An English actor, born in Derbyshire and studied law at Jesus College, Oxford. Known as a stage actor, he played extensively in Shakespeare, having joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1970s, and also appeared in many of Tom Stoppard's plays. He also had a wide-ranging cinema career, which included significant roles in WarGames (1983), Ladyhawke (1985), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Ian McKellen's Richard III (1995), Sabrina (1995) and The Revengers' Comedies (1997), among others.