Denholm Elliott Biography

Fast Facts

• Served in the Royal Air Force during WWII and was held prisoner for three years in Germany
• His film debut was in 1949's Dear Mr
• Prohack
• His first Hollywood picture was 1965's King Rat, about survival in a WWII POW camp, but his breakthrough film was 1966's Alfie, in which he played a back-alley abortionist
• Was memorable as a hard-drinking, blacklisted film director in the 1974 Richard Dreyfuss drama The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
• Known to many Americans for his role as valet to Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd's characters in the 1982 comedy Trading Places
• Appeared in more than 100 movies throughout his career
• Inspired a saying among admiring British actors: "Never act with children, dogs or Denholm Elliott
• " In 1988 was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), an order of chivalry
• Following his 1992 AIDS-related death, his widow, Susan, helped found the Denholm Elliott Project, to benefit HIV patients