British actor Michael York was born March 27, 1942 in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire, England. Although York has been acting in film since the 1960s, he is best known for his recent work in the series of Austin Powers movies. Michael Myers’ three-part comedy series transformed a lot of the movie characters into pop culture icons, including York.

York lives in California today and is well known on the restaurant scene and in the liberal elite circles. He even appeared as himself in HBO’s hit comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, playing well with the series’ star Larry David as a partner investor in a money-pit-like venture.

Michael York is an Oxford-educated man who always showed great intelligence in his acting decisions. After growing up in Burgess Hill, Sussex, York started to pursue acting as a career in the mid 1950s. By 1956, he scored his first role in a production titled The Yellow Jacket. York would make his West End debut in 1959’s production of Hamlet.

These were minor roles and did nothing major to further Michael’s career. York started becoming more serious about acting while attending the University of Oxford in the 1960s and performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society. In 1965, one year after graduating, York joined the National Theatre and caught attention with his role in Much Ado About Nothing.

During that time, he met a director named Franco Zeffirelli. Franco liked York’s work, and when he decided to make a film version of The Taming of the Shrew, Michael seemed like the obvious choice. York would join him again in 1968 for a big-screen version of Romeo and Juliet. This role helped York’s career take off, and he went on to star in a slew of movies throughout the 70s.

Michael always appreciated the art of acting and enjoyed putting his all into a performance. He was never really caught up with the famous lifestyle, so when he switched time from on-screen roles and Broadway plays, he wasn’t doing so to earn credibility within the community.

York was a star in motion pictures, TV dramas and on-stage productions. One of the biggest roles of his career was as one of the fabled Musketeers, D’Artagnan. York also became a huge cult icon after his 1977 sci-fi thriller, The Island of Dr. Moreau.

The 1980s and 90s weren’t exactly years that transformed York into an international star in a newer era of motion picture, but with a few plays to his credit and dozens of television roles, Michael always managed to keep busy and continued to act in nearly any type of production.

York has always held fast as a working actor. His talent is undeniable and he turns up in a program when you least expect it. He even has three big movies currently in production, Flatland: An IMAX 3D Experience, The Mill and the Cross, and Quantum Heist.