Downton Abbey (1980s)

Robert Lindsay was born on 13 December 1949 in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Fierce Creatures (1997), My Family (2000) and G.B.H. (1991). He has been married to Rosemarie Ford since 31 December 2006. They have two children. He was previously married to Cheryl Hall.

Emma Thompson was born on April 15, 1959 in Paddington, London, into a family of actors - father Eric Thompson and mother Phyllida Law, who has co-starred with Thompson in several films. Her sister, Sophie Thompson, is an actor as well. Her father was English-born and her mother is Scottish-born. Thompson's wit was cultivated by a cheerful, clever, creative family atmosphere, and she was a popular and successful student. She attended Cambridge University, studying English Literature, and was part of the university's Footlights Group, the famous group where, previously, many of the Monty Python members had first met.

Thompson graduated in 1980 and embarked on her career in entertainment, beginning with stints on BBC radio and touring with comedy shows. She soon got her first major break in television, on the comedy skit program Alfresco (1983), writing and performing along with her fellow Footlights Group alums Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. She also worked on other TV comedy review programs in the mid-1980s, occasionally with some of her fellow Footlights alums, and often with actor Robbie Coltrane.

Thompson found herself collaborating again with Fry in 1985, this time in his stage adaptation of the play "Me and My Girl" in London's West End, in which she had a leading role, playing Sally Smith. The show was a success and she received favorable reviews, and the strength of her performance led to her casting as the lead in the BBC television miniseries Fortunes of War (1987), in which Thompson and her co-star, Kenneth Branagh, play an English ex-patriate couple living in Eastern Europe as the Second World War erupts. Thompson won a BAFTA Award for her work on the program. She married Branagh in 1989, continued to work with him professionally, and formed a production company with him. In the late 80s and early 90s, she starred in a string of well-received and successful television and film productions, most notably her lead role in the Merchant-Ivory production of Howards End (1992), which confirmed her ability to carry a movie on both sides of the Atlantic and appropriately showered her with trans-Atlantic honors - both an Oscar and a BAFTA award.

Since then, Thompson has continued to move effortlessly between the art film world and mainstream Hollywood, though even her Hollywood roles tend to be in more up-market productions. She continues to work on television as well, but is generally very selective about which roles she takes. She writes for the screen as well, such as the screenplay for Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (1995), in which she also starred as Elinor Dashwood, and the teleplay adaptation of Margaret Edson's acclaimed play Wit (2001), in which she also starred.

Thompson is known for her sophisticated, skillful, though her critics say somewhat mannered, performances, and of course for her arch wit, which she is unafraid to point at herself - she is a fearless self-satirist. Thompson and Branagh divorced in 1994, and Thompson is now married to fellow actor Greg Wise, who had played Willoughby in Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (1995). Thompson and Wise have one child, Gaia, born in 1999. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to drama.

When John Neville was in his early sixties, Terry Gilliam cast him in the title role of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). Although the film was a financial failure, Neville's starring role in this major production, as well as his fine performance, led to an explosion in his career. He afterward received numerous roles in feature films and television. A new generation came to know him from his recurring role in the hit television series The X-Files (1993) and later feature film The X Files (1998), in which he played a mysterious character known only as "The Well-Manicured Man".

He emigrated to Canada in 1972, and took up Canadian citizenship. He was artistic director of the Stratford Festival (Ontario, Canada) from 1984 to 1989.

This gently attractive British actress, also of German descent, was born Jane Josephine Meirowsky on August 26, 1941, in Hertfordshire, England. The future Jane Merrow studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and, at the onset of her career, was involved with the British National Youth Theatre. She won the Shakespeare Cup one year at the Kent Drama Festival. Early theatre credits would include roles in "Arms and the Man," "The Kitchen," "The Kings Mare" and "Country Dance."

A true classical heroine on the late 50's/early 60's stage, she moved to film and TV in 1961. Only earning bit roles in such film fare as Why Bother to Knock! (1961), The Phantom of the Opera (1962) and Young and Willing (1962), her stature grew quickly on TV, bringing forth a noticeable gift of fragility and honesty to her lovely lasses. Standout roles included Oliver Twist's mother in the mini-series Oliver Twist (1962); Rosamund in the TV series Jane Eyre (1963); and the title role in the mini-series Licia dolce Licia (1987) opposite Bill Travers.

