Personal Life
Lacey was born in Harrow, London. He was known for his generosity and warmth to fans, but equally known in the London theatre scene for his smoking and drinking habits. Often the actor was noted among the gossip pages.
Lacey was twice married. Originally wed to actress Mela White, he became the father of two children, the actors Rebecca and Jonathan Lacey in the 1960s. After a turbulent divorce, he remarried in 1972. Joanna Baker, his second wife, gave birth to his third child, Matthew. His daughter, Rebecca, became a television success on the BBC series Casualty. His son Matthew is the godson of Hammer Films' Barbara Shelley.
He was of Welsh descent and he owned a family cottage in Wales, which was passed on to his three children after his death. The family would spend their holidays together at the cottage.
He had his lower intestines removed in his early twenties and as a result had to have a colostomy bag fitted. Over the years he was refused certain film roles in other countries at his doctor's request. He gained and lost weight over the last 10 years of his life, as he was ill with cancer. He occasionally looked bloated and swollen as a result of medical treatment. He finally succumbed to the cancer when it spread to his liver.
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