1925-03-07 Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK
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. 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.
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Fair Game | George | 1994-06-11 |
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Amy | Will Johnson | 1984-01-02 |
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Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle | Alf | 1984-12-31 |
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The Star Chamber | State Senator Walden | 1983-08-05 |
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Red Monarch | Kaganovitch | 1983-06-16 |
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The Light Princess | King | 1978-12-24 |
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A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story | Mr. Twitchell | 1978-01-15 |
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Trial by Combat | 2nd Leather Jerkin | 1976-04-01 |
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Decorators Limited | Porter | 1976-01-01 |
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Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done | The Pirate King (voice) | 1975-12-17 |
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The Villa Maroc | Lionel | 1972-02-17 |
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The Bouncing Boy | Ashcroft | 1972-12-11 |
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What Became of Jack and Jill? | Trouncer | 1972-06-16 |
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Bless This House | Mr Wilson | 1972-09-08 |
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Office Party | Manager | 1971-08-17 |
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Abrasive Wheels | (voice) | 1971-01-01 |
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The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer | Blacket | 1970-11-12 |
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Roll On Four O'Clock | Ted Crampton | 1970-12-19 |
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Start the Revolution Without Me | Dr. Duval | 1970-02-04 |
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Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent It | Mr. Tundish | 1970-05-04 |
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I Can't See My Little Willie | Frank Palmer | 1970-11-19 |
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The Strange Affair | Supt. Kingsley | 1968-08-22 |
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Dracula Has Risen from the Grave | Village Landlord | 1968-11-07 |
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In Two Minds | Mr. Winter | 1967-03-01 |
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The Confession | Albert Verdoni | 1967-12-04 |
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Smashing Time | Irishman | 1967-12-20 |
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Doctor Who: The Smugglers | Cherub | 1966-10-01 |
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Ferry Cross the Mersey | Mr. Lumsden | 1965-02-10 |
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Life at the Top | Graffham | 1965-12-14 |
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Nightmare | John | 1964-02-28 |
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The Bargee | Official in Office | 1964-01-01 |
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Tom Jones | Mr. Fitzpatrick | 1963-08-24 |
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The Cracksman | Fred | 1963-01-01 |
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The Brain | Thomas Gabler | 1962-09-05 |
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In the Doghouse | Examiner (Uncredited) | 1962-05-17 |
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Hell Is a City | Doug Savage | 1960-04-10 |
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A Night to Remember | Carpathia Purser Hughes (uncredited) | 1958-07-03 |
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Violent Playground | Chief Inspector | 1958-01-14 |
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Fortune Is a Woman | Hotel Porter | 1957-03-13 |
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The Secret Place | Harry | 1957-02-06 |
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Okinawa | Yeoman | 1952-02-28 |
