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Terence Henry Stamp (born 22 July 1938) is an English actor. Since starting his career in 1962, he has appeared in over 60 films. His title role as Billy Budd in his film debut earned Stamp an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer.
His other major roles include butterfly collector Freddie Clegg in The Collector, archvillain General Zod in Superman and Superman II, tough guy Wilson in The Limey, Supreme Chancellor Valorum in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, ghost antagonist Ramsley in The Haunted Mansion, Elektra's master Stick in Elektra, Pekwarsky in Wanted, Maxwell Smart's archvillain Siegfried in Get Smart, council of high help Terrence Bundley in Yes Man, the Covenant Hierarch "Prophet of Truth" in Halo 3 and General Ludwig Beck in Valkyrie. Stamp has won a Golden Globe, a Mystfest, a Cannes Film Festival Award, a Seattle International Film Festival Award, a Satellite Award and a Silver Bear. Playing against type, he appeared as a transsexual in the Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994).

Early life [edit]
Stamp, the eldest of five children, was born in Stepney, London in 1938, the son of Ethel Esther (née Perrott) and Thomas Stamp, who was a tugboat captain. His early years were spent in Canal Road, Bow, in the East End, but later in his childhood the family moved to Plaistow, West Ham, in Essex (now London Borough of Newham in London). His father was away for long periods with the Merchant Navy and the young Stamp was mostly brought up by his mother, grandmother and aunts. He grew up idolising actor Gary Cooper after his mother took him to see Beau Geste (1939) when he was three years old. He was also inspired by the 1950s avant-garde method actor James Dean.
On leaving school, Stamp worked in a variety of advertising agencies in London, working his way up to a very respectable wage. In the mid‑1950s, he also worked as an assistant to professional golfer Reg Knight at Wanstead Golf Club in East London. He describes this period of his life very positively in his 1988 autobiography Stamp Album. Deep down, he wanted to be an actor—a realisation that came when Stamp found he no longer had to serve two years' national service after being rejected for once having had treatment for his feet.
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This text is based on a article from the open encyclopedia Wikipedia and stands under GNU license for free documentation. On Wikipedia there is List of the authors Available. Image: Allan warren