Portrait of Peter Copley

Peter Copley

Acting

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.

Born: May 20, 1915

Place of Birth: Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Filmography

2008
The Colour of Magic

as Greyhald Spold

2005
2005
Oliver Twist

as Dining Hall Master

2003
The Last Detective

as Colonel Colin Ingate

1999
Janice Beard 45 WPM

as Sean's Father

1997
1994
Monk's Hood

as Abbot Heribert

1994
The Leper of St. Giles

as Abbot Heribert

1994
The Sanctuary Sparrow

as Abbot Heribert

1994
Cadfael

as Abbot Heribert

1994
One Corpse Too Many

as Abbot Heribert

1987
Empire of the Sun

as British Prisoner

1986
Casualty

as Dan Woods

1986
Casualty

as Hugh Phipps

1986
1986
Lovejoy

as Harold Richards

1984
The Prisoner of Zenda

as Marshal Strakencz

1982
1981
United Kingdom

as Commissioner

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

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
Survivors

as Dr. Bronson

1975
1974
Fall of Eagles

as Bethmann-Hollweg

1973
Beyond Our Means

as Dr. Charteris

1972
That's Your Funeral

as 1st Funeral Director

1972
Crown Court

as Sir Peter Cutforth

1972
Crown Court

as His Honour Judge Edmonds

1971
Justice

as Wigmore

1970
Jane Eyre

as John

1970
Doomwatch

as Admiral Sir Richard Tranton

1970
Manhunt

as Martin

1969
Department S

as The Auctioneer

1969
Mosquito Squadron

as Mr. Scott

1969
The Gold Robbers

as Asst. Commissioner Farr

1969
All at Sea

as Mr. Gordon

1968
The Shoes of the Fisherman

as English Cardinal #1

1968
The Champions

as Antrobus

1968
The Expert

as Hillard

1967
1966
The Informer

as Richard Edwards

1965
BBC Play of the Month

as The Home Inspector

1965
Help!

as Jeweller

1965
1964
The July Plot

as General Friedrich Olbright

1964
1964
The Wednesday Play

as Gen. Friedrich Olbright

1964
1964
Theatre 625

as Seytfert, Counsel for the Prosecution

1964
Theatre 625

as Hector McKellar

1964
The Third Secret

as Dr Leo Whitset

1963
Doctor Who

as Dr. Warlock

1962
The Saint

as Don Morland

1962
1961
Victim

as Paul Mandrake

1961
The Avengers

as Henry Barker

1961
The Avengers

as Sparshott

1960
Maigret

as Xavier Marton

1958
Rockets Galore

as Scientist

1958
The Government Inspector

as School Superintendent

1957
Just My Luck

as Mr. Gilbert Weaver

1957
The Smallest Show on Earth

as Actor in The Mystery of Hell Valley (uncredited)

1957
Time Without Pity

as Prison Chaplain

1956
1956
Peril for the Guy

as Mr. Ritter

1953
Saadia

as Leader Mokhazenis

1953
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
1937
Farewell Again

as Minor Role

1934