Timothy Dalton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Timothy Dalton
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Dalton in 1987
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Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett
21 March 1946 Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, Wales
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1964–present |
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Full list |
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| Children | 1 |
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Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (born 21 March 1946) is a famous British actor. He is best known for being the fourth actor to play the secret agent James Bond. He starred as Bond in the movies The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989).
Dalton started his career acting in plays. His first movie was the historical drama The Lion in Winter in 1968, where he played King Philip II of France. He also acted in other movies set in the past, like Wuthering Heights (1970) and Mary, Queen of Scots (1971).
Later, he appeared in popular films like Flash Gordon (1980), The Rocketeer (1991), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), and Hot Fuzz (2007).
On television, Dalton has played many roles. He was Sir Malcolm Murray in the horror series Penny Dreadful (2014–2016) and the Chief in the superhero show Doom Patrol (2019–2021). He also played the powerful character Rassilon in the science-fiction series Doctor Who from 2009 to 2010.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Timothy Dalton was born on 21 March 1946, in Colwyn Bay, Wales. His father, Peter, was an advertising executive, and his American mother was named Dorothy. When he was four, his family moved to Belper, a town in Derbyshire, England.
As a teenager, Dalton became interested in acting. When he was 16, he saw a performance of the play Macbeth and decided he wanted to be an actor. He soon got a part in a play at a famous theatre called The Old Vic.
He left school in 1962 to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), a top acting school in London. He also toured with the National Youth Theatre. In 1966, he left RADA to join the acting group at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Career Beginnings
Dalton quickly started getting roles on television, mostly for the BBC. In 1968, he made his first movie, The Lion in Winter. He continued to act in historical movies, including Wuthering Heights and Cromwell.
In 1971, Dalton decided to focus on theatre. He performed with the famous Royal Shakespeare Company and other theatre groups around the world. He returned to movies in 1978.
During the 1980s, he worked in both the United States and Britain. He played Prince Barin in the sci-fi movie Flash Gordon (1980). He also played Mr. Rochester in a popular BBC version of Jane Eyre in 1983.
Playing James Bond
Dalton was considered for the role of James Bond several times before he finally accepted it. He was first asked around 1968 but felt he was too young for the part. He was asked again in the early 1980s but didn't like the funny and light-hearted direction the movies were taking.
In 1986, after actor Roger Moore retired from the role, Dalton was offered the part again. At first, he was busy with another movie, so the role was offered to Pierce Brosnan. But Brosnan couldn't leave his TV show, Remington Steele. By then, Dalton was available and finally became the new James Bond.
A New Kind of Bond
Dalton's first Bond movie was The Living Daylights (1987). It was a big success and made more money than the previous two Bond films. His second movie, Licence to Kill (1989), was also successful worldwide but did not do as well in the United States. This was partly because it was released at the same time as other huge movies like Batman and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Dalton wanted to play Bond in a way that was closer to the character in Ian Fleming's original books. His version of Bond was more serious, darker, and sometimes seemed unhappy with his dangerous job. He wanted to move away from the funny, gadget-filled style of the earlier films.
In a 1989 interview, Dalton said, "I think Roger [Moore] was fine as Bond, but the films had become too much techno-pop and had lost track of their sense of story."
Many fans of the books and critics liked his serious take on the character. They felt it was a refreshing change. However, some people missed the humour of the older movies. Dalton also did many of his own stunts, which made the action scenes feel more real.
Dalton was supposed to make a third Bond film, but legal problems between the movie studios delayed it for years. By the time the issues were solved, Dalton's contract was over. In 1994, he announced he would not be returning as James Bond.
Life After Bond
After playing James Bond, Dalton continued to act in movies, television, and plays. He played a variety of different characters to avoid being seen only as 007.
In 1991, he played a villain in the Disney movie The Rocketeer. He also played Rhett Butler in Scarlett, a TV sequel to the classic movie Gone with the Wind.
Some of his other well-known roles include:
- A parody of James Bond named Damian Drake in Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003).
- Simon Skinner, a supermarket manager in the comedy Hot Fuzz (2007).
- The voice of Mr. Pricklepants, a hedgehog toy, in the Toy Story movies, starting with Toy Story 3 (2010).
- The Time Lord Rassilon in the Doctor Who special "The End of Time" (2009–2010).
- Sir Malcolm Murray in the TV series Penny Dreadful (2014–2016).
- The Chief in the superhero series Doom Patrol (2019–2021).
Personal Life
In his younger years, Dalton was in a relationship with actress Vanessa Redgrave from 1971 to 1986. Later, he was in a relationship with musician Oksana Grigorieva. They have a son, Alexander, who was born in 1997.
Dalton has homes in London, California, and the Caribbean. He is a big fan of the Manchester City Football Club and often goes to their games.
Filmography
See also
In Spanish: Timothy Dalton para niños
