Born in London, Paul's educational journey took him to Haberdashers' Aske School in Borehamwood and Sir William Borlase's school in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. He then pursued his passion for fine art at Reading University.
From 1943 to 1947, Paul served in the RAF Bomber Command, where he developed a taste for the theatre by performing for his fellow servicemen. This sparked his desire to further his training at RADA, and he made his stage debut on Boxing Day 1947 at Bromley's News Theatre as the front legs of a horse in Alice in Wonderland.
Throughout his illustrious career, Paul's work took him from Shakespeare to musical comedy, revue, pantomime, West End drama, and television. He enjoyed the distinction between stage and television acting, making a conscious effort to alternate his work to avoid the fear of returning to the stage.
In 1955, Paul appeared in the English premiere of Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot, later changing roles and taking on the part of Vladimir just before rehearsals began. Although he excelled in various roles, he failed to reach the expected heights at the Old Vic in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the early 1960s, Paul played Dr. Faustus and Richard III with The Old Vic before joining Nottingham Playhouse, touring West Africa. He also took on the role of King Arthur in Camelot, touring Australia before taking over from Laurence Harvey at Drury Lane in 1965, following his starring role in The New Men at The Strand.
Despite his natural inclination towards the classics, Paul made a conscious effort to stay current with the theatre scene by appearing in a wide range of plays, thrillers, and farces. When he took over from Donald Sinden in Shut Your Eyes and Think of England in 1979, he suffered a heart attack while tending to one of the characters, leading him to turn to writing.
His television sitcom Affairs of the Heart, which aired in 1985, starred Derek Fowlds as a man who had a heart attack. Paul's novel If Only I Had Wings was published in 1995.
Paul's personal life was marked by two marriages, the first to Susan Courtney in 1952, with whom he adopted a daughter, and the second to Meredith, with whom he had two daughters. Paul passed away on April 28, 2001.
