Acting · Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK · Born May 20, 1915
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.
TVThe Colour of Magic
2008
as Greyhald Spold
MovieRiot at the Rite
2005
as Patron
MovieOliver Twist
2005
as Dining Hall Master
TVThe Last Detective
2003
as Colonel Colin Ingate
TVWives and Daughters
1999
as Robinson
MovieJanice Beard 45 WPM
1999
as Sean's Father
TVJonathan Creek
1997
as Eric
MovieMonk's Hood
1994
as Abbot Heribert
MovieThe Leper of St. Giles
1994
as Abbot Heribert
MovieThe Sanctuary Sparrow
1994
as Abbot Heribert
MovieOne Corpse Too Many
1994
as Abbot Heribert
TVCadfael
1994
as Abbot Heribert
MovieA Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia
1992
as Maitland
TVOne Foot in the Grave
1990
TVAgatha Christie's Poirot
1989
as Burgoyne
MovieThe Importance of Being Earnest
1988
as Gribsby
MovieEmpire of the Sun
1987
as British Prisoner
Never Say Die
1987
MovieThe Trial of Klaus Barbie
1987
as Frossard
TVCasualty
1986
as Dan Woods
MovieKing of the Ghetto
1986
as Vicar
TVKing of the Ghetto
1986
as Vicar
TVArtists and Models
1986
as Savigny
TVLovejoy
1986
as Harold Richards
TVTheatre Night
1985
as Gribsby
TVThe Prisoner of Zenda
1984
as Marshal Strakencz
TVThe Bill
1984
MovieAndrocles and the Lion
1984
as Caesar
MovieWitness for the Prosecution
1982
as Dr. Harrison
MovieUnited Kingdom
1981
as Commissioner
TVThe Chinese Detective
1981
MovieLittle Lord Fauntleroy
1980
as Reverend Muldaur
MovieRabbit Pie Day
1980
as The Colonel
MovieChurchill and the Generals
1979
as Gen. Sir John Dill
TVTales of the Unexpected
1979
as Man at Railway Station
MovieThe Black Panther
1977
TVAnna Karenina
1977
The Foundation
1977
as Dr. Richard Montagu
TVThe New Avengers
1976
as Prof. Waterlow
TVBill Brand
1976
as Cedric Maddocks
MovieShout at the Devil
1976
as Admiral Howe
MovieHennessy
1975
as Home Secretary
MovieDoctor Who: Pyramids of Mars
1975
as Dr. Warlock
TVSurvivors
1975
as Dr. Bronson
TVSky
1975
TVFather Brown
1974
as Reverend John Walters
TVFall of Eagles
1974
as Bethmann-Hollweg
The Dragon's Opponent
1973
as Dr. Gough
MovieBeyond Our Means
1973
as Dr. Charteris
MovieGawain and the Green Knight
1973
as Pilgrim
Armchair 30
1973
as Mr. Justice Hobbin
TVArthur of the Britons
1972
MovieThat's Your Funeral
1972
as 1st Funeral Director
TVCrown Court
1972
as Sir Peter Cutforth
TVThe Long Chase
1972
as Morrison
MovieWhat Became of Jack and Jill?
1972
as Dickson
TVJustice
1971
as Wigmore
You're Only Young Twice
1971
MovieTaste of Evil
1971
as Mackinlay
MovieJane Eyre
1970
as John
TVDoomwatch
1970
as Admiral Sir Richard Tranton
TVManhunt
1970
as Martin
TVPaul Temple
1969
TVDepartment S
1969
as The Auctioneer
Walk a Crooked Path
1969
MovieMosquito Squadron
1969
as Mr. Scott
MovieTower of London: The Innocent
1969
as Archbishop
TVThe Gold Robbers
1969
as AC Farr
MovieFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969
as Principal
Imperial Palace
1969
as Emile Cousin
MovieImmortality Inc
1969
as Hull
MovieAll at Sea
1969
as Mr. Gordon
MovieThe Shoes of the Fisherman
1968
as English Cardinal #1
TVThe Champions
1968
as Antrobus
TVThe Expert
1968
as Hillard
MovieQuatermass and the Pit
1967
as Howell
TVHalf Hour Story
1967
as Mr. Fergus
The Investigation
1967
as Counsel for the Prosecution
TVCallan
1967
TVThe Informer
1966
as Richard Edwards
The Devil's Eggshell
1966
as The Home Secretary
Don't Utter a Note
1966
as Vicar
TVBBC Play of the Month
1965
as The Home Inspector
MovieStranger in the Family
1965
as Charles Wilson
TVOut of the Unknown
1965
as Charles Wilson
MovieHelp!
1965
as Jeweller
TVThe Troubleshooters
1965
as MacLaren
MovieThe Knack... and How to Get It
1965
as Picture Owner
The Man Who Came to Die
1965
as Dr. Clarkeson
MovieThe July Plot
1964
as General Friedrich Olbright
TVRedcap
1964
as Colonel Matherson
TVThe Wednesday Play
1964
as Gen. Friedrich Olbright
MovieKing and Country
1964
as Colonel
Thorndyke
1964
as Dr. John Evelyn Thorndyke
TVTheatre 625
1964
as Seytfert, Counsel for the Prosecution
MovieThe Third Secret
1964
as Dr Leo Whitset
TVDoctor Who
1963
as Dr. Warlock
TVThe Saint
1962
as Don Morland
TVZ-Cars
1962
MovieVictim
1961
as Paul Mandrake
TVThe Avengers
1961
as Henry Barker
TVMaigret
1960
as Xavier Marton
TVNo Hiding Place
1959
MovieMystery in the Mine
1959
MovieRockets Galore
1958
as Scientist
MovieThe Government Inspector
1958
as School Superintendent
MovieJust My Luck
1957
as Mr. Gilbert Weaver
The End Begins
1957
as Tom Jarrow
MovieThe Man Without a Body
1957
as Leslie
MovieThe Smallest Show on Earth
1957
as Actor in The Mystery of Hell Valley (uncredited)
MovieTime Without Pity
1957
as Prison Chaplain
The Film That Never Was
1957
MovieForeign Intrigue
1956
as Brown
MoviePeril for the Guy
1956
as Mr. Ritter
TVSherlock Holmes
1954
MovieSaadia
1953
as Leader Mokhazenis
MovieThe Clue of the Missing Ape
1953
as His Excellency
MovieThe Sword and the Rose
1953
as Sir Edwin Caskoden
MovieThe Hour of 13
1952
as Cummings
MovieThe Card
1952
as P. Shillitoe (uncredited)
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Dr. Harrison
MovieGolden Salamander
1950
as Aribi
MovieFarewell Again
1937
as Minor Role
MovieTell Me If It Hurts
1934
as Waiter
