Cause of death Prostate cancer Role Actor Name Peter Jeffrey | Years active 1944–99 Occupation Actor | |
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Spouse Jill Jowett (m. 1990–1999) Books Windows of Truth, Lights Shining in the Darkness: Men of Faith Children Victoria Jeffrey, Catherine Jeffrey, Barney Jeffrey, Dinah Jeffrey, Emily Jeffrey Movies The Abominable Dr Phibes, Dr Phibes Rises Again, Countess Dracula, Anne of the Thousand Days, The Adventures of Baron Similar People Robert Fuest, Lindsay Anderson, David Sherwin, Peter Sasdy, Charles Jarrott |
Peter Jeffrey (18 April 1929 – 25 December 1999) was an English character actor, starting his performing career on stage, he would later have many roles in television and film.
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Early life
Jeffrey was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, the son of Florence Alice (née Weight) and Arthur Winfred Gilbert Jeffrey. He was educated at Harrow School and Pembroke College, Cambridge but had no formal training as an actor.
Career
After many years on stage with the Bristol Old Vic and the Royal Shakespeare Company, he became a very familiar face to British television viewers. From 25 May 1966 he appeared in Tango, a play by Sławomir Mrożek at the Aldwych Theatre alongside Patience Collier, Mike Pratt, Ursula Mohan and Dudley Sutton under director Trevor Nunn.
Numerous television roles include two guest appearances in Doctor Who: as the Colony Pilot in The Macra Terror (1967) and as Count Grendel in The Androids of Tara (1978). It is reputed he had been offered the role of the lead character in the show by Innes Lloyd in 1966, but turned it down; Patrick Troughton was cast instead.
In 1971, he played Inspector Trout in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, a role he would reprise in 1972, in Dr. Phibes Rises Again.
He played King Philip II of Spain in the BBC serial Elizabeth R (1971) and Oliver Cromwell in By the Sword Divided (1985). He also appeared in Thriller (1974), Porridge (1975), Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1975), Quiller (1975), Rising Damp (1978), Minder (1980), Nanny (1981), Yes Minister (1984), Dennis Potter's Lipstick on Your Collar. In 1988, he played the villainous Sultan in the fantasy epic The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. In (1993), Our Friends in the North (1996), and many other series.
Death
Jeffrey died on 25 December 1999 from prostate cancer.