, Ernst Blofeld, in the James Bond's film "Diamonds are Forever" in 1971. He tackled satire in the 1973 series, "The Upper Crusts," the iconic Mycroft Holmes in the 1976 feature, "The Seven-Percent Solution," and achieved cult status as The Criminologist, in the kitsch musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in 1975. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he often appeared on British television in such programs as "An Englishman Abroad," "Bergerac," "The New Statesman," "Small World," "Tales From the Poop Deck," and 'Madson." He also reprised the role of Mycroft Holmes in the 1985 television series, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," the 1988 mini-series, "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," and the 1994 mini-series, "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes." He remained an active presence on television until his death at age 71; his final role was in the 2000 television movie, "Longitude.'
Actor. He was a 20th-century British actor of stage, film, and television. He was the son of Maude Elizabeth Marshall and Donald Gray, a surveyor. As a young man, he trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and at the Old Vic, making his professional debut in 1952 in "As You Like It." By 1956, he had the lead in a revival of "Troilus And Cressida." He made his television debut the following year in the British series, "Sword of Freedom" and his feature film debut in 1958 in "I Accuse!" In 1961, he appeared on Broadway, in "Kean." In 1964, he received the Clarence Derwent Award for the year's best supporting actor in the West End production of "Poor Bitos." Throughout the 1960s, he was seen more often on both the large and small screen in such productions as "ITV Play of the Week," "Armchair Mystery Theatre," and "Masquerade" in 1965. His breakout film role came with "Night of the Generals" in 1967. He then became a staple character actor; utilizing a memorable voice, described as "Iron-in-velvet," and chilly persona, he played a string of imperious or malevolent characters in such films as 'The Secret War of Harry Frigg' and "The Devil Rides Out" in 1967; "Mosquito Squadron" in 1969, "Cromwell" in 1970, and the memorable villain, Ernst Blofeld, in the James Bond's film "Diamonds are Forever" in 1971. He tackled satire in the 1973 series, "The Upper Crusts," the iconic Mycroft Holmes in the 1976 feature, "The Seven-Percent Solution," and achieved cult status as The Criminologist, in the kitsch musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in 1975. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he often appeared on British television in such programs as "An Englishman Abroad," "Bergerac," "The New Statesman," "Small World," "Tales From the Poop Deck," and 'Madson." He also reprised the role of Mycroft Holmes in the 1985 television series, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," the 1988 mini-series, "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," and the 1994 mini-series, "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes." He remained an active presence on television until his death at age 71; his final role was in the 2000 television movie, "Longitude.'
Bio by: Iola
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