On the other side of the coin, Jane also became a modern, trendy presence with a lead role opposite Oliver Reed in the film The Girl-Getters (1964) and on all the swinging TV spy shows of the time including The Saint (1962), The Prisoner (1967), Secret Agent (1964) and The Avengers (1961), the last for which she was once entertained a leading role.

Following her secondary femme part in the British crime drama Assignment K (1968), Jane would enjoy her finest hour on film with the Golden Globe-nominated role of young Alais, the adored young mistress to King Henry, in the Oscar-winning historical drama The Lion in Winter (1968) opposite Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn.

Jane moved to America in the early 1970's and enjoyed a transcontinental career for nearly two decades. In sporadic films, she played an Irish lass partnered with American criminal Beau Bridges in Adam's Woman (1970); a blind woman in the Hammer horror Hands of the Ripper (1971) with Eric Porter; the crime thriller Diagnosis: Murder (1974) starring Jon Finch; The Appointment (1982) with Edward Woodward; and the romantic dramedy Almosting It (2016). On stage, she appeared in a production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" starring Zsa Zsa Gabor and Eva Gabor in Chicago.

The actress was plentifully seen on America TV programs such as "Mission: Impossible," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Mannix," "Cannon," "Barnaby Jones," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Hart," "St. Elsewhere," "Days of Our Lives, "McGuyver" and "Airwolf." She also graced several TV-mini-series and TV-movies including The Hound of the Baskervilles (1972), The Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973), Once an Eagle (1976) and The Patricia Neal Story (1981).

Seen less and less into the 1990's Jane returned to England at that time to run a family business. She did star as Vivien Leigh in a one-woman stage tribute that opened in, of course, Atlanta. In 2009, she returned to the stage as Emilia in Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors." She continues to divide her time between homes in London and Boise, Idaho. Divorced, she has one child.

Jack Klaff was born on 6 August 1951 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is an actor and writer, known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981) and King David (1985).

Born in 1949, Antony Sher was raised in South Africa before going to London to study at the Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art between 1969 and 1971. After performing for the Gay Sweatshop theatrical group in "Thinking Straight" (1975), "The Fork" (1976), and "Stone" (1976), he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982. Three years later, his performance in the title role of "Richard III" won him a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor and, in 1997, he won another Laurence Olivier Award for "Stanley".

Although he spent more time onstage, Sher appeared in a number of films and TV series, including The History Man (1981), Shadey (1985), The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995) and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1996). He gave a charming performance as Benjamin Disraeli in Mrs. Brown (1997), and played "Dr. Moth" in Shakespeare in Love (1998).

Sher was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000.

Patsy Smart was born on 14 August 1918 in Chingford, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), The Elephant Man (1980) and Electric Dreams (1984). She died on 6 February 1996 in Denville Hall, Northwood, Hillingdon, London, England, UK.

Mark Lindsay Chapman was born on 8 September 1954 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Titanic (1997), The Langoliers (1995) and Chapter 27 (2007).

Richard Briers was born on 14 January 1934 in Merton, Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Peter Pan (2003) and Watership Down (1978). He was married to Ann Davies. He died on 17 February 2013 in London, England, UK.

Julian Wyatt Glover was born on March 27, 1935 in Hampstead, London, England, to Honor Ellen Morgan (Wyatt), a BBC journalist, and Claude Gordon Glover, a BBC radio producer. He is of English, Scottish and Welsh ancestry. Primarily a classical stage actor, Glover trained at the National Youth Theatre, performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and became a familiar face to British television viewers by appearing in many popular series during the 1960s and 1970s. His talent for accents and cold expression made him an ideal choice for playing refined villains. Glover's guest appearances on television include series such as The Avengers (1961), Doctor Who (1963), Space: 1999 (1975), Blake's 7 (1978), Remington Steele (1982) and Merlin (2008). He also played the recurring role of Grand Master Pycelle on 31 episodes of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones (2011).

