Timothy Dalton bio, Bond movies, age, wife, net worth, height, young 2025

Biography of Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton is a Welsh-born Hollywood actor who became a household name worldwide for his iconic roles as James Bond ("The Living Daylights," "Licence to Kill") and Edward Fairfax Rochester ("Jane Eyre"). A product of the classic English acting tradition, he's a distinctive and commanding performer with the bearing of true aristocracy.

Childhood and Youth

Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett was born in the spring of 1946 to a British Secret Service captain, Peter Dalton Leggett (1916-2004), and a housewife, Dorothy Scholes. The family lived in Colwyn Bay, a coastal town in Conwy County near the Irish Sea. Timothy was one of five children, with siblings Suzanne, Annabelle, Mark, and Stephen. When Timothy turned four, the family had relocated to Belper following his father's retirement.

By the early 1950s, Peter Dalton had launched a career in advertising. Timothy, meanwhile, started his formal education at Herbert Strutt School. During his youth, he trained at an air cadet flight school and joined the Air Training Corps, planning to follow his father's military path. But at 15, he saw a performance of "Macbeth" that completely captivated him and changed everything. The actor recalled:

When it came time to choose what to do after school, I had two ideas: to go to university for biochemistry, or to join the Royal Air Force and become an astronaut. The latter, as I now realize, was a dead end, because the British rocket program never really got off the ground. Well, it did get off the ground but only flew a short distance before falling apart.

Timothy made his final decision once he came of age. In 1964, he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Simultaneously, he started performing in Michael Croft's National Youth Theatre production of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus." The play's success at the Old Vic Theatre inspired the budding actor to drop out of the academy.

In the mid-1960s, he joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, where he became a leading actor for over two years. Dalton appeared in productions of "Richard III," "Saint Joan," and "Love's Labour's Lost," and later starred in "The Doctor's Dilemma." He was also invited to television for one of the main roles in a TV play based on Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida."

Film Career

Timothy Dalton's career in the film industry began in 1968. His role as King Philip II of France in Anthony Harvey's historical drama "The Lion in Winter" caught the attention of critics and directors alike. This story of aging English King Henry II choosing his successor won two Golden Globes and an Oscar in 1969.

According to Timothy, what drew him to the set was the chance to work with the great actor he admired and learned from every minute. It's worth noting that the film was also significant for Anthony Hopkins, who played Richard the Lionheart. After such an impressive debut, Dalton found himself offered roles in historical films spanning various eras. He admitted that he was perfectly suited to royal costumes, always feeling natural in them.

Timothy Dalton in The Lion in Winter

After "The Lion in Winter," Timothy played Prince Rupert in Ken Hughes's British drama "Cromwell" in 1970, and the following year, he appeared as Henry Darnley in Charles Jarrott's historical film "Mary, Queen of Scots."

The filming was notable not only for its abundance of lavish costumes but also because Dalton met Vanessa Redgrave, who played the title role of Mary Stuart. Their relationship lasted until 1986.

Timothy Dalton and Vanessa Redgrave on the set of 'Mary, Queen of Scots'

Another drama featuring Dalton as Heathcliff was Robert Fuest's gothic tale "Wuthering Heights," about an eternal feud between two families and the doomed love of their children.

'Wuthering Heights': Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff

In the Italian-French psychological drama "Voyeur" by Franco Indovina, Marcello Mastroianni portrayed the jealous husband Sandro, who bought a movie camera to film everything around him. Timothy Dalton landed the role of seducer Martin, who discreetly carries on an affair with Sandro's wife, played by Virna Lisi. The love triangle ends tragically and unpredictably.

In the Spanish drama "The Man Who Knew Love" (1978), Dalton portrayed Juan de Dios, and then he drastically changed roles to star in Ken Hughes's comedic musical "Sextette" as Sir Michael Barrington. Another memorable role from the late seventies was Archibald Christie in Michael Apted's thriller "Agatha" (1979), which tells its own version of the detective queen's mysterious disappearance for nearly two weeks.

A significant moment in the early 80s was the release of Mike Hodges's sci-fi action film "Flash Gordon," where Timothy played Prince Barin. However, Dalton considers his acting career to have truly taken off with Julian Amyes's melodramatic TV series "Jane Eyre" in 1983. His Mr. Rochester ranks among the most natural and convincing of all adaptations, possibly because the film stayed true to every detail of Charlotte Brontë's original novel.

Timothy Dalton in the mini-series 'Jane Eyre'

The eighties proved incredibly prolific for Dalton, who delivered nearly twenty memorable performances in both leading and supporting roles. These include Boy Capel in "Chanel Solitaire" in 1981, Colonel Francis Burke in "The Master of Ballantrae" in 1984, Mark Antony in "Antony and Cleopatra," Dr. Thomas Rock in "The Doctor and the Devils" in 1985, Edmond Junot in "Sins" in 1986, and Perry Kilkullen in "Mistral's Daughter."

Timothy Dalton in 'Antony and Cleopatra' and 'Flash Gordon'

Audiences also loved the tragicomedy "Hawks" (1988), where Dalton played a lawyer embarking on a final journey before dying of cancer. But the role that would catapult him to global stardom—though Dalton himself isn't particularly fond of it—was still ahead.

His aristocratic, sophisticated take on Britain's legendary super-spy James Bond hit screens in 1987. Dalton took over from Roger Moore in the franchise's fifteenth installment, "The Living Daylights." Two years later, "Licence to Kill" followed. Dalton has always maintained that Sean Connery was the definitive Bond, admitting that for him as a Welshman, taking on the role meant stepping onto the world stage.

