Daniel Massey was a renowned English actor of Canadian descent, best known for his portrayal of his godfather, the celebrated playwright Noël Coward, in the critically acclaimed film "Star!" (1968). This remarkable performance earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, marking his only Academy Award nomination.
Born to Canadian actor Raymond Massey and English actress Adrianne Allen, Daniel Massey was raised by his mother after his parents' divorce. His paternal uncle, Vincent Massey, served as the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada from 1952 to 1959.
Massey received his education at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. He began his acting career as a child, appearing in the war film "In Which We Serve" (1942),which depicted the Battle of Crete and its aftermath.
After a hiatus from film roles, Massey returned to the screen in the late 1950s, appearing in various films, including the comedy "Girls at Sea" (1958),the military-themed comedy "Operation Bullshine" (1959),the comedy-drama "Upstairs and Downstairs" (1959),and the music-hall themed drama "The Entertainer" (1960).
Massey's subsequent roles included the incompetent thief in the crime comedy "Go to Blazes" (1962),a supporting role in the historical comedy "The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders" (1965),and the critically acclaimed role in the film "Star!" (1968).
In addition to his film work, Massey received critical acclaim for his television performances, particularly in the historical drama "The Roads to Freedom" (1970),where he portrayed the openly gay character Daniel. The series was an adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's trilogy of novels.
Massey's other notable roles include the historical figure Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, in the film "Mary, Queen of Scots" (1971),and the French dramatist Victorien Sardou in the biographical film "The Incredible Sarah" (1976).
Massey's later work included supporting roles in films such as "The Devil's Advocate" (1977),"Warlords of Atlantis" (1978),and "The Cat and the Canary" (1979). He appeared in only a handful of films in the 1980s, but played the historical judge Mervyn Griffith-Jones in "Scandal" (1989).
Massey's career suffered due to his poor health in the 1990s, and his last film role was voicing Jesus' disciple Cleopas in the animated Biblical drama "The Miracle Maker" (1999).
Tragically, Massey passed away in March 1998, succumbing to Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer affecting the white blood cells. He was laid to rest at Putney Vale Cemetery in southwest London.
