Peter Copley

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.

Most Known For

Agatha Christie's Poirot

as Burgoyne

Doctor Who

as Dr. Warlock

The Saint

as Don Morland

Casualty

as Dan Woods

Casualty

as Hugh Phipps

The Avengers

as Henry Barker

The Avengers

as Sparshott

Theatre 625

as Seytfert, Counsel for the Prosecution

Theatre 625

as Hector McKellar

BBC Play of the Month

as The Home Inspector

The Bill

Crown Court

as Sir Peter Cutforth

Crown Court

as His Honour Judge Edmonds

Tales of the Unexpected

as Man at Railway Station

No Hiding Place

The Wednesday Play

as Gen. Friedrich Olbright

Jonathan Creek

as Eric

Z-Cars

The Champions

as Antrobus

Cadfael

as Abbot Heribert