Biography
Finlay Currie (also credited as William Finlay Currie) was a Scottish actor of stage, screen and television. Born in Edinburgh in 1878, he began his career on stage in 1898 and made his film debut in The Old Man (1931). He appeared in numerous British films before gaining wider recognition.
Currie received acclaim for his role as the convict Abel Magwitch in David Lean's Great Expectations (1946). He later appeared in Hollywood epics, including Quo Vadis (1951) as Saint Peter, Ivanhoe (1952) as Cedric, Around the World in 80 Days (1956), and Ben-Hur (1959) as Balthazar. Other notable credits include Treasure Island (1950) and The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964).
He was married to actress Maude Courtney until her death in 1959. Currie continued acting into the 1960s, with later roles including in Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) and the television adaptation of Brigadoon (1966). He died in 1968.
