He made his film debut in 1972 in "Anoop and the Elephant". He had an incidental appearance (with fellow drama students) in 1975 in Thames Television's "You Must Be Joking!" In 1976, at the age of 17, he featured as a waiter in "Bugsy Malone". Also in 1976 he had significant roles in three television series: "The Molly Wopsies", "Four Idle Hands", and "The Flockton Flyer". Over the following four years he appeared in "Quadrophenia", "Breaking Glass" and "Scum". He also appeared in the 1970s TV drama serial "Raven".