Michael Jayston

After briefly toiling away as an apprentice accountant, Michael Jayston trained for a theatrical career at Britain's Guildhall School. Jayston made his professional debut at age 27 in The Amorous Prawn then made up for lost time by appearing in as many stage, film and TV projects as his schedule would allow. A Shakespearean specialist at such august organizations at the Old Vic and the RSC, he also thrived in contemporary roles, touring extensively in Peter Schaffer's Equus. His film roles include Czar Nicholas II in Nicholas and Alexandria (1971) and Captain Hardy in The Nelson Affair (1971), while numbering among his TV-miniseries credits are the internationally distributed Smiley's People and Tinker, Soldier, Sailor, Spy. In addition, Michael Jayston has starred in two weekly British TV series, playing Colonel Mustard in Cluedo (1991) and Bob in Outside Edge (1994).

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide