Peter Copley
Acting
1915-05-20 · Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK
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.
Filmography
The Colour of Magic
2008 · Series
Riot at the Rite
2005 · Movie
Oliver Twist
2005 · Movie
The Last Detective
2003 · Series
Wives and Daughters
1999 · Series
Janice Beard 45 WPM
1999 · Movie
Jonathan Creek
1997 · Series
Monk's Hood
1994 · Movie
The Leper of St. Giles
1994 · Movie
The Sanctuary Sparrow
1994 · Movie
Cadfael
1994 · Series
One Corpse Too Many
1994 · Movie
A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia
1992 · Movie
One Foot in the Grave
1990 · Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
1989 · Series
The Importance of Being Earnest
1988 · Movie
Empire of the Sun
1987 · Movie
Never Say Die
1987 · Series
The Trial of Klaus Barbie
1987 · Movie
Casualty
1986 · Series
King of the Ghetto
1986 · Series
Artists and Models
1986 · Series
Lovejoy
1986 · Series
Theatre Night
1985 · Series
The Prisoner of Zenda
1984 · Series
The Bill
1984 · Series
Androcles and the Lion
1984 · Movie
Witness for the Prosecution
1982 · Movie
United Kingdom
1981 · Movie
Into the Labyrinth
1981 · Series
The Chinese Detective
1981 · Series
Little Lord Fauntleroy
1980 · Movie
Rabbit Pie Day
1980 · Movie
Churchill and the Generals
1979 · Movie
Tales of the Unexpected
1979 · Series
The Black Panther
1977 · Movie
Anna Karenina
1977 · Series
The Foundation
1977 · Series
The New Avengers
1976 · Series
Bill Brand
1976 · Series
Shout at the Devil
1976 · Movie
Hennessy
1975 · Movie
Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars
1975 · Movie
Survivors
1975 · Series
Sky
1975 · Series
Father Brown
1974 · Series
Fall of Eagles
1974 · Series
The Dragon's Opponent
1973 · Series
Beyond Our Means
1973 · Movie
Gawain and the Green Knight
1973 · Movie
Armchair 30
1973 · Series
Arthur of the Britons
1972 · Series
That's Your Funeral
1972 · Movie
Crown Court
1972 · Series
The Long Chase
1972 · Series
What Became of Jack and Jill?
1972 · Movie
Justice
1971 · Series
You're Only Young Twice
1971 · Series
Taste of Evil
1971 · Movie
Jane Eyre
1970 · Movie
Doomwatch
1970 · Series
Manhunt
1970 · Series
Paul Temple
1969 · Series
Department S
1969 · Series
Walk a Crooked Path
1969 · Movie
Mosquito Squadron
1969 · Movie
Tower of London: The Innocent
1969 · Movie
The Gold Robbers
1969 · Series
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969 · Movie
Imperial Palace
1969 · Series
Immortality Inc
1969 · Movie
All at Sea
1969 · Movie
The Shoes of the Fisherman
1968 · Movie
The Champions
1968 · Series
The Expert
1968 · Series
Quatermass and the Pit
1967 · Movie
Half Hour Story
1967 · Series
The Investigation
1967 · Movie
Callan
1967 · Series
The Informer
1966 · Series
The Devil's Eggshell
1966 · Movie
Don't Utter a Note
1966 · Movie
BBC Play of the Month
1965 · Series
Stranger in the Family
1965 · Movie
Out of the Unknown
1965 · Series
Knock on Any Door
1965 · Series
Help!
1965 · Movie
The Troubleshooters
1965 · Series
The Knack... and How to Get It
1965 · Movie
The Man Who Came to Die
1965 · Movie
The July Plot
1964 · Movie
Redcap
1964 · Series
The Wednesday Play
1964 · Series
King and Country
1964 · Movie
Thorndyke
1964 · Series
Theatre 625
1964 · Series
The Third Secret
1964 · Movie
Doctor Who
1963 · Series
The Saint
1962 · Series
Z-Cars
1962 · Series
Victim
1961 · Movie
The Avengers
1961 · Series
Maigret
1960 · Series
No Hiding Place
1959 · Series
Mystery in the Mine
1959 · Movie
Rockets Galore
1958 · Movie
The Government Inspector
1958 · Movie
Just My Luck
1957 · Movie
The End Begins
1957 · Movie
The Man Without a Body
1957 · Movie
The Smallest Show on Earth
1957 · Movie
Time Without Pity
1957 · Movie
The Film That Never Was
1957 · Movie
Foreign Intrigue
1956 · Movie
Peril for the Guy
1956 · Movie
Sherlock Holmes
1954 · Series
Saadia
1953 · Movie
The Clue of the Missing Ape
1953 · Movie
The Sword and the Rose
1953 · Movie
The Hour of 13
1952 · Movie
The Card
1952 · Movie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951 · Series
Golden Salamander
1950 · Movie
Farewell Again
1937 · Movie
Tell Me If It Hurts
1934 · Movie