George Alphonsus Cooper (7 March 1925 – 16 November 2018) was an English actor and voice artist. He died in November 2018 at the age of 93.

Early life

Cooper was born in Leeds, the son of William and Eleanor (née Dobson) Cooper. His father worked on the railways as a train guard. The younger Cooper began to train as an electrical engineer, but enlisted in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, acting with the Royal Artillery Depot Players in India.

Stage career

After a short period as a draughtsman he joined Theatre Workshop, then based in Manchester. Joan Littlewood's company, also based in Glasgow for a time, then concentrated on performing its productions on tour. The company's permanent base became London's Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1953, the opening production being '' Twelfth Night'' with Cooper as Malvolio and

Harry H. Corbett Harry H. Corbett OBE (28 February 1925 – 21 March 1982) was an English actor and comedian, best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC television sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'' ( ...

as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Both men were often cast in antagonist roles in Theatre Workshop productions during the next few years. Cooper left the company in 1955. Cooper played Geoffrey Fisher, the stern father of the eponymous antihero ''

Billy Liar ''Billy Liar'' is a 1959 novel by Keith Waterhouse that was later adapted into a play, a film, a musical and a TV series. The work has inspired and been featured in a number of popular songs. The semi-comical story is about William Fisher, ...

'', in the original West End stage production in 1960. His wife, Shirley Jones (married 1955), who worked as a Theatre Workshop costume assistant, did not like his absences during the evenings, and Cooper himself found eight performances of ''Billy Liar'' a week to be a strain. Increasingly he turned to television for work.

Television and film career

He had a recurring role in ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'' as Willie Piggott, a dubious businessman, between 1964 and 1971. One of his other regular roles was as the caretaker Mr. Griffiths in the long-running children's TV series '' Grange Hill''. from 1985 to 1992. He returned to the role of Geoffrey Fisher in the sitcom version of ''

'' (1973–74). Among Cooper's other television credits are '' Danger Man'', '' Z-Cars'', '' Dixon of Dock Green'', '' No Hiding Place'', ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' (in the serial ''

The Smugglers ''The Smugglers'' is the completely missing first serial of the fourth season in the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 10 September to 1 October 1966. In this serial ...

''), '' Angel Pavement'', '' Softly, Softly'', ''

The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...

'', ''

The Saint The Saint may refer to: Fiction * Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations: ** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...

'', '' Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', '' The Troubleshooters'', '' Steptoe and Son'', ''

A Family at War ''A Family At War'' is a British drama Television program, series that aired on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1970 to 1972. It was created by John Finch and made by ITV Granada, Granada Television for ITV. The original producer was Richard Doubled ...

'', '' Doomwatch'', ''

Public Eye Public Eye or The Public Eye may refer to: * ''Public Eye'' (TV series), a British television series that ran from 1965 to 1975 * ''The Public Eye'' (TV series), a Canadian television public affairs television series which aired on CBC Televisio ...

'', ''

Budgie Budgie may refer to: Arts * Budgie (album), ''Budgie'' (album), the debut album by the Welsh heavy metal band Budgie * Budgie (band), a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff * Budgie (musician) (born 1957), English drummer * Budgie (TV series), ''Bu ...

'', '' Bless This House'', ''

Sykes Sykes may refer to: People * Sir Alan Sykes, 1st Baronet, businessman and British politician * Annette Sykes, New Zealand human rights lawyer and Māori activist * Bob Sykes (American football), American football player * Bob Sykes (baseball), Ame ...

'', '' Rising Damp'', '' The New Avengers'', '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', '' All Creatures Great and Small'', '' Poor Little Rich Girls'', '' Juliet Bravo'', '' When the Boat Comes In'', '' Terry and June'', '' Taggart'', '' Casualty'' and ''

Heartbeat A heartbeat is one cardiac cycle of the heart. Heartbeat, heart beat, heartbeats, and heart beats may refer to: Computing *Heartbeat (computing), a periodic signal to indicate normal operation or to synchronize parts of a system *Heartbeat, clus ...

''. Cooper had roles in many films including: '' Violent Playground'' (1958), ''

Hell Is a City ''Hell Is a City'' is a 1960 British crime thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same title by Maurice Procter. Written and directed by Val Guest, it was made by British studio Hammer Film Productions and filmed in Manchester. It was p ...

'' (1960), ''

The Cracksman ''The Cracksman'' is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Peter Graham Scott.Personal letter from Delia Derbyshire to Associated British Picture Corporation, dated 25 April 1963. Plot Charlie Drake plays honest but naive locksmith Ernest Wr ...

