Tom Conti is a renowned Scottish actor, born Thomas Antonio Conti on November 22, 1941, in Paisley, Scotland, to Italian immigrant Alfonso Conti and Scottish mother Mary (McGoldrick). His early life was marked by a musical education at Hamilton Park Catholic School and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where he initially trained to be a classical pianist before switching to acting.
Conti's acting career began with the Citizens Theatre's 1959 production of "The Roving Boy" at the age of 18. Throughout the 1960s, he struggled to find consistent work, performing on the Glasgow and English repertory stages and making occasional television appearances. However, his breakthrough came in 1972 when he was cast in the TV series "Adam Smith" and went on to perform in the play "The Black and White Minstrels" at the Traverse Theatre for the Edinburgh Festival.
The 1970s saw Conti's career gain momentum, with notable performances in the TV series "Madame Bovary" and "The Glittering Prizes", as well as in the stage productions "Savages" and "Don Juan". His role as a paralyzed sculptor in the play "Whose Life is it Anyway?" earned him numerous awards, including the Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Laurence Olivier, and Variety Club Awards.
Conti's success on stage led to a film career, with notable roles in "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and "Reuben, Reuben", for which he received a National Board of Review award and an Oscar nomination. He continued to work in film throughout the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in projects such as "American Dreamer", "Saving Grace", "Shirley Valentine", and "Someone Else's America".
In addition to his acting work, Conti has also ventured into writing, publishing the thriller novel "The Doctor" in 2004. He has been married to Scottish actress Kara Wilson since 1967 and has a daughter, Nina, who is also an actress and ventriloquist.
