Paul Copley

Personal Info

Known For Actor

Gender Male

Birthday 1944-11-25 (79 years old)

Place of Birth Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Paul Copley

Biography

Paul is a long established and much respected British actor and voiceover artist. Born in Denby Dale, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 25th November 1944 he grew up beside a dairy farm. His father, Harold, was involved with local amateur dramatic productions, as were the rest of his family. He went to Penistone Grammar School, then the Northern Counties College of Education in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he received an Associate of the Drama Board (ADB) in Drama. He taught English and Drama in Walthamstow, before he joined the Leeds Playhouse Theatre-in-education Company in 1971. In 1976, Paul won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a New Play for his role in John Wilson's For King and Country. With many and varied roles to follow, Paul soon established himself as one of the UK's leading stage, film, television and radio actors. In 2011-2015 Paul gained worldwide recognition appearing in 16 episodes of the hugely popular television series Downton Abbey playing the popular role of farmer Mr Mason. Paul is married to the actress Natasha Pyne. They married in 1972, after both performing in a Leeds Playhouse production of Frank Wedekind's Lulu, adapted by Peter Barnes, directed by Bill Hays in 1971.

Known For

Actor

Dangerous Journey

as Narrator

2025
Downton Abbey 3

as Albert Mason

2023
Ticker

as Howard

2022
DI Ray

as Terry

2020
Enola Holmes

as Station Master

2020
Ropeless

as Larry Windsor

2018
2017
Broken

as Joe Kerrigan

2016
2015
The Coroner

as John Roxwell

2015
Code of a Killer

as Sidney Jeffreys

2014
Inside No. 9

as Ernie

2013
Father Brown

as Mr Feste

2012
White Heat

as Alan (present day)

2012
Call the Midwife

as Tommy Smith

2011
Vera

as Malcolm Kenrich

2010
Downton Abbey

as Mr. Mason

2009
Moving On

as Ronnie

2008
Survivors

as Ted

2007
Kingdom

as Vincent Straker

2006
Torchwood

as Clement McDonald

2006
Johnny and the Bomb

as Sgt. Bourke

2006
Life on Mars

as Reg Cole

2005
Marian, Again

as Phillip Walsh

2005
Dead Man Weds

as Blind Man

2003
Hornblower: Duty

as Matthews

2003
2003
How Clean Is Your House?

as Self - Narrator (voice)

2003
Burn It

as Terry Grimshaw

2003
The Royal

as Nesbitt

2001
2001
2001
Blow Dry

as Ken

2001
Waking the Dead

as Clifford Day

2001
Messiah

as Ian Fleet

1999
Queer as Folk

as Roy Maloney

1998
Written in Blood

as Brian Chappel

1998
The Worst Witch

as Algernon Rowan-Webb

1998
The Worst Witch

as Algernon Rowan Webb

1998
Hornblower

as Matthews

1997
The Lakes

as Peter Quinlan

1997
Midsomer Murders

as Frank Dewar

1996
Jude

as Mr. Willis

1996
This Life

as Jerry Cook

1994
A Pinch of Snuff

as Charlie Heppelwhite

1994
Roughnecks

as Ian

1993
The Remains of the Day

as Harry Smith

1993
Cracker

as Pathologist

1993
Harry

as Thomas Thomas

1993
Peak Practice

as Tim Shardlow

1993
Peak Practice

as DS Patrick Hopkins

1992
Heartbeat

as Dick Radcliffe

1992
Heartbeat

as Herbie Lloyd

1992
Heartbeat

as Malcolm Stainsby

1991
1989
The Paradise Club

as Mousey Pavitt

1989
Young Charlie Chaplin

as Chimnery Sweep

1986
Casualty

as Frederick Chambers

1986
Casualty

as Mick McCarthur

1986
Casualty

as Arthur

1985
Silas Marner

as William Dane

1985
Which Side Are You On?

as Narrator (voice)

1985
Bird Fancier

as Roy Pearson

1983
Doll’s Eye

as Social Worker

1982
Ghost in the Water

as Mr. Reed

1981
P.Q. 17

as PO Jordan

1981
1981
Tenko

as POW

1980
Happy

as Vernon

1980
Death of a Princess

as Steve Jackson

1979
Black Jack

as Narrator

1979
Zulu Dawn

as Cpl. Storey

1979
Minder

as Palmer

1978
Travellers

as Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep

1978
Mucking Out

as Brian Wilson

1978
Destiny

as Paul McShane

1977
A Christmas Carol

as Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)

1977
A Bridge Too Far

as Pvt. Wicks

1977
Secret Army

as Eric Finch

1975
Alfie Darling

as Bakey

1975
Diane

as Jim

1975
Days of Hope

as Ben Matthews

1973
1973
Speech Day

as Woodwork Master

1970

Writer

1979
Pillion

as Writer