Born Thomas Daniel Courtenay in Hull, Humberside, England; educated at London University (English) & RADA, London. Innocent-looking, gaunt leading man who came of age with Alan Bates, Albert Finney and the British film renaissance of the early 1960s. Courtenay turned in superb performances as diffident or sullen anti-heroes in films like the bleak borstal drama, THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (1962), BILLY LIAR (1963), as a dreamy, Walter Mitty-like character, Joseph Losey's KING AND COUNTRY (1964), as a WW I soldier on trial for desertion, and Bryan Forbes's POW drama, KING RAT (1965). Since 1971 Courtenay has concentrated almost exclusively on his stage career, making a strong return to film in 1983 by recreating his acclaimed London and Broadway stage performance as THE DRESSER. Other subsequent film credits include LEONARD PART 6 (1987), THE LAST BUTTERFLY (1991), FAMOUS FRED (1996), LAST ORDERS (2001), NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (2002), FLOOD (2006), and HIS DARK MATERIALS: THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007). Awarded a Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in her annual New Year's Honours (2001).  Nominated for Supporting Actor 1965: DOCTOR ZHIVAGO  Nominated for Actor 1983: THE DRESSER 2 nominations