Sam Dastor

{{Infobox person

|name=Sam Dastor

|nationality=British

|education=University of Cambridge
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

|occupation=Actor

|years_active=1969–present

|website={{URL|http://samdastor.com}}

}}

Sam Dastor is an Indian-born British actor best known for his appearances in British television series.

Life and career

Dastor was born in India and raised in a Parsi family of Zoroastrian faith, though he later converted to Christianity.{{Cite web |title=December: Burnside Magi drama {{!}} News and features {{!}} University of Bristol |url=https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2015/december/magi-bristol-drama.html |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=bristol.ac.uk |language=en-GB |quote=By coincidence, Sam [Dastor] is Parsi and comes from the very part of India where the Zoroastrians, descendants of the ancient Magi, sought refuge. Sam was born and brought up as a Zoroastrian, before converting to Christianity. The Magi – one of whom he is playing – are his distant ancestors.}} He graduated from the University of Cambridge.{{Cite web|url=http://www.yesprimeminister.co.uk/cast-creative/cast/sam-dastor/|title=Yes, Prime Minister » Cast Creative » Cast » Sam Dastor|website=yesprimeminister.co.uk}}{{cite web|title=Sam Dastor|url=http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/samdastor.htm|website=Naxos AudioBooks|accessdate=26 June 2015}} He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and joined the National Theatre, where he was under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier.

Dastor has acted in the West End, including playing Ariel in a production of The Tempest while Paul Scofield played Prospero. Dastor also appeared in three of Simon Gray's plays: Melon, Hidden Laughter, and Cell Mates.

Dastor is best known for his many appearances on British television, often playing characters of exotic origin. His most notable roles include Cassius Chaerea in the 1976 BBC adaptation of I, Claudius and Gandhi in both Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy and the film Jinnah.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4fc9e3e|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308033541/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4fc9e3e|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 March 2019|title=Sam Dastor|publisher=British Film Institute}} Other credits include Coronation Street (as Jimmy, a Weatherfield Market trader in October 1981), Softly, Softly, Space: 1999, Blake's 7, Shoestring, Yes Minister, Fortunes of War, A Touch of Frost and Spooks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=29871|title=Sam Dastor|website=aveleyman.com}}