He worked in repetory theatre for a while, and in 1979 he was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. For the
Walter Charles Dance was born in Redditch, Worcestershire in 1946. His father was a civil engineer who died when Charles was only four years old. He has an older brother, Michael.
After his father's death, the family moved to Plymouth. Charles left Widey School, where he excelled at basketball, and went to art school to study photography and graphic design. He left before he had completed his course when his keen interest in acting took hold, and he received private coaching from two retired, RADA-trained actors.
next five years, he app-
Charles Dance made his TV debut in 1975 in the mini-series Edward The King, but because of his committment to live theatre at this time, it was to be a decade later that he achieved major recognition. This came in the Granada TV
eared in many productions, both in London and Stratford upon Av
Avon. Later theatre work has included The Three Sisters (1998) in Birmingham; Samuel Beckett's one-man play Eh Joe (2007) in Sydney, Australia, and as C S Lewis in the 2007 West End production of Shadowlands at Wyndham's Theatre.
Charles Dance in Beckett's Eh Joe
With Janie Dee in Shadowlands
Charles Dance as Coriolanus
Charles Dance aged 16
serial about the final days of the British Raj in India, The Jewel in the Crown (1984), adapted from Paul Scott's four novels The Raj Quartet. Charles plays the role of British soldier Guy Perron. Later
Charles Dance as Guy Perron in
The Jewel in the Crown
Charles Dance & Belinda Lang in
Justice in Wonderland
du Maurier's classic romantic
TV work has included the lead role of Erik in a non-musical version of Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera (1990); a stylish portrayal of wealthy Maxim de Winter in Carlton TV's lavish production of Daphne
Charles Dance & Emilia Fox in Rebecca
Charles Dance in Foyle's War
novel Rebecca (1997); the corrupt politician Neil Hamilton in the BBC's Justice in Wonderland (2000) and Guy Spencer
Roles in two memorable adaptations of Charles Dickens novels did Dance's reputation no harm - he played Ralph Nickelby in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001), and most memorably, the dastardly lawyer Tulkinghorn in the star-studded, BAFTA-winning Bleak House (2005).
Spencer in an episode of Foyle's War (2002).
Charles Dance as Tulkinghorn in Bleak House
I have my photo taken with Charles at Earl's Court
Charles Dance signed photograph from Bleak House
Photo: Malcolm (Showmasters)
Charles Dance has appeared in numerous films, notably Plenty (1985) with Meryl Streep; The Golden Child (1986) with Eddie Murphy; White Mischief (1987) with Greta Scacchi; Pascali's Island (1988) with Ben Kingsley and Helen Mirren; Alien3 (1992) with Sigourney Weaver; Kabloonak (1994) winning him a 'best actor' award at the Paris Film Festival; the multi-award winning Gosford Park (2001) and Swimming Pool (2003) with Charlotte Rampling.
In 1981, Dance made a cameo appearance in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only and in 1989 played Bond's creator, Ian Fleming in Goldeneye (not to be confused with another Bond Film with the same title).
Charles Dance as Clements in Alien3
Charles signed this photo to me of him as Bosload in Swimming Pool
Charles Dance in White Mischief
Charles Dance in The Golden Child
Dance as Ian Fleming
in Goldeneye
Charles Dance (Claus) & Roger Moore (James Bond)
in For Your Eyes Only
In 2004, Charles Dance produced, directed, and wrote the screenplay for Ladies in Lavender (2004), starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, who also appeared with him in the Oscar-nominated film Gosford Park.
Charles Dance in Kabloonak
Maggie Smith & Judi Dench in
Ladies in Lavender
Dance married his wife Jo, a painter & sculptor, in 1970 but they divorced in 2004 after 33 years of marriage. They have two children Oliver (b.1974) and Rebecca (b.1980).
Charles signed my Alien3 masterprint
Charles Dance as Anthony Bowles in
Pascali's Island
Charles Dance with his ex-wife Jo
He was awarded the OBE in 2006
It was a real thrill to meet the distinguished actor Charles Dance at the London Film & Comic Convention, held at Earls Court in July 2008.
I knew him best from his role as Clements in Alien3 and I was able to chat to him about it. He signed my Alien3 masterprint, my autograph book, my lithograph of For Your Eyes Only, and 2 photographs which you can see below.
I also had my photograph taken with him.
Charles Dance in 1973
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Charles Dance