Frank received Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for his performance as William Shakespeareâs Iago in Stuart Burgeâs 1965 film of Laurence Olivierâs staging of Othello. He also won the Best Actor Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
He later essayed the definitive screen portrayal of Alexandre Dumasâ musketeer Porthos in three movies for director Richard Lester: The Three Musketeers (1974), The Four Musketeers (1975) and The Return of the Musketeers (1989). Frankâs many other films include The Longest Day; Tony Richardsonâs The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner; Martin Rittâs The Molly Maguires; Bob Clarkâs Murder by Decree; Alan Bridgesâ The Return of the Soldier (for which he recieved a BAFTA Award nomination); Franco Zeffrelliâs Sparrow; and Eric Stylesâ Dreaming of Joseph Lees; and most recently Roman Polanskiâs multi-award winning The Pianist and Norma Jewisonâs The Statement.
His similarly extensive television projects have earned him two BAFTA Awards, for his performances in The Death of Adolf Hitler (starring as Hitler, with Rex Firkin directing); The Adventures of Don Quixote (as Sancho Panza, opposite Rex Harrison, for director Alvin Rakoff); the ground breaking Bouquet of Barbed Wire and Another Bouquet; 84 Charing Cross Road; and recently the critically acclaimed series The Sins. Born in Farnworth, Lancashire, Finlay had already begun performing on stage when he earned the Sir James Knott Scholarship at Londonâs Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Since then he has led theatre companies in London and on Broadway.
He was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1984 New Yearâs Honours List, and was presented with his CBE by the Queen in February1984.