Tom Courtenay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Tom Courtenay
Courtenay in 2015
Born	Thomas Daniel Courtenay (1937-02-25) 25 February 1937 (age 88) Hull, East Yorkshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1960–present
Spouse(s)	Cheryl Kennedy ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1982)​ Isabel Crossley ​ (m. 1988)​

Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (born 25 February 1937) is a famous English actor. He became well-known in the 1960s as a star of the British New Wave, a new style of realistic films.

Over his long career, Courtenay has won many awards. These include three BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He has also been nominated for two Academy Awards. In 2001, he was knighted by the Queen for his work in movies and theatre. This means he is now called Sir Tom Courtenay.

Early Life and School

Tom Courtenay was born in Kingston upon Hull, England. His father, Thomas, was a boat painter, and his mother was Annie. He went to Kingston High School and later studied English at University College London.

After university, he decided to study acting. He went to the famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London to train as an actor.

Acting Career

Courtenay in 1973

Courtenay started his acting career on stage in 1960. He quickly became a star. In 1961, he took over the main role in the play Billy Liar. He later starred in the movie version in 1963.

Breaking into Movies

Courtenay's first movie was Private Potter in 1962. His next film, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), made him famous. For this role, he won a BAFTA Award as the most promising newcomer.

His performance in Billy Liar also earned him great reviews and another BAFTA nomination. These movies were part of the British New Wave, which showed everyday life in a new and honest way.

In 1965, he played a revolutionary leader in the epic film Doctor Zhivago. This role earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also appeared in war films like King Rat (1965) and The Night of the Generals (1967).

Stage and Film Success

Courtenay acted alongside Albert Finney in The Dresser (1983)

Even though he was a movie star, Courtenay loved acting in the theatre. He spent a lot of time working with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. He played many famous roles, including Hamlet and the lead in King Lear.

In 1980, he starred in the play The Dresser. He played the character Norman, first in London and then on Broadway in New York. In 1983, he starred in the movie version of The Dresser with actor Albert Finney. For this role, Courtenay won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and was nominated for another Academy Award.

Later Roles

Courtenay in Paris at a premiere of Quartet in 2013

Courtenay has continued to act in many interesting films and television shows. He won two British Academy Television Awards for his TV work. One was for the TV movie A Rather English Marriage (1998) and the other for the crime drama Unforgotten (2015).

He also received an Emmy nomination for playing William Dorrit in the BBC series Little Dorrit (2008).

Some of his other well-known later films include:

• Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
• The Golden Compass (2007), where he played Farder Coram.
• Quartet (2012), alongside Dame Maggie Smith.
• 45 Years (2015), for which he won several international awards.
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018).
• King of Thieves (2018), with Sir Michael Caine.

Personal Life

Courtenay was married to actress Cheryl Kennedy from 1973 to 1982. In 1988, he married Isabel Crossley, who was a stage manager. They have homes in London and Manchester.

In 2000, he published a book called Dear Tom: Letters From Home. The book is a collection of letters between him and his mother from when he was a young acting student.

Courtenay is a big sports fan and is the President of the Official Supporters' Club for the Hull City football team. In 2018, he was given the Honorary Freedom of the City of Hull, his hometown's highest honour.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Tom Courtenay para niños