Veteran actor Tom Courtenay has told how his own family life provided inspiration for his role as a needy father in 'Little Dorrit'.
Courtenay plays William Dorrit, who is looked after by daughter Amy while in a debtors' prison in the BBC1 series.
He told the latest issue of the Radio Times: "The selfish way Old Dorrit treats Amy is very close to home. My father lived 20-odd years after my mother's death (from cancer at 48) and he was quite a weight on my sister Ann, who's a year younger than me.
"When Dorrit asks Amy: 'Where did you go? What were you up to?' I said to myself: 'That sounds like Dad.' I was closer to my mother, but feel very affectionate to my father now. I thought of turning down my knighthood (in 2000).
"Mother would have been too sophisticated to care, but Dad would have loved it, so I did it for him."
The 71-year-old also criticised the dominance of musicals on the West End.
He told the magazine: "In my day we learnt to tread the boards, which is what we wanted, and there were lots of plays on 'the West End stage'. Now it's all musicals, which is a shame."
Courtenay had huge success with 'Billy Liar' on stage and film and also in 'Doctor Zhivago', for which he had his first Oscar nomination.
He said: "I was plunged in at the deep end, told I'd own the world and offered millions.That's unsettling. I enjoyed being made a fuss of, but felt very unprepared.
"Fame can be a great user-up of people. On the other hand, lack of talent doesn't necessarily hold people back. It often seems an advantage. I'm not a great follower of showbiz."
