He (as Dr. John H. Watson) and Clive Merrison (as Sherlock Holmes) are the only acting duo to complete the entire Conan Doyle canon of "Sherlock Holmes" stories.
Awarded the Papal knighthood, one of the highest honours given by the
Catholic Church, in November 2000, and was presented to him days before
his death.
Before he embarked on a career in the theatre, he worked in insurance
and shared an office with another future actor, Leonard Rossiter, at the
Commercial Union.
He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2000 (1999 season) for
Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "The Forest" at the Royal
National Theatre, Lyttelton Stage.
Studied acting at RADA on a scholarship. First stage appearances with the Nottingham Repertory Theatre. With the Royal Shakespeare Company for fourteen years, beginning in 1963.