I remember being very excited about getting the chance to see him on stage about 10 years ago in Uncle Vanya.
Unfortunately, his performance was really poor.
I think he is a good actor and a likeable one but I wouldn't call him a great actor by any means.

tom courtney is an excellent actor sadly on tv to frequenly.can any one help me tom was in a film drama called redemtion i think in which he played a chap who gets out of jail for a crime with children and alot of people in the village are against him.i think it turns out he hadnt done anything.have i got the right title and is it available any were on dvd or video.

I saw the Larkin play too. "Pretending to be Me" was the name of it. I lived in England for only one year, and I was very very lucky to have caught that.
Tom Courtenay is definitely one my favorite actors, one of the best ever, in my mind, an absolute classic.

I saw him in the Larkin play, too. He was amazing.
I also went to a reading at Borders bookshop when his autobiography/letters from his mum book 'Dear Tom' was publishsed.
He seemed like a matey guy. I was happy he signed by tatty old copy of the "Loneliness' novella.

One of my favourites too (infact he is one of the few actors working today that I absolutely adore). His performance in Billy Liar is utterly original and wonderful! I saw him in Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner over Christmas, yet another great performance (unfortunately I missed him in Whatever Happened to Harold Smith which was on too). I'd really love to see more of his films (or even see him on stage), especially more recent stuff.

there is no better- well said. Tom Courtenay is my favorite actor- I never tire of Billy Liar, Loneliness, Dr. Zhivago, I heard the Owl call my name- He is the top of the heap as far as I am concerned-