Post-Bond, Dalton found himself overwhelmed by his newfound celebrity. Bartenders everywhere would comp him martinis, which he actually hated since they made him drowsy. Nonetheless, he still enjoys hearing friends say, "Shall I have some Vodka martinis sent up? Shaken, not stirred!"

Timothy Dalton's Best James Bond Moments (1987-1989)

Throughout the '90s, Dalton built an impressive roster of diverse characters, including Vittorio Amadeo, Count Alessandro Verua in "The King's Whore," Eddie Myers in the crime mini-series "Framed," villain Neville Sinclair in the sci-fi action film "The Rocketeer," Jack Carver in the thriller "The Informant," Lester Parnell in the family drama "Salt Water Moose," Julius Caesar in the melodrama "Cleopatra." But female audiences were most excited to see him as Rhett Butler in "Scarlett," the highly anticipated continuation of Scarlett O'Hara's tempestuous romance.

Good Morning America interview on Scarlett

The 2000s saw Dalton continuing to captivate audiences. He tackled the role of demon-battling father William Bowden in the horror film "Possessed" (2000), then switched gears as Damien Drake in the family comedy "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" (2003). He also played Chief Inspector Jones in the thriller "The Tourist" (2010) with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.

On the set of 'Looney Tunes: Back in Action'

For his portrayal of Alexei Volkoff in the comedy series "Chuck" (2010-2011), Dalton received the "Favorite Villain" award from TV Guide magazine. The actor also starred in the mystical series "Penny Dreadful" (2014-2016), where he skillfully portrayed the aristocrat and sybarite Sir Malcolm Murray.

Timothy Dalton in the TV series 'Penny Dreadful'

The Personal Life of Timothy Dalton

A confirmed bachelor who shied away from formal relationships, Dalton never lacked for female attention. He has been romantically linked at various times to Denise D. Lewis, Kate Fitzpatrick, and Whoopi Goldberg. Timothy has always been private about his personal life, though he's admitted in interviews that he's drawn to romances with actresses:

They're beautiful, sexy, and speak the same language as you. But I'm a 'lone wolf.' I'm simply not made for lifelong love. Usually, my love only lasts for the duration of filming. Of course, there have been exceptions.

The Welsh actor charmed Joan Collins (during filming of "Sins"), Ornella Muti (while working on "Flash Gordon"), and rumors swirled about dalliances with Elizabeth Taylor and Romy Schneider. But there were two women Timothy lived with and dated far longer than just a filming period.

Timothy Dalton always called himself a loner

One of them was Vanessa Redgrave. They met on the set of "Mary, Queen of Scots" in 1971. The seven-year age gap didn't stop their romance, and neither did Vanessa's partner Franco Nero. At first, the forty-something actress tried to ignore the young heartthrob's advances. But on the final day of shooting, Timothy invited Vanessa to celebrate wrapping the film with drinks at the nearest pub. Surprisingly, Redgrave agreed.

They spent more than six hours talking, not noticing how time flew by. From then on, their relationship and life together lasted many years. Dalton wasn't always faithful, but Vanessa was not only stunningly beautiful in her forties but also brilliant.

Together, they performed on stage, with Timothy consistently calling her a great actress. Even when all of London was buzzing about their affair, Dalton never allowed himself to comment on their private life, and the couple preferred spending quiet time together over social events. The only thing that irked the actor was the regular visits from Redgrave's daughters and talks of potential children. During such times, he preferred to go fishing or read a book alone.

By 1986, Vanessa had had enough — with no future in sight, the couple called it quits. Dalton returned to his former lifestyle, engaging in brief romances from time to time. But when he saw Oksana Grigorieva, a singer and pianist, at the London Film Festival in 1995, the playboy's heart was touched once again. Their whirlwind romance led to son Alexander's birth two years later, though Timothy stuck to his guns and never made it official.

Still, those close to Dalton say that while he may have avoided the husband title, he was pretty much the perfect dad. He spent every free moment with his child, teaching him music and sharing his favorite pastime — fishing.

Maybe they would've settled into family life eventually, but in 2007, tabloids started buzzing about the Russian beauty's affair with Swedish millionaire Peter Blomkvist. Timothy stayed silent about the alleged cheating, but their relationship was over.

Oksana relocated to Los Angeles with her son, later dating Mel Gibson and having three kids with him. Dalton continues to support his former partner and son Alexander. The actor himself isn't pursuing any serious relationships, choosing instead to focus on what he loves most — traveling, acting, and voice work. Summer 2019 saw paparazzi catch him kissing someone in Florence. The mystery woman's identity remains unknown, though she was obviously much younger than the actor.

Timothy Dalton Now

In an interview, Timothy Dalton openly admitted that he enjoys solitude. He'd rather catch an opera or curl up with a book than hit any fancy social event. Timothy's happiest when his phone stays quiet for over a day, and lately he prefers voice work for animated projects over being on set. He's content with his grown son and has plenty of money for himself and his interests. Dalton does not engage with social media and does not run any personal blogs. He enjoys being "the man behind the scenes," where he feels free and comfortable.

Among his most recent film work are the roles of the sinister tycoon Donald Whitfield in the TV series "1923," British RAF Colonel Peter Townsend in the fifth season of "The Crown," and the Chief in "Doom Patrol."

Photos: Timothy Dalton

Biography of Timothy Dalton

Childhood and Youth

Film Career

The Personal Life of Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton Now