Veteran stage and screen actor Alan Bates died of liver cancer Saturday night (December 27th) in London. Bates, 66, had battled the disease for years, and died with his brother and son at his side, according to the BBC.

Bates' first big film role was opposite Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer. He went on to play Basil in Zorba The Greek, and was nominated for a best actor Oscar in 1969 for The Fixer. His other film credits include Georgy Girl with Lynn Redgrave, Far From The Madding Crowd, and Ken Russell's Women In Love, which featured an infamous scene of him wrestling nude with Oliver Reed.

Bates' more recent film appearances were in Gosford Park, The Sum Of All Fears, and The Mothman Prophecies. He also has a supporting role in the war criminal drama The Statement, which is currently playing in limited release.

Bates won both a Tony and a Drama Desk award in 2002 for his leading role in the Broadway play Fortune's Fool. He was also knighted last year.