Ronald Lacey

Ronald Lacey (28 September 1935 – 15 May 1991) was an English actor. Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and after a brief stint of national service and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art he began his acting career in 1961 in a TV play The Secret Agent. His first notable performance was at The Royal Court in 1962's Chips with Everything. Lacey had an unusual pug look with beady eyes and cherub's cheeks, which landed him repeatedl... more

Ronald Lacey (28 September 1935 – 15 May 1991) was an English actor. Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and after a brief stint of national service and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art he began his acting career in 1961 in a TV play The Secret Agent. His first notable performance was at The Royal Court in 1962's Chips with Everything. Lacey had an unusual pug look with beady eyes and cherub's cheeks, which landed him repeatedly in bizarre roles on both stage and screen. After performing on British television throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including a memorable turn as Harris in the Ronnie Barker sitcom Porridge, Lacey finally landed the role for which these characteristics could be used to full advantage. Disappointed with his acting career by the late '70s, he began to consider starting a talent agency. Spielberg then cast him as the Nazi villain Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He followed this with a series of various villain roles for the next five to six... less