Born Timothy Peter Dalton on March 21, 1946 in Colwyn Bay, Wales, Dalton began acting in his teens. In 1964, Dalton gained acceptance into England’s famed Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he studied for two years before quitting. Turning professional at age 22, Dalton got his first taste of the spotlight when he joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Under the direction of Tony winning English stage director, Peter Dews, Dalton played lead in countless Shakespearean productions and period dramas. From there, Dalton quickly moved into television. Finding work with the BBC in the late 1960’s, Dalton earned critical praise for his work in “Sat’day while Sunday” (BBC, 1967), a 14-part dramatic series about a group of young, working-class people in Northern England.

In 1968, Dalton made his impressive film debut in the period drama, “The Lion in Winter,” opposite Peter O’Toole and Katherine Hepburn, who won an Oscar for her role. Just the first of several period dramas that would come, “The Lion In Winter” set a familiar pattern for Dalton’s career. With his good looks, regal bearing, and commanding presence, Dalton was well-suited to playing swashbucklers, royalty, and historical leading men.

During the early 1970’s, Dalton appeared in a score of British films including a re-make of "Wuthering Heights" (1970), Ken Hughes' lavish historical biopic "Cromwell" (1970) and 1971's acclaimed "Mary, Queen of Scots" – which paired the 27-year-old Dalton with his eventual real-life off-screen lover, the older Vanessa Redgrave. In 1978, Dalton’s first American film, “Sextette” was released. A thoroughly vile affair, the film starred Mae West in her last (and by far, least) screen role. Based on West’s notoriously bawdy 1929 stage play “Sex,” the film version of “Sextette” could best be described as a warped vanity project. In it, senior citizen West played Marlo Manners, a sex-starved 29-year old coquette – yes, 29-year old – who must contend with a bevy of horny young suitors. Needless to say, West’s attempt at playing a sex kitten half a century her junior proved less than convincing in the days of pre-CGI wizardry. Cast as the studly Sir Michael Barrington, Dalton played Marlo’s virile new husband. Paired up with the septuagenarian West in a number of quasi-love scenes, Dalton looked positively shell-shocked.

The actor fared better in his next major role, playing the noble Prince Barin in Mike Hodge’s campy sci-fi cult hit, “Flash Gordon” (1980). An over-the-top action-packed space opera, “Flash Gordon” provided an excellent showcase for such veteran stage hams as Brian Blessed and Topol to chew the scenery. Though more restrained in his own performance, Dalton’s turn as the suave and dignified Prince Barin fit in beautifully, serving as a steadying anchor to all the fun. During the first half of the 1980’s, Dalton maintained high visibility appearing in a number of television miniseries and made-for-TV dramas. Among his most notable works were “Jane Eyre” (BBC, 1983), “Mistral’s Daughter” (CBS, 1984) and the scandalous soap opera “Sins” (CBS, 1986), in which he starred opposite the sultry Joan Collins. His biggest break, however, was yet to come.

In 1986, 42-year-old Dalton was approached by EON Productions, producers of the James Bond film series, with the job offer of a lifetime – to replace Roger Moore as the world’s most famous secret agent, 007. In actuality, this was, in fact, the second time Dalton had been offered the role. The first opportunity came in 1967 when Dalton was tapped to replace Sean Connery, but had turned down the role, feeling that he was too young to play Bond. Ultimately, the part had gone to Australian actor George Lazenby instead. Eager to put his own mark on the decades old character, Dalton made a sharp departure from his predecessor, Roger Moore, by taking Bond back to his literary roots. Whereas Moore’s Bond was characterized by his suave, dry wit and unflappable demeanor, Dalton shed Bond of much of his light-heartedness. Much closer to novelist Ian Fleming’s original vision of the character, Dalton’s Bond was noticeably more severe. Though still suave and debonair, to be sure, Dalton’s take was first and foremost, a professional who took his work dead seriously.

Dalton made his screen debut as James Bond in 1987’s “The Living Daylights.” The film was an international hit, grossing nearly $200 million worldwide. Most notable was the movie’s success in the U.S., where receipts for the previous three Bond flicks had progressively slipped. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciated the change. Reviews of Dalton’s performance were all over the board. While many fans applauded the darker, grittier Bond, an equal number did not. For the latter group, after a decade of Roger Moore’s tongue-in-cheek take on the character, Dalton’s brooding Bond simply felt too radical a departure. Unswayed by the dissent, Dalton returned as Bond, badder than ever, in 1989’s “Licence to Kill.” Overwhelmingly considered the darkest, most violent of the Bond series, “Licence to Kill” featured Bond literally being pushed to the edge, defying the law, his government, and many fans expectations – all in the name of revenge. “License to Kill” failed to perform as well at the U.S. box office, in large part due to a lackluster marketing campaign. Still, the film represented a unique entry in the 007 celluloid mythos and was viewed by many as being the quintessential Dalton Bond film.

In 1990, EON’s contract with Dalton officially expired, though the actor technically still owed the studio one more Bond picture. Dalton, determined to honor his commitment, initially offered to don the tux one last time for a 1991 sequel. As fate would have it have it, however, a lengthy litigation between MGM/UA and Danjaq, LLC (parent company of EON Productions) over ownership rights to the Bond character tied up the franchise. Plans for the 17th 007 film had to be scuttled and the project was placed on indefinite hold. Finally, in 1994, after nearly five years of waiting on the sidelines, Dalton had had enough and asked to be released from his contract. EON agreed and the two parted ways amicably.

The 1990’s saw Dalton consistently, if not prominently, employed in a number of high-profile film ventures. In 1991, Dalton turned in a show-stopping performance as the villainous Neville Sinclair in the otherwise underwhelming action-adventure, “The Rocketeer.” In 1994, Dalton was cast as Rhett Butler, opposite Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, in the major American miniseries, “Scarlett” (CBS, 1994). Adapted from Alexandra Ripley’s novelized sequel to Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind,” the overblown production was ripped apart by critics. Proving that Clark Gable was no easy act to follow, reviews on Dalton’s performance were decidedly mixed, at best.

In 1997, Dalton returned to the big screen in “The Beautician and the Beast,” a lightweight romantic comedy co-starring Fran Drescher. Continuing with his lighthearted streak, Dalton popped up in “Looney Tunes: Back in Action” (2003). In it, Dalton played Damian Drake, a spy playing an actor playing a spy, in a fitting parody of his James Bond persona.