Most well known for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Sheik Ilderim in the 1959 historical epic Ben-Hur, he is also remembered for his Oscar and BAFTA-nominated performance in the 1963 comedy movie Tom Jones, as well as for his Golden Globe-nominated work in Oliver! and The Fixer (both released in 1968). He was accepted to the famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), but was forced to temporarily abandon his budding acting career to enlist in the British Army during the World War II years. Upon returning from the war, he launched a successful theatre career in both London and America, co-starring with Richard Burton in a 1952 Broadway staging of Legend of Lovers.
