Campbell Copelin (1901–1988) was an English actor, who moved to Australia in the 1920s and worked extensively in film, theatre, radio and television. He had a notable association with J.C. Williamson Ltd and frequently collaborated with F. W. Thring and Frank Harvey. He often played villains.

Biography

He served in the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, then emigrated to Australia. He worked on the land, then as a commercial artist before deciding to become an actor.

Criminal History

In 1928 he was fined for using indecent language and resisting arrest. On the night of 18 March 1931 Copelin took a £1,000 plane out for a joyride in Melbourne and crashed it into Sandridge golf links, causing him to spend several months in hospital. "I had never seen Melbourne by night," he said, "so I decided to have a look. It was wonderful and I'm going to have another look as soon as I can, but next time I'll do it In a safer way." He was charged with stealing the plane but these charges were later withdrawn on the basis that he had suffered enough through his injuries. Years later he said he was injured in a general plane accident. In 1933 Copelin was arrested and fined for stealing a police bicycle.

Selected filmography

Film

*'' Two Minutes Silence'' (1933) *''

Clara Gibbings ''Clara Gibbings'' is a 1934 Australian film directed by F.W. Thring about the owner of a London pub who discovers she is the daughter of an earl. It was a vehicle for stage star Dorothy Brunton.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 190 ...

'' (1934) - Errol Kerr *'' The Streets of London'' (1934) *'' A Ticket in Tatts'' (1934) - Harvey Walls *''

Sheepmates ''Sheepmates'' was a proposed Australian film from director F. W. Thring based on a 1931 novel by William Hatfield. Development Thring bought the rights to Hatfield's novel in mid 1933. He paid a reported £300."Counting the Cash in Australian ...

'' (1934, abandoned) *'' It Isn't Done'' (1937) - Ronald Dudley *'' Tall Timbers'' (1937) - Charles Blake *''

Lovers and Luggers ''Lovers and Luggers'' is a 1937 Australian film directed by Ken G. Hall. It is an adventure melodrama about a pianist ( Lloyd Hughes) who goes to Thursday Island to retrieve a valuable pearl. It was retitled ''Vengeance of the Deep'' in the US a ...

'' (1938) - Archie *'' Typhoon Treasure'' (1938) - Alan Richards *'' Brighton Rock'' (1948) - Police Inspector *''

Kiss the Blood Off My Hands ''Kiss the Blood Off My Hands'' is a 1948 American noir-thriller film directed by Norman Foster. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Gerald Butler, it stars Joan Fontaine, Burt Lancaster and Robert Newton. The film faced minor ...

'' (1948) - Publican *'' Hills of Home'' (1948) - Minor Role (uncredited) *'' Command Decision'' (1948) - Correspondent (uncredited) *''

Sword in the Desert ''Sword in the Desert'' is a 1949 American war film directed by George Sherman. It was the first American film to deal with the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and marked the first significant feature film role for Jeff Chandler. Plo ...

'' (1949) - Sgt. Chapel *''

Challenge to Lassie ''Challenge to Lassie'' is an American drama directed by Richard Thorpe in Technicolor and released October 31, 1949, by MGM Studios. It was the fifth feature film starring the original Lassie, a collie named Pal, and the fourth and final ''La ...

'' (1949) - Thief (uncredited) *''

Twelve O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II ...

'' (1949) - Mr. Britton (uncredited) *'' Three Came Home'' (1950) - English Radio Announcer (uncredited) *''

Please Believe Me ''Please Believe Me'' is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, and starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, Mark Stevens and Peter Lawford. Plot Alison Kirbe is a young London girl who has just found out she has inheri ...

'' (1950) - English Bobby (uncredited) *''

Rogues of Sherwood Forest ''Rogues of Sherwood Forest'' is a 1950 Technicolor adventure film from Columbia Pictures, directed by Gordon Douglas, and starring John Derek as Robin, the Earl of Huntingdon, the son of Robin Hood, Diana Lynn as Lady Marianne, and Alan Hale, S ...

'' (1950) - Officer (uncredited) *'' Portrait of Clare'' (1950) - Inspector Cunningham *'' Midnight Episode'' (1950) - The General *The Brown Man's Servant (Nosey Wheeler) (45 minutes short film, with

Victor Platt The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

TV Credits

*Saturday Special (1951-53) (Mr. Pike), in 2, of 35, episodes. *'' A Dead Secret'' (1959, TV Movie) *'' Night of the Ding Dong'' (1959, TV Movie) - Mr. Kelp *''

Marriage Lines ''Marriage Lines'' is a British television sitcom first broadcast between 1963 and 1966. The series gave Richard Briers and Prunella Scales, its lead stars, a significant boost in their careers. At first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', the prog ...

'' (1962, TV Movie) *''

Lola Montez Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez (), was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludwig ...

'' (1962, TV Movie) *''

The Angry General ''The Angry General'' is a 1964 Australian television play written by Australian author Allan Trevor. Premise The play is set in London in the present day. Former wartime minister, Lord Athol Medway, publishes his memoirs attacking the leadership ...

'' (1964, TV Movie)

Select Theatre Credits

*''The Unfair Sex'' (1927) *''Eliza Comes to Stay'' (1927) *''Outward Bound'' (1927) *''The Last Warning'' (1927) *''The Alarm Clock'' (1927) *''Scandal'' (1928) *''Sport of Kings'' (1928) *''Bird in Hand'' (1929) *''This Thing Called Love'' (1930) *''In Port'' (1930) *''Eliza Comes to Stay'' (1930) *''On the Spot'' (1931) *''The Calendar'' (1931) *''A Warm Corner'' (1931) *''As Husbands Go'' (1931) *''The Streets of London'' (1933) *''Rope'' (1933) *''Collits' Inn'' (1933) *''Mother of Pearl'' (1934) *''The Shining Hour'' (1935) *''

Night Must Fall ''Night Must Fall'' is a play, a psychological thriller, by Emlyn Williams, first performed in 1935. There have been three film adaptations, '' Night Must Fall'' (1937); a 1954 adaptation on the television anthology series ''Ponds Theater'' sta ...

'' (1936) *''Lovers Leap'' (1936) * ''

Grand National Night ''Grand National Night'' is a 1953 British thriller film brought to the screen by George Minter, produced by Phil C. Samuel, and based on a play of the same title written by Campbell and Dorothy Christie. It was directed by Bob McNaught and s ...

'' (1946) *''Frenchie and the Lily'' (1952) *''Murder Story'' (1954) *'' Nude with Violin'' (1958) *'' Who'll Come A-Waltzing'' (1962–63)

References

External links

*
Campbell Copelin's Australian theatre credits
at

AusStage AusStage: The Australian Live Performance Database is an online database which records information about live performances in Australia, providing records of productions from the first recorded performance in Australia (1789, by convicts) up unt ...

Campbell Copelin items
at National Film and Sound Archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Copelin, Campbell 1988 deaths English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male radio actors 20th-century English male actors 1901 births British emigrants to Australia