Timothy Dalton's Biography

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Birth name
Timothy Dalton

Date of birth (location)
21 March 1946, Colwyn Bay, Wales, UK

Height 6' 2"

At a consistently lean 6'2" green-eyed Timothy Dalton may very well be one of the last of the dying breed of swashbuckling, classically trained Shakespearean actors who have simultaneously forged successful careers in theater, television and film. He has been comparison-shopped roundly for stepping into roles played by other actors, first following Sir Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights (1970), then as James Bond in Living Daylights, The (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989), and even more brutally recently as Rhett Butler in "Scarlett" (1994) (mini).

Undaunted and good-natured, he has always stated that he likes the risk of challenges. He was born on March 21, 1946 in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, where his father was stationed during WWII, and is the oldest of five children. Although born in Wales, he is quick to point out that he is mixture of Italian, Irish and English. His father moved the family to Manchester in the late 40's where he worked in advertising and raised the growing Dalton family in an upperclass neighborhood outside of Belper, Derbyshire, just south of Manchester. Tim was enrolled in school for bright children where he excelled in sports and was interested in the sciences.

He was interested in acting from a young age, perhaps due to the fact that both his grandfathers were vaudevillains, but it was when he saw a performance of Macbeth in 1962 at age 16 that his destiny was clinched. After finishing the British equivalent of High School 1964 at age 18, Dalton toured as a leading member of Michael Croft's National Youth Theater for for the summers of '64, '65 and '66. Between 1964-66, he studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Just before completing two years, he quit RADA and joined the Birmingham Repertory Theater and played the lead in many productions under the direction of Peter Dews while at the same time turning professional. Dalton later said of RADA in an interview with Seventeen Magazine (Dec. '70) "It took a year to undo the psychological damage that was caused by the oppressive teachers."

Dalton's talent and classic good looks immediately landed him professional work in television, guest starring as well as a guest on an episode of the short-lived TV series, Judge Dee ('66), and as a regular on the 14 episode series Sat'day While Sunday with the young Malcolm McDowell. In late 1967, 'Peter O'Toole' recommended the 21-year old Dalton for the role of the even younger King of Philip of France in Lion in Winter, The (1968). Coincidentally, this was also Anthony Hopkins's big break. The following year he starred in the Italian film, Giochi particolari (1970), with Marcello Mastroianni and Virna Lisi, although he was dubbed entirely in Italian. Dalton also mixed in a healthy dose of BBC work during this time, including The Three Princes ('68), Five Finger Exercise ('70), and Candida ('71). Also during this time he was approached and tested for James Bond in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but he turned it down feeling he was too young for the part. Dalton's next feature film was another costume drama, Cromwell (1970), working with director 'Ken Hughes', with whom he would several years later make his first American film, Sextette (1978). He followed Cromwell with Wuthering Heights (1970), Mary, Queen of Scots (1971). He was already developing a pattern in his films that would follow him throughout his career--costume dramas wherein he played royalty. He had already played royalty in three of his first four films (and ridden horses in three, and raised a sword in two). In 1972 Dalton was contracted to play a part in Lady Caroline Lamb (1972). However, at the last moment he was replaced. Dalton sued the company and won, but the film went on without him. During the early to mid 70's, Dalton decided to further hone his skills by going back into the theater full time. He signed on with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the Prospect Theater Company (PTC), and he toured around the world with both companies, playing the leads in Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Henry V, Love's Labours Lost, and Henry IV - parts 1 and 2. In 1975 Dalton returned to film in the UK/Austria production of Permission to Kill (1975) (Permission to Kill). It was followed by the Spanish religious historical film about the inquisition, Hombre que supo amar, El (1978) in 1976, a film which premiered in 1978 but was never widely released. After this film Dalton again took another break from film, always mixing in a healthy dose of theater, returning for his first American film, Sextette (1978) and the lengthy miniseries, "Centennial" (1978) (mini) in which Lynn Redgrave played his wife), his first American television appearance. Because of his broad exposure to American audiences in Centennial, Dalton began to spend more time in the U.S. and began to get more frequent film and television work, including the episode "Fallen Angel" of Charlie's Angels ('79), which ironicly had several references to his character being like James Bond, and the TV movie, Flame Is Love, The (1979) (TV). Although he did a few feature films, including playing Vanessa's husband again in Agatha (1979), most of his work until 1985 consisted of TV movies and miniseries. Dalton next went on to once again play royalty in the very campy Flash Gordon (1980) '80. He followed this with the small film Chanel Solitaire (1981), and in 1981 also filmed a staged production of Antony & Cleopatra opposite Lynn Redgrave again along with Anthony Geary and with many of the cast members from the original TV series, Star Trek. The years of 1983-1987 have so far been the most prolific of Dalton's career. In 1983, Dalton starred as Rochester in what he considers one of his best works, the BBC's very popular Jane Eyre ('83). Also during this time, Roger Moore was again talking of leaving Bond, and Dalton was again approached, but due to his full schedule, he had to decline. In 1984 Dalton did one of his many narrations in the Faerie Tale Theater production of Emperor's New Clothes, The (1984) (TV). 1984 also saw Dalton in the Hallmark Hall of Fame piece The Master of Ballantrae opposite Michael York and Richard Thomas and another miniseries, Mistral's Daughter, opposite Stephanie Powers and Stacy Keach. Dalton also had a bit of lark guesting on the U.K. fishing series, Hooked International, where he got to do one of his most favorite things, fishing in Ireland. 1985 was also a very busy year for Dalton. He starred in another miniseries, Sins, playing the brother of Joan Collins. He also starred in and narrated the 4-hr TV movie Florence Nightengale and starred opposite Jaclyn Smith. He also starred in the title role of the film Doctor and the Devils, The (1985) as Dr. Thomas Rock, co-starring opposite Stephen Rea, Jonathan Pryce, and Patrick Stewart. In the mid-late '80's, Dalton did many narrations of nature documentaries, most notably several episodes of the U.K. series, Survival Factor (called Wildlife Chronicles in the U.S. and still shown on The Discovery Channel). In the spring of 1986 Dalton again teamed with Vanessa Redgrave for a revival of two Shakespeare productions, The Taming of the Shrew and Antony and Cleopatra, and his interpretation of Petrucchio received uniform high praise.

