Julian Curry was best known for his role in vintage TV series Rumpole of the Bailey, but his biggest passion was wine and he translated that into a successful one-man show.
The entertainment stalwart, who has died at the age of 82, has been remembered for his versatility in a variety of roles.
Born on December 8 1937, Mr Curry was educated at Darlington Hall School in Devon.
His father Bill was the headmaster at the time, and his passion for performing was kick-started by visits from his maternal aunt Moyna Macgill, who was a popular actress in the 1920s.
Mr Curry was the cousin of famed actress Dame Angela Lansbury, who is well-known to generations of film and TV fans from her roles in Murder, She Wrote and Beauty and The Beast.
Though not quite the household name that his relative was, Mr Curry had an impressive resume himself.
His list of credits ranged from working on ITV police drama Inspector Morse to film roles in blockbusters like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
Curry also had a role in 1996 movie Loch Ness, about a disbelieving American who learns to believe in the magic of Nessie.
He was best known for playing Claude Erskine-Brown in the ITV series Rumpole of the Bailey, which ran from 1978 to 1992.
Spanning 44 episodes, the TV series spawned books and radio spin-offs.
A connoisseur of wines, he held a Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, and was for some years a freelance member of the Circle of Wine Writers.
He ploughed that passion into a unique one-man show in 2000.
Dubbed “Hic” and written and performed entirely by Mr Curry, the show took viewers on a witty tour through the history of wine.
Curry was no stranger to the stage, as the author of Shakespeare on Stage, a collection of interviews with thirteen leading actors focussing on specific Shakespearean roles.
It was nominated as 2011 Theatre Book of the Year and contained interviews with Brian Cox, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Derek Jacobi, Jude Law, Ian McKellen,Helen Mirren and Kevin Spacey.