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George A. Cooper
Actor

George A. Cooper

7 Mar 1925Born
16 Nov 2018Died
93Age at death
99Credits

Biography

George Alphonsus Cooper was born in Leeds in 1925. After training as an electrical engineer and architect he was called up for National Service, working for the Royal Artillery in India. During that period he became interested in performing and on his discharge joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in Manchester. To avoid confusion with American actor George Cooper he used his middle initial in his stage name. His first appearance on television was in 1946. Over the next fifty years, he was a regular on the screen developing a career out of portraying slightly bumbling authoritarian characters.

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In 1964, he won a recurring role in ITV's Coronation Street playing businessman Willie Piggott who famously tried to bribe Ken Barlow to give his son Brian a pass on his tech exam. He had regular roles in Z-Cars and Dixon of Dock Green. In 1960, he appeared in the West End play Billy Liar playing the father of the title character, later reprising the role in the 1973 television series. He appeared in comedies such as Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Sykes and Mind Your Language. In 1985, he took on the role of no-nonsense caretaker Eric Griffiths in the incredibly successful children's drama Grange Hill, playing the role for seven years and earning a place in the hearts of a generation of children. His last TV appearance was in a 1995 episode of Casualty. He died in a nursing home in Hampshire on 16th November, 2018.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 99 credits.

  1. 2008The Ties That Bind UsFilm: Cherub (archive footage)
  2. 1994Fair GameFilm: George
  3. 1992HeartbeatSeries: Walter Pettigrew (1 episode)
  4. 1989Nice WorkSeries: Mr. Wilcox Snr (1 episode)
  5. 1989Customers From HellFilm
  6. 1986CasualtySeries: Albert Collins (1 episode)
  7. 1985Reunion at FairboroughFilm: Bartender
  8. 1984Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and MuscleFilm: Alf
  9. 1984AmyFilm: Will Johnson
  10. 1983The Star ChamberFilm: State Senator Walden
  11. 1983Red MonarchFilm: Kaganovitch
  12. 1982Q.E.D.Series: Lord Eastleigh (1 episode)
  13. 1981Somewhere More CentralFilm: Uncle Joe
  14. 1979Terry and JuneSeries: Mr. Ridge, Uncle Bob, Eric (1 episode)
  15. 1979Turning Year TalesSeries: Alan (1 episode)
  16. 1978The Light PrincessFilm: King
  17. 1978The Upchat ConnectionSeries: Mr Hutcheson (1 episode)
  18. 1978Grange HillSeries: Mr. Griffiths (149 episodes)
  19. 1978Mr and Mrs BureaucratFilm: Man
  20. 1978A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig StoryFilm: Mr. Twitchell
  21. 1978All Creatures Great and SmallSeries: Mr. Crump (1 episode)
  22. 1977Mind Your LanguageSeries: Mr Short (1 episode)
  23. 1977BBC2 Play of the WeekSeries: Man (1 episode)
  24. 1976The New AvengersSeries: Burt Brandon (1 episode)
  25. 1976Trial by CombatFilm: 2nd Leather Jerkin
  26. 1976Decorators LimitedFilm: Porter
  27. 1975Dick Deadeye, or Duty DoneFilm: The Pirate King (voice)
  28. 1975Awkward CustomersFilm: Awkward Customer: Mr. Wart-hog
  29. 1975Wonder WomanSeries: Gen. Clewes (1 episode)
  30. 1975Two's CompanySeries: Mr. Begley (1 episode)
  31. 1975ShadowsSeries: Higgs (1 episode)
  32. 1975Dawson's WeeklySeries (1 episode)
  33. 1973Billy LiarSeries (25 episodes)
  34. 1973Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmSeries
  35. 1972The Bouncing BoyFilm: Ashcroft
  36. 1972Crown CourtSeries (1 episode)
  37. 1972SykesSeries: Arthur Coats (1 episode)
  38. 1972Bless This HouseFilm: Mr. Wilson
  39. 1972What Became of Jack and Jill?Film: Trouncer
  40. 1972The Villa MarocFilm: Lionel
  41. 1972Lifting SafelyFilm
  42. 1971JusticeSeries: Supt. George Grover (1 episode)
  43. 1971The Rivals of Sherlock HolmesSeries: Inspector Beedel (1 episode)
  44. 1971Office PartyFilm: Manager
  45. 1971BudgieSeries: Det. Inspector Shepherd (1 episode)
  46. 1970Roll On Four O'ClockFilm: Ted Crampton
  47. 1970I Can't See My Little WillieFilm: Frank Palmer
  48. 1970The Rise and Rise of Michael RimmerFilm: Blacket
  49. 1970Play for TodaySeries: Ashcroft, Frank Palmer, Lionel (1 episode)
  50. 1970Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent ItFilm: Mr. Tundish
  51. 1970DoomwatchSeries: Thomas Prentice (1 episode)
  52. 1970Start the Revolution Without MeFilm: Dr. Duval
  53. 1969ITV Saturday Night TheatreSeries: Ted Crampton, Bert Clarke (1 episode)
  54. 1968Dracula Has Risen from the GraveFilm: Village Landlord
  55. 1968The Strange AffairFilm: Supt. Kingsley
  56. 1968The ExpertSeries: Arnold Bottomley (1 episode)
  57. 1968The First LadySeries (1 episode)
  58. 1968The Ronnie Barker PlayhouseSeries: Badger (1 episode)
  59. 1967Smashing TimeFilm: Irishman
  60. 1967The ConfessionFilm: Albert Verdoni
  61. 1967Man in a SuitcaseSeries (1 episode)
  62. 1967ITV PlayhouseSeries: Albert Verdoni, Mr. Tundish, Grimston (1 episode)
  63. 1967In Two MindsFilm: Mr. Winter
  64. 1967Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSeries: Mr. Fawcett (1 episode)
  65. 1966Doctor Who: The SmugglersFilm: Cherub
  66. 1966King of the RiverSeries: Reverend Ackroyd (4 episodes)
  67. 1965Life at the TopFilm: Graffham
  68. 1965Ferry Cross the MerseyFilm: Mr. Lumsden
  69. 1965Public EyeSeries: Alec Payton (1 episode)
  70. 1964The Wednesday PlaySeries: Mr. Winter (1 episode)
  71. 1964Sherlock HolmesSeries (1 episode)
  72. 1964Theatre 625Series: Arkwright, Governor (1 episode)
  73. 1964The BargeeFilm: Official in Office
  74. 1964NightmareFilm: John
  75. 1963EspionageSeries: Leo Winters (1 episode)
  76. 1963Tom JonesFilm: Mr. Fitzpatrick
  77. 1963Sergeant CorkSeries: Mr. Bellamy (1 episode)
  78. 1963The CracksmanFilm: Fred
  79. 1962The SaintSeries: Harold Laker, Milton Ourley (1 episode)
  80. 1962The BrainFilm: Thomas Gabler

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.