
Paul Copley
Paul is a long established and much respected British actor and voiceover artist. Born in Denby Dale, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 25th November 1944 he grew up beside a dairy farm. His father, Harold, was involved with local amateur dramatic productions, as were the rest of his family. He went to Penistone Grammar School, then the Northern Counties College of Education in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he received an Associate of the Drama Board (ADB) in Drama. He taught English and Drama in Walthamstow, before he joined the Leeds Playhouse Theatre-in-education Company in 1971. In 1976, Paul won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a New Play for his role in John Wilson's For King and Country. With many and varied roles to follow, Paul soon established himself as one of the UK's leading stage, film, television and radio actors. In 2011-2015 Paul gained worldwide recognition appearing in 16 episodes of the hugely popular television series Downton Abbey playing the popular role of farmer Mr Mason. Paul is married to the actress Natasha Pyne. They married in 1972, after both performing in a Leeds Playhouse production of Frank Wedekind's Lulu, adapted by Peter Barnes, directed by Bill Hays in 1971.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale as Albert Mason
- 2022 · DI Ray as Terry Hunter
- 2022 · Downton Abbey: A New Era as Mason
- 2020 · Enola Holmes as Station Master
- 2015 · The Coroner as John Roxwell
- 2014 · Inside No. 9 as Ernie
- 2013 · Father Brown as Mr Feste
- 2012 · Last Tango in Halifax as
- 2012 · Last Tango in Halifax as Harry
- 2012 · First Encounter: King Lear as King Lear
- 2012 · Call the Midwife as Tommy Smith
- 2011 · Vera as Malcolm Kenrich
- 2010 · Downton Abbey as Mr. Mason
- 2009 · Moving On as Ronnie
- 2008 · Survivors as Ted
- 2008 · Inspector George Gently as
- 2007 · Kingdom as Vincent Straker
- 2006 · Torchwood as Clement McDonald
- 2006 · When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2006 · The Street as
- 2006 · Life on Mars as Reg Cole
- 2005 · Marian, Again as Phillip Walsh
- 2004 · No Angels as
- 2004 · New Tricks as
- 2003 · The Key as
- 2002 · Born and Bred as Hubert Gough
- 2001 · Waking the Dead as
- 2001 · Waking the Dead as Clifford Day
- 2001 · Hornblower: Retribution as Matthews
- 2001 · Blow Dry as Ken
- 2000 · Clocking Off as
- 1999 · Queer as Folk as Roy Maloney
- 1998 · The Worst Witch as Algernon Rowan-Webb
- 1998 · The Worst Witch as Algernon Rowan Webb
- 1998 · Hornblower as Matthews
- 1997 · The Lakes as Peter Quinlan
- 1997 · Midsomer Murders as Frank Dewar
- 1996 · This Life as Jerry Cook
- 1996 · Dalziel & Pascoe as
- 1996 · Silent Witness as
- 1996 · Jude as Mr. Willis
- 1993 · The Remains of the Day as Harry Smith
- 1993 · Cracker as Pathologist
- 1993 · Peak Practice as Tim Shardlow
- 1993 · Peak Practice as DS Patrick Hopkins
- 1992 · Heartbeat as Dick Radcliffe
- 1992 · Heartbeat as Herbie Lloyd
- 1992 · Heartbeat as Malcolm Stainsby
- 1991 · How's Business as Jack
- 1989 · The Paradise Club as Mousey Pavitt
- 1986 · Casualty as Frederick Chambers
- 1986 · Casualty as Mick McCarthur
- 1986 · Casualty as Arthur
- 1984 · The Bill as
- 1981 · A Room for the Winter as Robert
- 1981 · Tenko as POW
- 1979 · Minder as Palmer
- 1977 · BBC2 Play of the Week as Finnegan
- 1977 · BBC2 Play of the Week as Bill
- 1977 · A Bridge Too Far as Pvt. Wicks
- 1976 · Arnhem: The Story of an Escape as Finnegan
- 1974 · Playhouse as Jim
- 1974 · Playhouse as Vernon
- 1970 · Play for Today as
- 1970 · Play for Today as Andy
- Future · Dangerous Journey as Narrator
- 2025 · Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Ticker as Howard
- 2021 · The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble as Great Uncle Geoffrey
- 2020 · Ropeless as Larry Windsor
- 2018 · On the Edge as Ray
- 2017 · Broken as Joe Kerrigan
- 2016 · Reg as
- 2016 · The Nest Egg as
- 2015 · The Sound of Music Live! as Franz
- 2015 · Code of a Killer as Sidney Jeffreys
- 2013 · Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork as Narrator
- 2012 · White Heat as Alan (present day)
- 2007 · The Shadow in the North as Paton
- 2006 · Johnny and the Bomb as Sgt. Bourke
- 2005 · Dead Man Weds as Blind Man
- 2003 · How Clean Is Your House? as
- 2003 · How Clean Is Your House? as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Burn It as Terry Grimshaw
- 2003 · The Royal as Nesbitt
- 2003 · Hornblower: Duty as Matthews
- 2003 · Hornblower: Loyalty as Matthews
- 2002 · Nice Guy Eddie as
- 2002 · The Many Lives of Albert Walker as Danny Peck
- 2001 · Messiah as Ian Fleet
- 2001 · Hornblower: Mutiny as Mathews
- 1999 · Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters as Mathews
- 1999 · Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil as Matthews
- 1998 · Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant as Mathews
- 1998 · Hornblower: The Even Chance as Matthews
- 1998 · Written in Blood as Brian Chappel
- 1994 · Roughnecks as Ian
- 1994 · A Pinch of Snuff as Charlie Heppelwhite
- 1993 · Harry as Thomas Thomas
- 1989 · Stay Lucky as
- 1989 · Testimony of a Child as Gerry
- 1989 · Young Charlie Chaplin as Chimnery Sweep
- 1986 · Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus as Local Man
- 1985 · Silas Marner as William Dane
- 1985 · The Bright Side as
- 1985 · Which Side Are You On? as Narrator (voice)
- 1985 · Bird Fancier as Roy Pearson
- 1983 · Doll’s Eye as Social Worker
- 1983 · Ends and Means as
- 1982 · Ghost in the Water as Mr. Reed
- 1981 · P.Q. 17 as PO Jordan
- 1981 · West End Tales as Herbert
- 1981 · A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado as Tom
- 1980 · Happy as Vernon
- 1980 · Death of a Princess as Steve Jackson
- 1979 · Cries from a Watchtower as Andy
- 1979 · Black Jack as Narrator
- 1979 · Zulu Dawn as Cpl. Storey
- 1978 · On a Paving Stone Mounted as
- 1978 · Travellers as Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
- 1978 · Mucking Out as Brian Wilson
- 1978 · The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill as Bill
- 1978 · Destiny as Paul McShane
- 1978 · Some Enchanted Evening as Peter
- 1977 · A Christmas Carol as Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
- 1977 · Treasure Island as
- 1977 · Secret Army as Eric Finch
- 1975 · Days of Hope as Ben Matthews
- 1975 · Alfie Darling as Bakey
- 1975 · Diane as Jim
- 1973 · Father Dear Father as Dumbo
- 1973 · Speech Day as Woodwork Master
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as