Simultaneously, the world was playing a guessing game regarding who would succeed Roger Moore, as James Bond. Dalton was approached with the part, but he was committed to the theater and to star in the film Brenda Starr, and so popular choice Pierce Brosnan was offered the part. When Brosnan was unable to get out of his Remington Steele contract at the 11th hour, Dalton was again approached. Able to now work it into his tight schedule, Dalton agreed. Some reports say that The Living Daylights had been written especially for Moore. Later reports surfaced that Licence to Kill (1989), a very dark and brooding Bond, was written especially for Dalton, and certainly the latter seems to suit him much better. Although Living Daylights, The (1987) did reasonably well at the box-office and is thought to be one of the best Bond films ever, Licence to Kill (1989) suffered from a horrible lack of marketing which seemed to kill it right out of the starting gate. However, Dalton's interpretation of Bond in Licence to Kill (1989) received critical acclaim as being the closest interpretation to Fleming's literary Bond. During the time that he was being considered for Bond he was making the misfired Robert Ellis Miller film, Brenda Starr, and between Bond films made another Miller film, this time much better, Hawks ('88), with Top Gun (1986) and E.R. star Anthony Edwards. He also teamed again with Vanessa Redgrave for a revival of Eugene O'Neill's seldom performed play, A Touch of The Poet, which is generally considered Dalton and Redgrave's finest professional collaboration. During part of the play's run, Vanessa's daughter, Joely Richardson, also co-starred with her mother and Dalton. Although there were talks of bringing the play to Broadway, this never materialized. Following Licence to Kill (1989), Dalton immediately returned to doing what he does best - a costumed drama where he plays royalty and gets to do some sword-fighting in Putain du roi, La (1990). It was followed by his excellent casting and performance in Disney's Rocketeer, The (1991) where he played a swashbuckling, Errol Flynn type actor. In August 1991 he teamed with friend Whoopi Goldberg for the first bi-racial interpretation of the play Love Letters for the final performances of the play in Los Angeles, and it was sold out. When he had signed on to do Bond, it was for three Bond films, but then the unfortunate happened: the entire rights to the Bond films became entangled in litigation. His contract with EON officially expired in 1990, but he stayed loyal to the commitment of the third film, and EON stayed loyal to him, even though their hands were tied to move forward into production. During this wait, Dalton kept himself busy, of course. In 1992 Dalton was set to star in the title role of another historical piece, Christopher Columbus, the Discovery. From the start, however, the film was doomed due to the competition with the Gerard Depardieu Columbus picture being done at the same time, and it was rocked by its own problems. When the director was replaced, Dalton backed out, and he was followed by his co-star, Isabella Rossellini. Georges Corraface went on to star in the project. Since The Putain du roi, La (1990) Dalton has returned primarily to television with the exception of Naked in New York (1994). In 1992 he starred in the A&E production, Framed, which won a bronze medal in the 1993 New York Film Festivals. In 1993 Dalton journeyed to northern Alaska and to Minnesota to make a documentary on one of his favorite subjects, wolves. It airs on PBS. "In The Company of Wolves" went on to win a silver medal in the 1994 New York Film Festival. With the litigation over the Bond series now ended, there was talk again of Dalton's third Bond film, and Dalton was still loyal to it, and EON to him, but while the production gears slowly started and a screenplay got underway, Dalton continued to forge his own path with other projects. 1993-94 were busy television years for Dalton. He made Lie Down with Lions (1994) (TV), Scarlett ('94), and managed to squeeze in a guest appearance on Tales From the Crypt in the episode "Werewolf Concerto."

In 1994 Dalton took on the role of Rhett Butler and began shooting the 8-hr miniseries, Scarlett, a Robert Halmi (Hallmark Hall of Fame) production. In April '94, while shooting Scarlett in Charleston, Dalton officially resigned the role of James Bond. Some reports stated that he was dissatisfied with the direction of the scripts, and other reports stated that he was being pressured by the studio to vacate the role, but this was never supported by Danjaq Inc., the production force behind the Bond films. In fact, Danjaq Inc. producers Albert R. (Cubby) Broccoli, his daughter Barbara Broccoli and stepson Michael G. Wilson replied that they regretted Dalton's decision to leave Bond. The Danjaq release said, "We have never thought of anyone but Timothy as the star of the 17th James Bond film. We understand his reasons and we will honor his decision." Timothy said officially in the same press release, "Even though the (producers) have always made it clear to me that they want me to resume my role in their next James Bond feature, I have now made this difficult decision. As an actor, I believe it is now time to leave that wonderful image behind and accept the challenge of new ones." Not long after he added in an interview with Tom Snyder (I) that he'd been Bond to the world for eight years and that it was time for him to move on or he'd be wearing the mantle for the rest of his life. After two months of negotiations, the role went to Pierce Brosnan. In September '94 Dalton was called upon for two readings of Peter and the Wolf with the Hollywood Bowl. He played to full capacity crowds. In November '94, Scarlett premiered over four nights. Though given only a lukewarm response by critics, it was ratings success not only in the U.S. but all over the world, breaking records in many European countries. And once again, as always after a major work, he withdrew quietly and without fanfare to search for his next project, a small, personal film. In the summer of 1995 he journeyed to Canada to shoot the family film, Salt Water Moose (1996). The film was made by Canada's Norstar Entertainment and was sold to Robert Halmi to be the first video release in his new line of Hallmark family films. It premiered on Showtime in June 1996. During the Spring of 1996 he made the IRA drama, Informant, The (1997) in Ireland. It will premier on Showtime in 1997. In May 1996 Dalton traveled to Prague to shoot Reef, The (1997), starring opposite Sela Ward. The movie is based on the Edith Wharton novel and will premier on CBS in 1997. On February 7, 1997, his film, Beautician and the Beast, The (1997) opposite Fran Drescher, opened wide in the U.S. He played a former president/dictator and did a little sword-fighting. He is extremely private about his personal life and loves. His pastimes include fishing, reading, jazz, opera, antique fairs and auctions and of course, movies.

Source is Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com)

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