Jimmy Nail

Jimmy Nail is an English actor and Pop/Country singer (born March 16, 1954, Gleneagles Close, Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne). He is famous for his rugged looks, hit singles and a strong Geordie accent.

Nail rose to fame playing Leonard Jeffrey 'Oz' Osborne in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet in 1983, despite having no acting experience whatsoever (he had appeared as an extra in the movie Get Carter). Nail has also starred in a number of films and had a long musical career, having been a singer before he was picked out at an audition to play Oz.

After the first two series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Nail found himself typecast before creating the detective series, Spender, which he co-wrote with Ian La Frenais. The show ran for three seasons from 1990 to 1993 and also produced a tele-film. This was followed in 1995 by Crocodile Shoes, which he also created and starred as musician Jed Shepherd. After working with Madonna and Antonio Banderas in Alan Parker's Evita (1996) he co-starred in Clement & La Frenais' Sony movie 'Still Crazy' (1998). A song from the movie, 'The Flame Still Burns', sung by Nail, was nominated for a Golden Globe.

He has released a number of albums of his own compositions, the first being 'Take It Or Leave It' in 1986, 1991's 'Growing Up In Public' (featuring among others Gary Moore, David Gilmour and George Harrison), the last being 'Tadpoles In A Jar' in 1999 . His 'Crocodile Shoes' album of 1995 sold over a million copies. Mark Knopfler plays guitar on some tracks, a compliment that was repaid with an important plot reference to Oz's being a fan of Dire Straits in the third (revived) series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (2002).

His work has resulted in five Bafta nominations (three in total for 'A.W.P.', one for 'Spender', one for 'Crocodile Shoes')), a Golden Globe nomination ( Best Original Song - 'Still Crazy'), an Ivor Novello nomination (for 'Ain't No Doubt) and numerous other awards and nominations.