When his Merchant Navy freighter was torpedoed and sunk en route to Malta in 1942, the 17-year-old Frederick Treves saved several shipmates and was awarded the British Empire Medal for bravery. He carried that hard-won courage and authority with him into an acting career that lasted almost six decades, and in which he distinguished himself as a character actor of enormous presence.
SOURCE: The Stage at 11:33AM on February 21, 2012