Sir John Standing is one of England's most respected stage, film and television actors. From a distinguished acting dynasty which includes his great-grandfather Herbert Standing (1846-1923) and his grandfather Sir Guy Standing (1873-1937) and his mother, the actress Kay Hammond. He succeeded his father Sir Ronald Leon, as the 4th baronet in 1964. Sir John has worked productively on both the London and New York stages over the decades with leading parts in "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Ring Around the Moon," "A Sense of Detachment" by John Osborne, and, most notably, in Noël Coward's "Private Lives," with Maggie Smith. Lesser known for his film work, he has nevertheless supported and enhanced such cinematic offerings as The Wild and the Willing (1962), his debut film, Un Caïd (1965), Poupées de cendres (1966), Rien ne sert de courir (1966), L'aigle s'est envolé (1976), Elephant Man (1980), Nightflyers (1987), Mrs Dalloway (1997), and La séductrice (2004). His prestigious television roles have included the classic mini-series The First Churchills (1969), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979), and The Choir (1995), and Allan Quatermain et la pierre des ancêtres (2004). In the U.S., he has graced numerous weekly programmes including La loi de Los Angeles (1986), Guerres privées (1991), and Arabesque (1984) and co-starred briefly with Robert Wagner and the late Samantha Smith in the action series Lime Street (1985), which ended abruptly with the young girl's death in a plane crash. The 13-year-old Smith became an instant celebrity after writing a touching and concerned letter to the then Soviet President Yuri Andropov about the relations between the two dominant powers and being invited to Russia. His second wife is the actress Sarah Forbes, who is the daughter of the director Bryan Forbes and actress Nanette Newman.
