After teacher-training college he gave up a career as a mathematics and science teacher to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
He later appeared as feeble hospital patient Norman Binns in the ITV sitcom Only When I Laugh, occupying a bed in a ward next to characters played by James Bolam and Peter Bowles and attended by doctor Richard Wilson.
Played a leading character, Paul Hatfield, in ITV 1985-86 sitcom Full House (known as Mixed Doubles in the United States) (1985) and also featured in some of Victoria Wood's sketch shows.
Titanic (1979) as wireless operator Harold Cottam, and in 3 episodes of the 1987 television serial of Fortunes of War playing Toby Lush.
Strauli also appeared in Doctors as Paul Woodford in "God's Gift"(2000), Down to Earth as Mr. Bell in ‘The Great Escape’(2000), and Waking the Dead, playing Duncan Sanderson MP, in Parts 1 and 2 of "False Flag" (2004)