During World War II he served as a lieutenant in the Union Defence Force Entertainment UnitA Country At War 1939-1945 –The Mood Of A Nation, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Ashanti Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Rivonia, 1992. in South Africa's army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to the United Kingdom in December 1946, financed by his service gratuity. Initially he worked in repertory, before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry.
During World War II he served as a lieutenant in the Union Defence Force Entertainment UnitA Country At War 1939-1945 –The Mood Of A Nation, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Ashanti Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Rivonia 1992. in South Africa's army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to the United Kingdom in December 1946, financed by his servic,e gratuity. Initially he worked in repertory, before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry.