Born:
October 14, 1940
in
Bala, north Wales
Best Known For:
Being James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small.
Early-life:
Born 14 October, 1940 in Bala, north Wales, the son of Andrew Timothy, an Army chaplain-turned-BBC announcer who was also the straightman on The Goon Show. He was brought up in Shrewsbury, bitten by the acting bug at an early age, and encouraged to take it up professionally by his father. Timothy trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and claims he smelled of chips throughout his course due to a part-time job in a transport cafe.
Career:
Parts in the films Othello (1965) and The Virgin Soldiers (1968) were followed by TV shows UFO, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Van der Valk. In 1978, he landed the role of James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small, becoming one of the most popular actors on British TV. The series returned in the early Nineties but Timothy later blamed it for typecasting him. He has narrated the hit docusoap Vets in Practice and can be seen in the BBC's daytime medical drama, Doctors, in which he plays Dr Brendan 'Mac' Maguire. He's also directed some episodes of the show and an edition of The Afternoon Play.
Quote:
"One of my favourite pastimes is watching good actors, working with them is even better. And to work with them as a team is a joy."
Trivia:
He has appeared as a guest on Radio 4's Just a Minute.