 Blakemore's first job in the theatre was as press agent for Robert Morley during the Australian tour of "Edward, My Son", who advised him to try drama school.In 1950 he came to London, enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and trained as an actor until 1952.He made his first professional stage appearance in 1952 at the Theatre Royal, Huddersfield, as the doctor in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street".