A British actor, born on August 19, 1948, in Yorkshire, England. He attended the University of Sussex, where he studied law and joined the emerging drama society. His acting career began on stage in the 1970s. He made his debut appearances in Flash Gordon (1980) and Fox (1980). He is also known for The Golden Compass (2007), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), and Downton Abbey (2019). He was nominated several times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Downton Abbey (2010-2015).