During the 1980s, Glover achieved some fame in Hollywood with roles in popular films such as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the Greek villain Aristotle Kristatos in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981), Brian Harcourt-Smith in the Cold War thriller The Fourth Protocol (1987) and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). In the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), he provided the voice of the giant spider Aragog. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

Kenneth Charles Branagh was born on December 10, 1960, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to parents William Branagh, a plumber and carpenter, and Frances (Harper), both born in 1930. He has two siblings, William Branagh, Jr. (born 1955) and Joyce Branagh (born 1970). When he was nine, his family escaped The Troubles by moving to Reading, Berkshire, England. At 23, Branagh joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he took on starring roles in "Henry V" and "Romeo and Juliet". He soon found the RSC too large and impersonal and formed his own, the Renaissance Theatre Company, which was disbanded in 1992 when he moved more fully into filmmaking. At 29, he directed Henry V (1989), where he also co-starred with his then-wife, Emma Thompson. The film brought him Best Actor and Best Director Oscar nominations. In 1993, he brought Shakespeare to mainstream audiences again with his hit adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing (1993), which featured an all-star cast that included, among others, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton and Keanu Reeves. At 30, he published his autobiography and, at 34, he directed and starred as "Victor Frankenstein" in the big-budget adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein (1994), with Robert De Niro as the monster himself. In 1996, Branagh wrote, directed and starred in a lavish adaptation of Hamlet (1996). His superb film acting work also includes a wide range of roles such as in Celebrity (1998), Wild Wild West (1999), The Road to El Dorado (2000), Valkyrie (2008) and his stunning portrayal of Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011), where once again he offered a great performance that was also nominated for an Academy Award.

James trained at RADA, and has 30 years experience in front of and behind the camera as an Actor and Director.

He was inspired to direct whilst working with another actor/director Kenneth Branagh and his Renaissance Theatre Company, touring Shakespeare around the world and in the West End, playing alongside Emma Thompson and being directed by Ken Branagh and Dame Judi Dench. And following that, the Oscar winning film version of Henry V, also directed by Branagh.

As well as a list of other Shakespeare productions and the award winning Translations at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Sam Mendes, James has had a prolific Television acting career, starring alongside Michael Gambon in two seasons of ITV's Maigret, playing Tony Blair in Peter Kosminsky's multi BAFTA winning Government Inspector, Wolf Hall and Black Mirror.

Directing started with his cult hit short My Own Private Lido, and progressed to winning International Festival Awards for his other films, and then into Television. He has directed over 60 hours of Drama, in America (with Shonda Rhimes), on Private Practice, and the UK, most recently on BBC's Call the Midwife, and was nominated for Best Film at Raindance and the British Independent Film Awards for his first feature, City Slacker.

He also directs for Theatre and music commercials, his latest for Tom Jones. James is represented by Charles Walker at United Agents, UK, and in the US by JD Sobol. He is a DUK, Equity and DGA member.

James Simmons is known for Les Misérables (2012), Henry V (1989) and Blue Ice (1992).

Richard Clifford was born on 11 June 1955 in India. He is an actor and producer, known for Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Justice League (2017) and Frankenstein (1994).

Eleanor David was born on 30 November 1955 in Lincolnshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982), Topsy-Turvy (1999) and 84 Charing Cross Road (1987).

Jay Villiers was born on 23 August 1961 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for The International (2009), Henry V (1989) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011).

Fabian Cartwright was born on 27 February 1961 in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Henry V (1989), Coronation Street (1960) and Lost Belongings (1987). He died on 17 July 1989 in Barbados, West Indies.

Paul Gregory was born in Bombay, India, raised and educated in India, East Africa and London. Studio Binder has been using his unique and compelling voice to narrate short documentaries on YouTube addressing the talents of all the auteur directors such as Nolan, Tarantino, Fincher, Scorsese, Kubrick and many more. Mentored by Sir Laurence Olivier with The National Theatre at the Old Vic, Paul is best known for his role in Henry V where he shared the screen with Sir Kenneth Branagh. Recently has guest starred in episodes of The Romanoffs, Get Shorty and NCIS.

Gregory has been working steadily as a voice-over artist in animation and has recently voiced video games and narrated audio books.

Paul Gregory was married to artist Margarida Gregory for 28 years. They had 5 children: Tess Gregory (1983), Gemma Gregory (1986), Anton Gregory (1988), Kelly Gregory (1973) and Nicholas (1975).

Donald Sumpter was born on 13 February 1943 in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for In the Heart of the Sea (2015), The Constant Gardener (2005) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).

