In 1948 he joined the recently formed Bradford Civic Playhouse Theatre School and after turning professional, spent several successful years with northern repertory companies.

[1] On television, he appeared often in villainous roles in such series as Danger Man, The Saint, The Avengers ("The Hour That Never Was", 1965), "Something Nasty in The Nursery" (1967) and "Wish You Were Here" (1969 – playing a perfect mannered yet sinister hotel manager in a parody of the TV series The Prisoner), Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969 in the episode "All Work and No Pay", as villain George Foster), The Persuaders!

He was also in Bat Out of Hell (1966), a BBC serial by Francis Durbridge, playing a formidable police inspector, and starred with John Bird in the office comedy series If It Moves File It (1970) by Troy Kennedy Martin.

He occasionally appeared in films: in The Little Ones as Superintendent Carter alongside Derek Newark; and in A Study in Terror (both 1965) as Home Secretary Henry Matthews.

His penultimate role was in the film version of the BBC sitcom That's Your Funeral (1972) and his final appearance was in the 18th-century-set comedy-drama Mistress Pamela which was not released until after his death.