Jimmy Nail

A working-class stiff from Newcastle, rough-hewn actor-singer-writer Jimmy Nail first came to prominence as one of the gang of bricklayers in the immensely popular British TV series "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (1983-84) and, after appearing on American TV in the miniseries "Master of the Game" (CBS, 1984) and "Wallenberg: A Hero's Story" (NBC, 1985), reprised his role as Oz for a second "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (1986) series. Nail co-created and starred as the melancholy detective "Spender" (BBC, 1991-93) before writing, co-executive producing and starring in "Crocodile Shoes" (BBC, 1994), playing a Newcastle factory worker and budding country singer-songwriter. Outstanding as Latin lover Augustin Magaldi, the tango singer who first introduces the young Eva Peron to Buenos Aires, in the film version of "Evita," he returned to the small screen for the sequel "Crocodile Shoes II" (1997). He also reteamed with the writers of "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" (Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais) for the feature "Still Crazy" (1998), about the reunion of a British rock band in which he played a singer now working as a roofer.