Personal life

York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May (née Chown), a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery-born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks & Spencer department stores. York has an older sister, Penelope Anne (born 1940) and younger twin sisters, Caroline and Bridget (born 1947); Bridget died a few hours after birth, according to his autobiography. He was brought up in Burgess Hill, Sussex.

During his teenage years, York was educated at Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Hurstpierpoint College and University College, Oxford. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959 he made his West End début with a small part in a production of Hamlet. York was a member of National Youth Theatre

He met photographer Patricia McCallum in 1967 when she was assigned to photograph him, and they married on 27 March 1968, York's 26th birthday. His stepson is Star Wars producer Rick McCallum. York was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1977.

In 2013, York announced he was suffering from the rare disease amyloidosis. Doctors initially thought he had bone cancer. In 2012, he had undergone a stem cell transplant, which can alleviate symptoms.

Career

Prior to graduating with a degree in English from the University of Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. After some time with the Dundee Repertory Theatre, where he played in Brendan Behan's The Hostage, York joined National Theatre under Laurence Olivier where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing. Following his role on British TV as Jolyon (Jolly) in The Forsyte Saga (1967), York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967), then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He starred in The Guru (1969), played an amoral bisexual drifter in Something for Everyone (1970) and portrayed the bisexual Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's film version of Cabaret (1972). In 1977, he reunited with Zeffirelli as John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.

York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers and he made his Broadway début in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Out Cry. One year later the sequel to The Three Musketeers was released (roughly covering events in the second half of the book) titled The Four Musketeers. . Fifteen years later, most of the cast (and crew) joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After. He played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run (1976). The following year, he starred in The Island of Dr. Moreau opposite Burt Lancaster.

Since his auspicious early work, York has enjoyed a busy and varied career in film, television and on the stage. He appeared in two episodes in the second season of the Road to Avonlea series as Ezekiel Crane, the lighthouse keeper of Avonlea and foster father of Gus Pike. His Broadway theatre credits include Bent (1980), The Crucible (1992), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (1993) and the ill-fated musical The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982), which closed during previews. He also has made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

York appeared in the Babylon 5 episode "A Late Delivery from Avalon" as a delusional man who believed himself to be King Arthur returned. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60-year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller (Liza Weil) during the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. He performed the voice of the character Ares in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Hawk & Dove", as well as Dr. Montague Kane in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Zatanna" and Kanto in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Tools of the Trade". York starred in both The Omega Code and its sequel, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, as Stone Alexander, the Antichrist from Christian eschatology.

He played President Alexander Bourne of Macronesia on seaQuest 2032. He played Basil Exposition in all three of the Austin Powers films. He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer Simpson's possible father, in "Homer's Paternity Coot". In 2006, York played the character Bernard Fremont (inspired by real life serial killer Charles Sobhraj) in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Slither". He also appeared as a fictionalised version of himself in several episodes of the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm as an investor in Larry's new restaurant 'BoBo's. In 2009, he lent his voice to Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

York voiced Petrie's uncle Pterano in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. York was the narrator in the audio New Testament project, Word of Promise, produced by Jim Caviezel. York again played King Arthur in a revival of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which began its run at the La Mirada Theatre in Southern California, and toured nationally in 2006 and 2007.

York portrays Luke in The Truth & Life Dramatised Audio New Testament Bible, a 22-hour audio dramatisation of the New Testament, which uses the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition translation. In 2008, York took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about his Welsh family history. In September 2013, York played Albany in the Gala Performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear at the Old Vic in London.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1964	Arrest and Trial	Pete Bakalyan	Episode: "A Circle of Strangers"
1967	Death Valley Days	Haynie	Episode: "The Man Who Wouldn't Die"
1967	The Forsyte Saga	Jolyon "Jolly" Forsyte
1968	The Wednesday Play	Roger Porlock	Episode: "Rebel in the Grave"
1974	Great Expectations	Pip	TV Film
1977	Jesus of Nazareth	John the Baptist
1977	BBC2 Play of the Week: True Patriot	Dietrich Bonhoeffer	TV Film
1978	Much Ado About Nothing	Benedick	TV Film
1979	A Man Called Intrepid	Evan Michaelian	Miniseries
1981	Vendredi ou la Vie Sauvage	Robinson Crusoe	TV Film
1983	The Phantom of the Opera	Michael Hartnell	TV Film
1983	The Weather in the Streets	Rollo Spencer	TV Film
1984	The Master of Ballantrae	James Durie	TV Film
1985	Space	Dieter Kolff	Miniseries
1986	ABC Afterschool Special	Chet Gordon	Episode: "Are You My Mother?"
1986	Storybook Series, Vol. 4	The Beast	Voice Role
1986	Tall Tales & Legends	Ponce de Leon	Episode: "Ponde de Leon"
1986	Sword of Gideon	Robert	TV Film
1986	Dark Mansions	Jason Drake	TV Film
1986	Nevil Shute's The Far Country	Carl Zlinter	TV Film
1987-1988	Knots Landing	Charles Scott	8 Episodes
1988	The Secret of the Sahara	Desmond Jordan	Miniseries
1988	The Four Minute Mile	Franz Stampfl	Miniseries
1989	The Lady and the Highwayman	King Charles II	TV Film
1989	Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again	Paul de Lancel	Miniseries
1990	The Heat of the Day	Robert Kelway	TV Film
1990	Night of the Fox	Field Marshal Rommel	TV Film
1991	Road to Avonlea	Ezekiel Crane	2 Episodes
1991	Duel of Hearts	Gervaise Warlingham	TV Film
1992	The Legend of Prince Valiant	Owen	Voice Role, 3 Episodes
1992, 1993	Batman: The Animated Series	Count Vertigo Montague Kane	Voice Role, 2 Episodes
1993	Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn	Narrator	TV Documentary
1993	Tracey Ullman Takes On New York	Central Park Acquaintance	Comedy Special
1994	TekLab	Prince Richard	1 Episode
1994	ABC Weekend Special	King Sarastro	Episode: "The Magic Flute"
1994	Fall from Grace	Hans-Dieter Stromelburg	TV Film
1994	Rochade	Paul Grumbach	TV Film
1995	Shadow of a Kiss	Albert	TV Film
1995-1996	seaQuest DSV	President Alexander Bourne	3 Episodes
1995	The Naked Truth	Leland Banks	Episode: "Woman Jokes While Husband Cooks!"
1995	The Magic School Bus	Harry Herp	Voice Role; Episode: "Cold Feet"
1996	La Nouvelle tribu	Ilya	Miniseries
1996	September	Edmund	TV Film
1996	The Ring	Walmar von Gotthard	TV Film
1996	Babylon 5	David "King Arthur" McIntyre	Episode: "A Late Delivery from Avalon"
1996	Adventures from the Book of Virtues	Androcles/The Priest	Voice Role; Episode: "Compassion"
1996	Un coup de baguette magique	Ilya	TV Film
1997	Superman: The Animated Series	Kanto	Voice Role; Episode: "Tools of the Trade"
1997	Sliders	Dr. Vargas	Episode: "This Slide of Paradise"
1997	True Women	Lewis Lawshe	Miniseries
1997	The Ripper	Charles Warren	TV Film
1998	Dead Man's Gun	Herr Friederich Von Huber	Episode: "The Collector"
1998	Glory, Glory	Rev. Hopewell	Pilot
1998	A Knight in Camelot	King Arthur	TV Film
1998	Perfect Little Angels	Dr. Calvin Lawrence	TV Film
2000	Founding Fathers	Alexander Hamilton	TV Documentary
2001	The Lot	Colin Rhome	2 episodes
2002	Liberty's Kids	Admiral Lord Howe	Voice Role; 2 Episodes
2002	Presidio Med	George Slingerland	Episode: "Secrets"
2002	Founding Brothers	Alexander Hamilton	TV Documentary
2002	Curb Your Enthusiasm	Himself	4 Episodes
2003	La Femme Musketeer	Jacques D'Artagnan	TV Film
2003-2004	Gilmore Girls	Professor Asher Fleming	4 Episodes
2004	Crusader	McGovern	TV Film
2004	Justice League Unlimited	Ares	Voice Role; Episode: "Hawk and Dove"
2004	Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!	Master Zan	Voice Role; Episode: "Antauri's Masters"
2005	Icon	Nigel Irvine	TV Film
2006, 2016	The Simpsons	Mason Fairbanks/Dr. Lionel Budgie	Voice Role, 2 Episodes
2006	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Bernard Fremont	Episode: "Slither"
2007	The Replacements	Agent G	Voice Role; Episode: "London Calling"
2008	Four Seasons	Stephen Combe	Miniseries
2008	Ben 10: Alien Force	Patrick	Voice Role; Episode: "Be-Knighted"
2009	Star Wars: The Clone Wars	Dr. Nuvo Vindi	Voice Role, 2 Episodes
2010	How I Met Your Mother	Jefferson Van Smoot	Episode: "Robots vs. Wrestlers"
2010	Family Guy	Documentary Speaker	Voice Role; Episode: "Partial Terms of Endearment"
2016	The Simpsons	Dr. Budgie	Episode: "Lisa the Veterinarian"

