Peter Copley (20 May 1915 – 7 October 2008) was an English television, film and stage actor.[1][2]
Peter Copley | |
|---|---|
 Copley in an episode of Sherlock Holmes (1954) | |
| Born | Peter Francis Gabain Copley 20 May 1915 Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, U.K. |
| Died | 7 October 2008 (aged 93) Bristol, England, U.K. |
| Years active | 1934–2008 |
| Spouses | Ninka Dolega
(m. 1953, divorced)Margaret Tabor (m. 1967) |
| Children | 1 |
Biography
editCopley was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, son of the printmakers, John Copley and Ethel Gabain.
After changing his mind about joining the Royal Navy, he studied at the Old Vic School and started out as a stage actor in 1932.[3] He made his first film appearance in 1934, going on to play a wide variety of characters from the villainous to the meek and mild. In 1946, he appeared on stage in "Cyrano de Bergerac" at the New Theatre in London.[4] In 1951 he appeared at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End in the comedy play The Happy Family by Michael Clayton Hutton.[5]
TV credits include: Thorndyke, Danger Man, The Saint, The Avengers, The Forsyte Saga, The Troubleshooters, The Champions, Department S, Doomwatch, Z-Cars, Fall of Eagles, Survivors, Bless Me, Father (episode "A Legend Comes to Stay"), Father Brown (episode "The Curse of the Golden Cross"), Doctor Who (in the serial "Pyramids of Mars"), Sutherland's Law, Tales of the Unexpected, Miss Marple (episode "Nemesis"), Lovejoy, The Bill, Cadfael, The Diamond Brothers: South by South East and One Foot in the Grave.[6][7]
Copley continued to act well into his nineties.[8]
A resident of Bristol, Copley was awarded an Honorary Degree of Master of Arts by the University of the West of England in 2001.[9]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title[10] | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Farewell Again | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1950 | Golden Salamander | Aribi | |
| The Elusive Pimpernel | Tailor | Uncredited | |
| 1952 | The Promoter | Shillitoe | Uncredited |
| The Hour of 13 | Cummings | ||
| 1953 | The Sword and the Rose | Sir Edwin Caskoden | |
| The Clue of the Missing Ape | His Excellency | Uncredited | |
| Saadia | Leader Mokhazenis | ||
| 1955 | The Woman for Joe | Mr. Worthington | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Foreign Intrigue | Brown | |
| Peril for the Guy | Ritter | ||
| 1957 | Time Without Pity | Prison Chaplain | |
| The Smallest Show on Earth | Hank in 'The Mystery of Hell Valley' | Uncredited | |
| The Man Without a Body | Leslie | ||
| Just My Luck | Gilbert Weaver | ||
| 1958 | A Tale of Two Cities | Mellor | Uncredited |
| The Strange World of Planet X | News Editor | Uncredited | |
| Rockets Galore! | Scientist | Uncredited | |
| 1959 | The Mystery in the Mine | Tom Abbott | |
| 1960 | Follow That Horse! | Garrod | |
| 1961 | Victim | Paul Mandrake | |
| 1964 | The Third Secret | Dr. Leo Whitset | |
| King & Country | Colonel | ||
| 1965 | The Knack …and How to Get It | Picture Owner | |
| Help! | Jeweller | ||
| 1967 | The Jokers | Defence Lawyer | Uncredited |
| Quatermass and the Pit | Howell | ||
| 1968 | The Shoes of the Fisherman | English Cardinal | |
| 1969 | Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed | Principal | |
| Mosquito Squadron | Mr. Scott | ||
| Walk a Crooked Path | Dr. Oberon | ||
| 1970 | Jane Eyre | John | TV movie |
| All at Sea | Mr. Gordon | ||
| 1972 | What Became of Jack and Jill? | Dickson | |
| That's Your Funeral | 1st Funeral Director | ||
| 1973 | Gawain and the Green Knight | Pilgrim | |
| 1975 | Hennessy | Home Secretary | |
| Doctor Who | Doctor Warlock | Episode: "Pyramids of Mars" | |
| Survivors | Dr George Bronson, Deaf School Teacher | Episode: "The Fourth Horseman" | |
| 1976 | Shout at the Devil | Admiral Howe | |
| Peer Gynt | |||
| 1977 | The Black Panther | ||
| 1978 | The Famous Five | Mr Finniston | Episode: "Five on Finniston Farm" |
| 1980 | Little Lord Fauntleroy | Rev. Muldaur | |
| 1982 | Witness for the Prosecution | Dr. Harrison | TV movie |
| 1983 | The Forgotten Story | Mr. Cowdray | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Miss Marple: Nemesis | Archdeacon Brabazon | |
| 1987 | Empire of the Sun | British Prisoner #10 | |
| 1992 | A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia | Maitland | TV movie |
| 1994 | Second Best | Percy | |
| Cadfael | Abbot (later Brother) Heribert | 4 episodes | |
| 1999 | Janice Beard 45 WPM | Sean's Father | |
| 2005 | Kingdom of Heaven | Old Pilgram | (director's cut) |
| Oliver Twist | Dining Hall Master |
References
edit- ^ "Peter Copley". Archived from the original on 9 December 2017.
- ^ "Peter Copley - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- ^ Unwin, Paul (10 October 2008). "Obituary: Peter Copley". The Guardian.
- ^ "Production of Cyrano de Bergerac - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- ^ Wearing, J.P. The London Stage 1950–1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. p.94
- ^ Tribute Archived 11 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Peter Copley". aveleyman.com.
- ^ "Peter Copley".
- ^ Hayward, Anthony (29 December 2008). "Peter Copley: Prolific character actor whose career lasted more than 70 years". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ Scott, A. O. (25 September 2006). "Peter Copley". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 September 2006.
External links
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