Tom Conti

Tom Conti tied the nuptial knot with Scottish actress, Kara Wilson, in 1967. The couple is blessed with a daughter, Nina, who is an actress and ventriloquist.

Tom Conti was born as Thomas Antonio Conti on November 22, 1941, in Paisley, Renfrewshire to Mary and Alfonso Conti. He is of mixed ancestry; his mother is Scottish and his father is Italian Both his parents were hairdressers. Though brought up as a Roman Catholic, Conti became anti-religious later on.

Conti gained his early education at Hamilton Park School. During the initial days, Conti trained himself as a classical pianist. However, he gave up his musical career to pursue acting while attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Conti had his first stint with acting at the age of eighteen. He was cast for Citizen's Theatre's 1959 production ‘The Roving Boy’. Same year, he began working with the Dundee Repertory.

Throughout the decade of 1960s, Conti meagrely survived. Except for sporadic television appearances here and there, Conti’s acting career was largely doomed to the point that he even thought of giving it up permanently to pursue a career in medicine for a steady income.

In 1972, the struggling actor performed for the play, ‘The Black and White Ministrels’ at the Transverse Theatre for the Edinburgh Festival. His performance in the play earned him a place in the religious television drama series, ‘Adam Smith’. This led to the beginning of a more promising acting career.

Following his 1972 television breakthrough, Conti did not give up on his on-stage appearance. He continued to star in plays, making his debut on the London stage in 1973 with the Christopher Hampton play ‘Savages’.

In 1974, he performed at the Hampstead theatre for ‘Other People’ and ‘Don Juan’; in ‘Don Juan’, he played the title role.

The magnum opus of Conti’s career came in 1979 with the play, ‘Whose Life It Is Anyway?’ Interestingly, the play marked Conti’s debut in Broadway as well. The play was a huge hit and established Conti’s reputation as a talented actor. His remarkable portrayal of the role of a paralyzed sculptor gained widespread appreciation from the audience. It also won him several awards.

Conti’s film career saw heights with the release of the film, ‘Reuben Reuben’. Released in 1983, this dramedy (comedy and drama) earned acclaim both critically and commercially. Conti was praised for playing to perfection the titular role of Gowan McGland. He even received Academy and Golden Globe award nominations.