Peter Copley

Peter Copley

1915-05-20 – 2008-10-07 (age 93) Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK
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Biography

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.

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Known For

Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun

1987

as British Prisoner

Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist

2005

as Dining Hall Master

Little Lord Fauntleroy
Little Lord Fauntleroy

1980

as Reverend Muldaur

Quatermass and the Pit
Help!
Help!

1965

as Jeweller

Victim
Victim

1961

as Paul Mandrake

The Card
The Card

1952

as P. Shillitoe (uncredited)

Witness for the Prosecution
Witness for the Prosecution

1982

as Dr. Harrison

Hennessy
Hennessy

1975

as Home Secretary

Shout at the Devil
Shout at the Devil

1976

as Admiral Howe

The Shoes of the Fisherman
The Shoes of the Fisherman

1968

as English Cardinal #1

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre

1970

as John

The Knack... and How to Get It
The Knack... and How to Get It

1965

as Picture Owner

Mosquito Squadron
Mosquito Squadron

1969

as Mr. Scott

King and Country
King and Country

1964

as Colonel

The Third Secret
The Third Secret

1964

as Dr Leo Whitset

Riot at the Rite
Riot at the Rite

2005

as Patron

The Black Panther