Anthony Ainley
Biography
Anthony Ainley was a British actor who became best known as the Master on the BBC's Doctor Who, a part he played from 1981 to 1989. Born in London in 1932, he served in the Parachute Regiment, then studied drama at RADA, taking his stage name in 1963 and the Fabia Drake Prize for Comedy. His swarthy looks brought him villain roles, among them Reverend Fallowfield in The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971), Dietz in The Land That Time Forgot (1974) and a Hong Kong policeman in You Only Live Twice (1967); on television he appeared in It's Dark Outside, The Pallisers and Upstairs, Downstairs. On Doctor Who he first appeared as Nyssa's father Tremas in 1981, then became a new embodiment of the Master until the original series ended in 1989, returning for The Five Doctors (1983) and the 1997 computer game Destiny of the Doctors.
71years old at death
- Born Stanmore
- Died Harrow
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 16 years1967 to 1983
Every film, newest first
- 1983Doctor Who: The Five DoctorsIMDb rating 8.1
- 1974The Land That Time ForgotIMDb rating 5.7
- 1971The Blood on Satan's ClawIMDb rating 6.4
- 1968Inspector ClouseauIMDb rating 4.7
- 1967You Only Live TwiceIMDb rating 6.8
Genres
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Big break
Ainley was reportedly offered the role of the Master on Doctor Who because John Nathan-Turner had seen his performance as Rev. Emilius in The Pallisers seven years earlier.
Early training
Ainley took part in amateur dramatic productions. During rehearsals for a Rookery Nook production in the early 1950s, William Hartnell, later a Doctor Who star, coached him.
About the name
Ainley studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and in 1963 he started using the stage name Anthony Ainley there. He won the Fabia Drake Prize for Comedy at RADA.
First role
Ainley's screen debut came in the propaganda comedy The Foreman Went to France, a 1942 release, where he played a bit part.
Anthony Ainley movies on Netflix
Worked with
Anthony Ainley made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Donald Pleasence's page
Sean Connery's page
Alan Arkin's page
Michael Ripper's page
Bernard Lee's page
Burt Kwouk's page
All films by Lewis Gilbert
Piers HaggardDirector, 1 film, 1971
All films by Piers Haggard
Kevin ConnorDirector, 1 film, 1974
All films by Kevin Connor
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.