Daniel Massey was born and died in London, England. He made his film debut as a child in Noel Coward's flag-waver, In Which We Serve (1942) -- Coward being his godfather. He would later play Noel Coward in the 1968 Julie Andrews vehicle, Star!, a performance for which he won a Golden Globe award. Massey appeared in numerous British films from the 1950s onwards, without ever becoming a major star, and the 1968 award would be the high point of his career. He also made many stage appearances, notably in musicals such as Gigi and Stephen Sondheim's Follies.
Massey was married four times, twice to well-known actresses: Adrienne Corri and Penelope Wilton. He died of Hodgkin's disease.