Appeared in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), which is a remake of Bedtime Story (1964), which starred Marlon Brando. He also appeared in Heart of Darkness (1993) (TV), which is based on the Joseph Conrad story of the same name, which was previously filmed as Apocalypse Now (1979), also with Brando.
Appeared with his drama school classmate Denis Lawson in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) and with Lawson's nephew, Ewan McGregor in "Karaoke" (1996), Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Appears in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) with Frank Oz, and then in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), which Oz directed. These films were later turned into an NPR radio broadcast and a Broadway musical, respectively. John Lithgow appeared in both.
Attended the University of St. Andrews where he pursued an M.A. in clinical psychology & the Royal Academy in Glasgow
Based his "Emperor Palpatine" character's unusual voice on the Japanese method of using your stomach to project yourself. The result was a strange, guttural croak that Lucas decided was perfect for the character of "Palpatine". In an earlier draft of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the Emperor was described as having a voice that was even deeper and more terrifying than Darth Vader's.
He was awarded the 2001 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama) for Best Actor for his performance in Faith Healer at the Almeida at King's Cross.
His Star Wars character, "Senator Palpatine", is believed to have been named after the character "Senator Palantine", who appears in the film Taxi Driver (1976). In Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Palpatine conceals a light-saber in his sleeve and brings the hilt into his hand when he is about to engage in a fight. As "Travis Bickle", Robert De Niro conceals his handgun likewise in Taxi Driver (1976).
In 1982, he played "Harry Hackamore", a Howard Hughes-type character, in the play, "Seduced", by 'Sam Shepard (I)'. This showed his ability to convincingly play, in close-up, a character much older than himself. This is what attracted the attention of George Lucas and Richard Marquand, who decided that he could play the "Emperor" in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), which was already in production at the time.
In an odd twist of fate, he played an elderly, disfigured Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), and then went on to play a younger version of that character, some 20 years later, in the Star Wars prequels.
Is the first actor in the Star Wars films to both physically play a Sith Lord, and provide the voice.
Serves as Artistic Director of London's Almedia Theatre.
The makeup he had to wear in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) took about two hours to apply and two to take off. By the end of principal photography, the makeup artists had been able to get it on in an hour and a half.
Was a very good friend of Sebastian Shaw.