Peter Copley
Peter Copley (20 May 1915 – 7 October 2008) was an English television, film and stage actor. Copley 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. 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. In 1951 he appeared at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End in the comedy play The Happy Family by Michael Clayton Hutton. 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. Copley continued to act well into his nineties. A resident of Bristol, Copley was awarded an Honorary Degree of Master of Arts by the University of the West of England in 2001.
Known For
Credits
- 2008 · The Colour of Magic as Greyhald Spold
- 2005 · Riot at the Rite as Patron
- 2005 · Oliver Twist as Dining Hall Master
- 2005 · Kingdom of Heaven as Old Pilgram (director's cut)
- 2003 · The Last Detective as Colonel Colin Ingate
- 1999 · Janice Beard 45 WPM as Sean's Father
- 1997 · Jonathan Creek as Eric
- 1994 · Cadfael as Abbot Heribert
- 1992 · A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia as Maitland
- 1990 · One Foot In the Grave as
- 1989 · Agatha Christie's Poirot as Burgoyne
- 1988 · The Importance of Being Earnest as Gribsby
- 1987 · Empire of the Sun as British Prisoner
- 1987 · Never Say Die as
- 1987 · The Trial of Klaus Barbie as Frossard
- 1986 · Casualty as Dan Woods
- 1986 · Casualty as Hugh Phipps
- 1986 · King of the Ghetto as Vicar
- 1986 · Lovejoy as Harold Richards
- 1984 · The Bill as
- 1984 · Androcles and the Lion as Caesar
- 1981 · United Kingdom as Commissioner
- 1981 · The Chinese Detective as
- 1980 · Little Lord Fauntleroy as Reverend Muldaur
- 1980 · Rabbit Pie Day as The Colonel
- 1979 · Churchill and the Generals as Gen. Sir John Dill
- 1979 · Tales of the Unexpected as Man at Railway Station
- 1977 · The Black Panther as
- 1977 · Anna Karenina as
- 1976 · The New Avengers as Prof. Waterlow
- 1976 · Bill Brand as Cedric Maddocks
- 1976 · Shout at the Devil as Admiral Howe
- 1975 · Hennessy as Home Secretary
- 1975 · Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars as Dr. Warlock
- 1975 · Survivors as Dr. Bronson
- 1975 · Sky as
- 1975 · The Venturers as
- 1974 · Father Brown as
- 1974 · Fall of Eagles as Bethmann-Hollweg
- 1973 · Beyond Our Means as Dr. Charteris
- 1973 · Gawain and the Green Knight as Pilgrim
- 1972 · Arthur of the Britons as
- 1972 · That's Your Funeral as 1st Funeral Director
- 1972 · Crown Court as Sir Peter Cutforth
- 1972 · Crown Court as His Honour Judge Edmonds
- 1972 · What Became of Jack and Jill? as Dickson
- 1972 · The Regiment as
- 1971 · Justice as Wigmore
- 1971 · You're Only Young Twice as
- 1970 · Jane Eyre as John
- 1970 · Doomwatch as Admiral Sir Richard Tranton
- 1970 · Manhunt as Martin
- 1969 · Paul Temple as
- 1969 · Department S as The Auctioneer
- 1969 · Walk a Crooked Path as
- 1969 · Mosquito Squadron as Mr. Scott
- 1969 · Tower of London: The Innocent as Archbishop
- 1969 · The Gold Robbers as Asst. Commissioner Farr
- 1969 · Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed as Principal
- 1968 · The Shoes of the Fisherman as English Cardinal
- 1968 · The Champions as Antrobus
- 1968 · The Expert as Hillard
- 1967 · Quatermass and the Pit as Howell
- 1967 · Callan as
- 1966 · Don't Utter a Note as Vicar
- 1966 · Softly, Softly as
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as The Home Secretary
- 1965 · Stranger in the Family as Charles Wilson
- 1965 · Help! as Jeweller
- 1965 · The Knack... and How to Get It as Picture Owner
- 1964 · The July Plot as General Friedrich Olbright
- 1964 · Redcap as
- 1964 · The Wednesday Play as
- 1964 · King and Country as Colonel
- 1964 · Thorndyke as
- 1964 · The Third Secret as Dr Leo Whitset
- 1963 · Doctor Who as Dr. Warlock
- 1962 · The Saint as Don Morland
- 1962 · Z-Cars as
- 1961 · Victim as Paul Mandrake
- 1961 · The Avengers as
- 1961 · The Avengers as Sparshott
- 1960 · Maigret as Xavier Marton
- 1959 · No Hiding Place as
- 1959 · Mystery in the Mine as
- 1958 · Rockets Galore as Scientist
- 1957 · Just My Luck as Gilbert Weaver
- 1957 · The Man Without a Body as Leslie
- 1957 · The Smallest Show on Earth as Actor in The Mystery of Hell Valley (uncredited)
- 1957 · Time Without Pity as Prison Chaplain
- 1957 · The Film That Never Was as
- 1956 · Foreign Intrigue as Brown
- 1956 · Peril for the Guy as Mr. Ritter
- 1954 · Sherlock Holmes as
- 1953 · Saadia as Leader Mokhazenis
- 1953 · The Clue of the Missing Ape as His Excellency
- 1953 · The Sword and the Rose as Sir Edwin Caskoden
- 1952 · The Hour of 13 as Cummings
- 1952 · The Card as P. Shillitoe (uncredited)
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Dr. Harrison
- 1950 · Golden Salamander as Aribi
- 1937 · Farewell Again as Minor Role
- Future · The Man Who Came to Die as Dr. Clarkson
- 1934 · Tell Me If It Hurts as Waiter