Background
Burns was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire and educated at Ampleforth College, North Yorkshire.
Burns was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire and educated at Ampleforth College, North Yorkshire.
Ampleforth College.
He originally planned to enter the priesthood, but after a short-service commission with the 15th/19th The King"s Royal Hussars (1955-1957), in which he served in Malaya and Northern Ireland, he became an actor. His career began in 1960 with the film Tunes of Glory followed by the television series Lorna Doone (1963) and Rupert of Hentzau (1964). One of his most prominent roles was as the male lead in the cult 1966 mystery film Death Is a Woman.
Burns also appeared in The Saint episode "The Scales of Justice", and The Prisoner episode "lieutenant"s Your Funeral" as Number Two"s assistant.
He played William Morris in, Bernie in, Alfred in and Hans Von Bülow in. In 1975, together with Lynne Frederick he did A Long Return by Pedro Lazaga.
He also appeared in and His career stagnated in the 1980s and 1990s, his last film being.
He died from lung cancer.