Jon Finch was born on March 2, 1942, in Caterham, Surrey, England, to a merchant banker father. He attended Caterham School and began his acting career at age 13, playing a Roman noblewoman in an elementary school production.
After gaining experience in amateur theatre groups and folk singing, Finch served in a parachute regiment for a short time before returning to acting. He appeared in over 50-60 plays, including "Night of the Iguana" and "She Stoops to Conquer," and worked as a stage manager and/or assistant director for several companies.
Finch made his television debut in 1964 with guest roles in various British series, including "Crossroads" and "Z Cars." He then broke into films with supporting roles in Hammer Studio horror classics "The Vampire Lovers" and "The Horror of Frankenstein" in 1970.
The early 1970s saw Finch's film career peak with roles in "Macbeth," "Lady Caroline Lamb," "Frenzy," "The Final Programme," and "Death on the Nile." He also appeared in several Shakespearean productions, including "Richard II," "Henry IV Part I," "Henry IV Part II," and "Much Ado About Nothing."
In the 1980s, Finch continued to work in international drama, appearing in Spanish, Swedish, and German productions. He co-starred with Gary Cooper in "Gary Cooper, que estás en los cielos" and with Glenda Jackson in "Giro City." Finch also appeared in the German dramas "Plaza Real" and "The Voice," the Israeli thriller "Streets of Yesterday," and the Italian film "La più bella del reame."
Despite his talent and charisma, Finch's aversion to publicity and preference for privacy kept him from achieving major stardom. He continued to work in British television, appearing in productions such as "The Martian Chronicles," "Peter and Paul," "The Rainbow," "Merlin of the Crystal Cave," and "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes."
Finch's final film appearances were in "Lurking Fear" and "Darklands." He died on December 28, 2012, at the age of 70, in Sussex, England.
