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Acting
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.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
November 25, 1944
Age
81 years old
Place of Birth
Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Popularity Score
1.0
Filmography
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Albert Mason
2025Movie
Big Winners
Arthur Thistle
2025Movie
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks
Narrator (voice)
2025TV
Play for Today
Arthur Thistle
2025TV
Ticker
Howard
2023Movie
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Mason
2022Movie
DI Ray
Terry Hunter
2022TV
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
Great Uncle Geoffrey
2021Movie
Enola Holmes
Station Master
2020Movie
Ropeless
Larry Windsor
2020Movie
On the Edge
Ray
2018TV
Broken
Joe Kerrigan
2017TV
Trust Me
Arthur Hardacre
2017TV
Reg
Man 2
2016Movie
The Nest Egg
2016Movie
The Sound of Music Live!
Franz
2015Movie
The 12 Days of Christine
Ernie
2015Movie
Code of a Killer
Sidney Jeffreys
2015TV
The Coroner
John Roxwell
2015TV
Inside No. 9
Ernie
2014TV
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork
Narrator
2013TV
Father Brown
Mr Feste
2013TV
First Encounter: King Lear
King Lear
2012Movie
Last Tango in Halifax
2012TV
White Heat
Alan (present day)
2012TV
Call the Midwife
Tommy Smith
2012TV
Vera
Malcolm Kenrich
2011TV
Downton Abbey
Mr. Mason
2010TV
Moving On
Ronnie
2009TV
Survivors
Ted
2008TV
Inspector George Gently
2008TV
The Shadow in the North
Paton
2007Movie
Kingdom
Vincent Straker
2007TV
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital
Self - Narrator (voice)
2006Movie
Torchwood
Clement McDonald
2006TV
Life on Mars
Reg Cole
2006TV
The Street
2006TV
Johnny and the Bomb
Sgt. Bourke
2006TV
Marian, Again
Phillip Walsh
2005Movie
Dead Man Weds
Blind Man
2005TV
Shameless
Norman Owens
2004TV
New Tricks
Pat the Rat
2004TV
Hornblower: Loyalty
Matthews
2003Movie
The Key
2003Movie
Hornblower: Duty
Matthews
2003Movie
How Clean Is Your House?
2003TV
The Royal
Nesbitt
2003TV
Burn It
Terry Grimshaw
2003TV
The Afternoon Play
Dave
2003TV
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
Danny Peck
2002Movie
Nice Guy Eddie
2002TV
Born and Bred
Hubert Gough
2002TV
Hornblower: Mutiny
Mathews
2001Movie
Blow Dry
Ken
2001Movie
Hornblower: Retribution
Matthews
2001Movie
Waking the Dead
2001TV
Messiah
Ian Fleet
2001TV
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
Matthews
1999Movie
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
Mathews
1999Movie
Queer as Folk
Roy Maloney
1999TV
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
Mathews
1998Movie
Hornblower: The Even Chance
Matthews
1998Movie
Written in Blood
Brian Chappel
1998Movie
Hornblower
Matthews
1998TV
The Worst Witch
Algernon Rowan-Webb
1998TV
Midsomer Murders
Frank Dewar
1997TV
The Lakes
Peter Quinlan
1997TV
Jude
Mr. Willis
1996Movie
Silent Witness
1996TV
This Life
Jerry Cook
1996TV
Dalziel and Pascoe
Jack Henslowe
1996TV
A Pinch of Snuff
Charlie Heppelwhite
1994Movie
Roughnecks
Ian
1994TV
The Remains of the Day
Harry Smith
1993Movie
Cracker
Pathologist
1993TV
Peak Practice
Tim Shardlow
1993TV
Harry
Thomas Thomas
1993TV
Heartbeat
Dick Radcliffe
1992TV
How's Business
Jack
1991Movie
Testimony of a Child
Gerry
1989Movie
Young Charlie Chaplin
Chimnery Sweep
1989TV
Stay Lucky
1989TV
The Paradise Club
Mousey Pavitt
1989TV
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
Local Man
1986Movie
Casualty
Frederick Chambers
1986TV
Bird Fancier
Roy Pearson
1985Movie
Silas Marner
William Dane
1985Movie
Which Side Are You On?
Narrator (voice)
1985Movie
The Bright Side
1985TV
The Bill
1984TV
Big Deal
Max
1984TV
Ends and Means
1983Movie
Doll’s Eye
Social Worker
1983Movie
The Gathering Seed
Bob Henshaw
1983TV
Ghost in the Water
Mr. Reed
1982Movie
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
Tom
1981Movie
A Room for the Winter
Robert
1981Movie
P.Q. 17
PO Jordan
1981Movie
Tenko
POW
1981TV
West End Tales
Herbert
1981TV
Death of a Princess
Steve Jackson
1980Movie
Happy
Vernon
1980Movie
Black Jack
Narrator
1979Movie
Zulu Dawn
Cpl. Storey
1979Movie
Cries from a Watchtower
Andy
1979Movie
Minder
Palmer
1979TV
After Julius
Dan
1979TV
Turning Year Tales
Tim
1979TV
Pillion
Writer
1979Movie
Mucking Out
Brian Wilson
1978Movie
Destiny
Paul McShane
1978Movie
Some Enchanted Evening
Peter
1978Movie
On a Paving Stone Mounted
1978Movie
Travellers
Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
1978Movie
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
Bill
1978Movie
Strangers
Des White
1978TV
A Christmas Carol
Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
1977Movie
A Bridge Too Far
Pvt. Wicks
1977Movie
Treasure Island
1977TV
Secret Army
Eric Finch
1977TV
BBC2 Play of the Week
Finnegan
1977TV
Premiere
Young William
1977TV
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
Finnegan
1976Movie
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976Movie
Diane
Jim
1975Movie
Alfie Darling
Bakey
1975Movie
Days of Hope
Ben Matthews
1975TV
Trinity Tales
Dave the Joiner
1975TV
Playhouse
Jim
1974TV
Churchill's People
Viventius
1974TV
Father Dear Father
Dumbo
1973Movie
Speech Day
Woodwork Master
1973Movie
Second City Firsts
Brian Wilson
1973TV
Play for Today
1970TV
ITV Playhouse
Peter
1967TV
BBC Play of the Month
1965TV
Dangerous Journey
Narrator
—Movie