Peter Copley (20 May 1915 – 7 October 2008) was an English television, film and stage actor.

Biography

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 in 1932 started out as a stage actor. 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. Away from acting, Peter Copley was called to the bar in 1963, and was a sharp-witted legal expert and part-time lawyer who successfully handled several court cases in the 1960s.

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 Mysteries (episode "The Curse of the Golden Cross"), Doctor Who (in the serial "Pyramids of Mars"), Sutherland's Law, Tales of the Unexpected, Miss Marple, Lovejoy, The Bill, The Cadfael Chronicles and One Foot in the Grave.