Tom was born on 25th February 1937, the son of a ship's painter. At that time,
the Courtenay family lived at 29 Harrow Street, Hessle Road, but later moved
to Duddon Grove, off Waveney Road on the Longhill Estate in East Hull. Tom
attended the West Dock Avenue Boys Primary school, where he scaled the heights
to become Chief Monitor. Tom was a well dressed, well spoken and polite pupil
and was remembered by his former teachers as having neat handwriting. He was
very keen on sports, particularly cricket and soccer, but as he got older it
seemed he always had his face in a book. However, he has retained his love of
sport, and is a keen supporter of Hull City Football Club. Other interests
include classical music and, of course, the cinema and the theatre.
After West Dock, he won a scholarship to attend Kingston High School, where he improved upon the position of Chief Monitor and became Head Boy. Tom said, modestly, that this was "only because I can make speeches and all that". From Kingston High, he went on to the London University to study for a degree in English. Unfortunately, Tom failed to get his degree, and admits to not working hard enough, spending more time on the university stage than writing essays. Although Tom's mother had ambitions for him to become a teacher, both parents were very proud of his success in his chosen career. In fact, his father said of him: "I am very proud of my son, and always have been. And it's not just because he's got to the top". Although his mother died in 1964, Tom had already made his mark, and his mother was there to share in her son's early achievements.
Tom went on to study drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he was awarded the Bernard Shaw scholarship. Whilst at RADA, Tom took jobs as a railway porter, a waiter, and a park labourer, in order to make ends meet.
His first professional engagement was at the Old Vic, where he played the part of Constantine in Chekov's The Seagull. In the early sixties he rose to prominence with starring roles in Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), and Billy Liar (1963).
Tom is greatly respected by his fellow professionals, and continues to
work on stage and in films.