Damien Thomas, a talented British character actor, was born in Ismailia, Egypt, situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal. After relocating to London, he pursued his passion for acting by training at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1966.
That same year, Thomas made his theatrical debut as Flamineo in John Webster's 17th-century play, The White Devil. He went on to perform at London's Old Vic and with the New Shakespeare Company, showcasing his versatility as a performer.
Thomas's screen career began in 1968, and he was soon cast in a wide range of ethnic roles, including Middle Easterners, Spaniards, Dutchmen, and Russians. One of his most iconic roles was as the delightfully satanic Count Karnstein in Hammer's classic vampire film, Twins of Evil (1971).
Throughout his career, Thomas took on a variety of notable roles, including the cursed Prince Kassim in Ray Harryhausen's production of Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977),the ill-fated musician Mark Smeaton, executed by the king for adultery in Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972),the Jesuit priest and translator Martin Alvito in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries Shogun (1980),a ruthless Spanish sea captain, Don Alfonso de la Torre, in Roman Polanski's swashbuckler Pirates (1986),and Agrippa, the last king of Judea, in the six-part American/Italian period drama A.D. (1985).
Thomas also made guest appearances in a range of TV shows, including Van der Valk (1972),Blake's 7 (1978),Dempsey and Makepeace (1985),The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986),House of Cards (1990),and Zorro (1990).
Sadly, Damien Thomas passed away on April 18, 2025, just a week after his 83rd birthday.
