Peter Copley

Birthday: 1915-05-20
Deathday: 2008-10-07
Birthplace: Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

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.

Credits

Year Title Character
The Man Who Came to Die Dr. Clarkson
2005-10-18 Riot at the Rite Patron
2005-09-23 Oliver Twist Dining Hall Master
2005-05-03 Kingdom of Heaven Old Pilgram (director's cut)
1999-10-29 Janice Beard 45 WPM Sean's Father
1992-04-18 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia Maitland
1988-05-29 The Importance of Being Earnest Gribsby
1987-12-09 Empire of the Sun British Prisoner
1987-07-15 The Trial of Klaus Barbie Frossard
1986-05-01 King of the Ghetto Vicar
1984-06-12 Androcles and the Lion Caesar
1981-12-08 United Kingdom Commissioner
1980-12-01 Little Lord Fauntleroy Reverend Muldaur
1980-11-10 Rabbit Pie Day The Colonel
1979-09-23 Churchill and the Generals Gen. Sir John Dill
1977-12-26 The Black Panther
1976-04-12 Shout at the Devil Admiral Howe
1975-12-31 Hennessy Home Secretary
1975-11-15 Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars Dr. Warlock
1973-09-18 Beyond Our Means Dr. Charteris
1973-06-01 Gawain and the Green Knight Pilgrim
1972-12-01 That's Your Funeral 1st Funeral Director
1972-06-16 What Became of Jack and Jill? Dickson
1970-12-01 Jane Eyre John
1969-08-31 Walk a Crooked Path
1969-08-22 Mosquito Squadron Mr. Scott
1969-07-31 Tower of London: The Innocent Archbishop
1969-05-22 Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed Principal
1968-11-14 The Shoes of the Fisherman English Cardinal
1967-11-09 Quatermass and the Pit Howell
1966-06-28 The Devil's Eggshell The Home Secretary
1966-04-09 Don't Utter a Note Vicar
1965-10-18 Stranger in the Family Charles Wilson
1965-07-29 Help! Jeweller
1965-05-01 The Knack... and How to Get It Picture Owner
1964-12-09 The July Plot General Friedrich Olbright
1964-09-05 King and Country Colonel
1964-02-02 The Third Secret Dr Leo Whitset
1961-08-01 Victim Paul Mandrake
1959-09-01 Mystery in the Mine
1958-10-19 Rockets Galore Scientist
1957-11-14 Just My Luck Gilbert Weaver
1957-05-01 The Man Without a Body Leslie
1957-04-09 The Smallest Show on Earth Actor in The Mystery of Hell Valley (uncredited)
1957-03-21 Time Without Pity Prison Chaplain
1957-01-02 The Film That Never Was
1956-07-01 Foreign Intrigue Brown
1956-01-01 Peril for the Guy Mr. Ritter
1953-12-01 Saadia Leader Mokhazenis
1953-11-01 The Clue of the Missing Ape His Excellency
1953-07-23 The Sword and the Rose Sir Edwin Caskoden
1952-11-21 The Hour of 13 Cummings
1952-02-25 The Card P. Shillitoe (uncredited)
1950-02-01 Golden Salamander Aribi
1937-01-05 Farewell Again Minor Role
1934-12-31 Tell Me If It Hurts Waiter