'' (1963), ''

Nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...

'' (1964), '' Dracula Has Risen from the Grave'' (1968) with

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

and the film version of '' Bless This House'' (1972) with Sid James.

Selected filmography

* ''

Men of Two Worlds ''Men of Two Worlds'' is a 1946 British Technicolor drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Robert Adams, Eric Portman and Phyllis Calvert. The screenplay concerns an African music student who returns home to battle a witch doctor ...

'' (1946) - Orchestra Conductor * '' Okinawa'' (1952) - Yeoman (uncredited) * ''

The Passing Stranger ''The Passing Stranger'' is a 1954 British crime film written and directed by John Arnold, produced by Anthony Simmons (who also wrote the original film story) and Ian Gibson-Smith, with Leon Clore serving as the film's executive producer, for ...

'' (1954) - Charlie * ''

Jumping for Joy ''Jumping for Joy'' is a 1956 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Frankie Howerd, Stanley Holloway, Joan Hickson and Lionel Jeffries. Plot Willie Joy (Frankie Howerd) works at a greyhound track as a cleaner, whic ...

'' (1956) - Farmer (uncredited) * '' Sailor Beware!'' (1956) - Petty Officer (uncredited) * '' The Secret Place'' (1957) - Harry * '' Miracle in Soho'' (1957) - Foreman * '' Violent Playground'' (1958) - Chief Inspector * '' A Night to Remember'' (1958) - Purser Ernest G. F. Brown, SS Carpathia (uncredited) * ''

Friends and Neighbours ''Friends and Neighbours'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Arthur Askey, Megs Jenkins and Peter Illing. Plot At the height of the Cold War, a working-class British family have to entertain two visitors from R ...

'' (1959) - George Wheeler * ''

'' (1960) - Doug Savage * ''

Follow That Horse! ''Follow That Horse!'' is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Alan Bromly from a screenplay by William Douglas-Home. It stars David Tomlinson, Cecil Parker, Richard Wattis, Mary Peach and Dora Bryan. Various parties including scientists and ...

'' (1960) - Rudd * ''

In the Doghouse IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * In ...

'' (1961) - Veterinary Examiner - (voice overdubbed by Scottish accent) * ''

The Brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a v ...

'' (1962) - Thomas Gabler * ''

The Wild and the Willing ''The Wild and the Willing'' is a 1962 British romantic drama film, directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, and Samantha Eggar. It is the film debuts of Ian McShane, John Hurt, and Samantha Eggar. It depicts a grou ...

'' (1962) - 1st Customer * ''

'' (1963) - Fred * ''

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer * Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...

'' (1963) - Mr. Fitzpatrick * ''

'' (1964) - John * '' The Bargee'' (1964) - Official in Office * ''

Ferry Cross the Mersey "Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a song written by Gerry Marsden. It was first recorded by his band Gerry and the Pacemakers and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching ...

'' (1964) - Mr. Lumsden * ''

Life at the Top ''Life At The Top'' is the third novel by the English author John Braine, first published in the UK by Eyre & Spottiswoode Eyre & Spottiswoode was the London-based printing firm that was the King's Printer, and subsequently, a publisher prior ...

'' (1965) - Graffham * '' Smashing Time'' (1967) - Irishman * '' The Strange Affair'' (1968) - Supt. Kingley * '' Dracula Has Risen from the Grave'' (1968) - Landlord * ''

Start the Revolution Without Me ''Start the Revolution Without Me'' is a 1970 British-French-American period drama, period comedy film directed by Bud Yorkin and starring Gene Wilder, Donald Sutherland, Hugh Griffith, Jack MacGowran, Billie Whitelaw, Orson Welles (playing himse ...

'' (1970) - Dr. Duval * ''

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

'' (1970) - (scenes deleted) * '' The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer'' (1970) - Blacket * '' What Became of Jack and Jill?'' (1972) - Trouncer * '' Bless This House'' (1972) - Mr Wilson * '' The Vault of Horror'' (1973) - (scenes deleted) * '' The Black Windmill'' (1974) - Pincus (uncredited) * '' Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done'' (1975) - The Pirate King (voice) * '' Trial by Combat'' (1976) - 2nd Leather Jerkin

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, George A. 1925 births 2018 deaths English male stage actors English male television actors Male actors from Leeds British Army personnel of World War II Royal Artillery soldiers Military personnel from Leeds