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	The Taming of the Shrew	Lucentio
1967	Confessions of Loving Couples	Peter
1967	Accident	William
1967	Red and Blue		Short Film
1967	Smashing Time	Tom Wabe
1968	Separation	Himself	Uncredited
1968	Romeo and Juliet	Tybalt Capulet
1968	The Strange Affair	Peter Strange
1969	The Guru	Tom Pickle
1969	Alfred the Great	Guthrum
1969	Justine	Darley
1970	Something for Everyone	Konrad Ludwig
1971	Zeppelin	Geoffrey Richter-Douglas
1971	Touch and Go	Basil
1972	Cabaret	Brian Roberts
1973	Lost Horizon	George Conway
1973	England Made Me	Anthony Farrant
1973	The Three Musketeers	D'Artagnan
1974	The Four Musketeers	D'Artagnan
1974	Murder on the Orient Express	Count Rudolf Andrenyi
1975	Conduct Unbecoming	Lieutenant Arthur Drake
1976	Logan's Run	Logan 5
1976	Seven Nights in Japan	Prince George
1977	The Island of Dr. Moreau	Andrew Braddock
1977	The Last Remake of Beau Geste	Beau Geste
1978	Fedora	Himself
1979	The Riddle of the Sands	Charles Carruthers
1980	Final Assignment	Lyosha Petrov
1981	The White Lions	Chris McBride
1983	For Those I Loved	Martin Gray
1984	Success Is the Best Revenge	Alex Rodak
1985	British Rock: The First Wave		Documentary
1986	Dawn	John Dawson
1987	Spaceballs	Ape	Uncredited
1987	Lethal Obsession	Dr. Proper
1988	Phantom of Death	Robert Dominici
1988	Midnight Cop	Karstens
1989	The Return of the Musketeers	D'Artagnan
1990	Come See the Paradise	Dance Hall Band
1991	Eline Vere	Lawrence St. Clare
1992	The Long Shadow	Gabor Romandy
1993	Wide Sargasso Sea	Paul Mason
1994	Discretion Assured	Trevor McCabe
1995	Gospa	Milan Vukovic
1995	A Young Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court	Merlin
1995	Not of This Earth	Paul Johnson
1997	Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery	Basil Exposition
1997	Goodbye America	Senator Bladon
1997	Dark Planet	Capt. Winter
1997	The Long Way Home	Narrator	Documentary
1997	A Christmas Carol	Bob Cratchit	Voice Role
1998	Merchants of Venus	Alex Jakoff
1998	Wrongfully Accused	Hibbing Goodhue
1998	54	Ambassador
1998	The Treat	Simon
1998	Lovers & Liars	Dick Bunche
1998	One Hell of a Guy	Devil
1999	Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me	Basil Exposition
1999	Puss in Boots	Puss in Boots	Voice Role
1999	The Omega Code	Stone Alexander
1999	The Haunting of Hell House	Professor Ambrose
2000	The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire	Pterano (voice)
2000	Borstal Boy	Joyce
2000	A Monkey's Tale	The Lankoo King (voice)
2001	Megiddo: The Omega Code 2	Stone Alexander
2002	Austin Powers in Goldmember	Basil Exposition
2002	A Very Merry Pooh Year	Narrator
2004	Moscow Heat	Roger Chambers
2007	Flatland: The Movie	Spherius	Voice Role
2008	Testimony: The Untold Story of Pope John Paul II	Narrator	Documentary
2009	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	Prime #1	Voice Role
2010	Pravosudiye Volkov	Mikhail Polyakov
2010	The Mill and the Cross	Nicolaes Jonghelinck
2010	Quixote	Don Quixote	Voice Role
2010	Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes	Sherlock Holmes	Voice Role
2010	The Justice of Wolves	Mika
2011	The Mill and the Cross	Nicolaes Jonghelinck
2011	Glad Christmas Tidings	Narrator
2012	Flatland 2: Sphereland	Spherius	Voice Role
2014	Sleeping Beauty	Narrator

Autobiography

• Accidentally on Purpose (US), Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79591-0.
• Traveling Player (UK), Headline. ISBN 0-7472-3306-3.

Other works

• York is also the co-author, with director Adrian Brine, of A Shakespearean Actor Prepares, Smith & Kraus, ISBN 1-57525-189-2.
• York portrayed the character J. Saint Gideon in the Tex Murphy: Overseer computer game.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]