I was a repertory actor, which meant that I did a play every week. I was a different character every week; for a year, I was doing 40 or 50 characters.

I had been nine years in the theatre and hadn't had massive success. My only thing was I wanted to be an actor and I didn't care when, where, or how much for.

At 69, I got the girl! And it wasn't a 68-year-old girl, either.

The best research for playing a drunk is being a British actor for 20 years.

When you're a young actor you ring your agent every evening. It's not like when you're in Hollywood where you do one picture a year. You just hope you get a day on television.

The old guys like me started in the theatre. I was in the theatre for nine years.

I spent 30 years of my life not being wanted at all for films.