Staffordshire-born actor who achieved popularity as Detective Chief Superintendent John Watt on Z Cars (1962) and Softly Softly: Task Force (1969). The son of an accountant, he studied at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and began his career on radio before proceeding to the classical stage. A co-founder of the Elizabethan Theatre Company (formerly the Oxford and Cambridge Players), he toured Britain and India and first appeared on screen in 1955. At the outset, his theatrical training made him ideal casting for powerful historical figures, beginning with BBC's seminal Shakespearean anthology series An Age of Kings (1960) in which he played (among others) the Earl of Warwick and Sir Walter Blunt. A stalwart acting veteran whose career spanned almost five decades, he was for much of it typecast as senior policemen (attributable to his fame as John Watt, his alter ego in hundreds of TV episodes between 1962 and 1978). Windsor occasionally broke out of the mold: scientist Dennis Bridger in the cult science-fiction classic A for Andromeda (1961), the head of a Rolls Royce for-hire business in Flying Lady (1987) and title roles in the miniseries Headmaster (1977) and The Real Eddy English (1989). He also appeared to good effect as the luckless chancery suitor Gridley in BBC's second adaptation of Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House (1985) by Charles Dickens.

Geoffrey McGivern was born in 1952 in Battersea, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Little Dorrit (2008), Onegin (1999) and Blackball (2003).

Tony Jay was a British actor and narrator. He is known for his deep and distinctive British voice. He was well-known for voicing Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Megabyte from ReBoot, Monsieur D'Arque from Beauty and the Beast, Shere Khan from The Jungle Book 2, Magneto in X-Men Legends and the Elder God in the Legacy of Kain. He was considered to portray Obi-Wan in Star Wars before he was turned down by George Lucas.

Anne-Louise Lambert was born on 21 August 1955 in Brisbane, Australia. She is an actress, known for Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) and The Borgias (1981).

When people gave Louis Malle credit for making a star of Jeanne Moreau in Elevator to the Gallows (1958) immediately followed by The Lovers (1958), he would point out that Moreau by that time had already been "recognized as the prime stage actress of her generation." She had made it to the Comédie Française in her 20s. She had appeared in B-movie thrillers with Jean Gabin and Ascenseur was in that genre. The technicians at the film lab went to the producer after seeing the first week of dailies for Ascenseur and said: "You must not let Malle destroy Jeanne Moreau". Malle explained: "She was lit only by the windows of the Champs Elysées. That had never been done. Cameramen would have forced her to wear a lot of make-up and they would put a lot of light on her, because, supposedly, her face was not photogenic". This lack of artifice revealed Moreau's "essential qualities: she could be almost ugly and then ten seconds later she would turn her face and would be incredibly attractive. But she would be herself".

Moreau has told interviewers that the characters she played were not her. But even the most famous film critic of his generation, Roger Ebert, thinks that she is a lot like her most enduring role, Catherine in François Truffaut's Jules and Jim (1962). Behind those eyes and that enigmatic smile is a woman with a mind. In a review of The Clothes in the Wardrobe (1993) Ebert wrote: "Jeanne Moreau has been a treasure of the movies for 35 years... Here, playing a flamboyant woman who nevertheless keeps her real thoughts closely guarded, she brings about a final scene of poetic justice as perfect as it is unexpected".

Moreau made her debut as a director in Lumiere (1976) -- also writing the script and playing Sarah, an actress the same age as Moreau whose romances are often with directors for the duration of making a film. She made several films with Malle.

Still active in international cinema, Moreau presided over the jury of the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.

Timothy James Curry was born on April 19, 1946 in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England. His mother, Maura Patricia (Langmead), was a school secretary, and his father, James Curry, was a Methodist Royal Navy chaplain. Curry studied Drama and English at Birmingham University, from which he graduated with Combined Honors. His first professional success was in the London production of "Hair", followed by more work in the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Glasgow Citizens Repertory Company, and the Royal Court Theatre where he created the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Show". He recreated the role in the Los Angeles and Broadway productions and starred in the screen version entitled The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Curry continued his career on the New York and London stages with starring roles in "Travesties", "Amadeus", "The Pirates of Penzance", "The Rivals", "Love for Love", "Dalliance", "The Threepenny Opera", "The Art of Success" and "My Favorite Year". He also starred in the United States tour of "Me and My Girl". He has received two Tony Award nominations for best actor and won the Royal Variety Club Award as "Stage Actor of the Year".

A composer and a singer, Tim Curry toured the United States and Europe with his own band and released four albums on A&M Records. In addition to an active movie and television career, he is a sought-after actor for CD-ROM productions. His distinctive voice can be heard on more than a dozen audio books, and in countless animated television series and videos. He lives in Los Angeles, California.