[2] In 1945, he auditioned for and joined Laurence Olivier's company at the Phoenix Theatre in London, in a production of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, starring Vivien Leigh.

[2] He appeared on stage in numerous plays, including world premieres from Samuel Beckett and Dylan Thomas at the Edinburgh Festival.

Other television credits include Dixon of Dock Green (1962), Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1963–1970), Z-Cars (1967), The Troubleshooters (1967), The Borderers (1969), Emmerdale Farm (1973), Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

(1974), The Pallisers (1974), Doctor Who (1980), Rockliffe's Babies (1987), a recurring character in EastEnders as Lou Beale's friend "Uncle" (1986–1988), Rab C. Nesbitt (1990), Bergerac (1991) and Poirot (1993), among many others.

His film credits include The Awakening (1980), The Honorary Consul (1983), The Doctor and the Devils (1985), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), A Dry White Season (1989), and Prospero's Books (1991).