Paul Copley

Paul Copley

Known for
Acting
Born
November 25, 1944 (age 81)
Birthplace
Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, England, UK

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.

Known For

Filmography

—
Dangerous Journey poster

Dangerous Journey

Movie · as Narrator

2025
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale poster

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Movie · as Albert Mason

2025
Big Winners poster

Big Winners

Movie · as Arthur Thistle

2025
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks poster

Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks

TV · as Narrator (voice) · 2 eps

2025
Play for Today poster

Play for Today

TV · as Arthur Thistle · 1 ep

2023
Ticker poster

Ticker

Movie · as Howard

2022
Downton Abbey: A New Era poster

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Movie · as Mason

2022
DI Ray poster

DI Ray

TV · as Terry Hunter · 1 ep

2021
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble poster

The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble

Movie · as Great Uncle Geoffrey

2020
Enola Holmes poster

Enola Holmes

Movie · as Station Master

2020
Ropeless poster

Ropeless

Movie · as Larry Windsor

2018
On the Edge poster

On the Edge

TV · as Ray · 1 ep

2017
Broken poster

Broken

TV · as Joe Kerrigan · 6 eps

2017
Trust Me poster

Trust Me

TV · as Arthur Hardacre · 3 eps

2016
Reg poster

Reg

Movie · as Man 2

2016
The Nest Egg poster

The Nest Egg

Movie

2015
The Sound of Music Live! poster

The Sound of Music Live!

Movie · as Franz

2015
The 12 Days of Christine poster

The 12 Days of Christine

Movie · as Ernie

2015
Code of a Killer poster

Code of a Killer

TV · as Sidney Jeffreys · 2 eps

2015
The Coroner poster

The Coroner

TV · as John Roxwell · 1 ep

2014
Inside No. 9 poster

Inside No. 9

TV · as Ernie · 1 ep

2013
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork poster

Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork

TV · as Narrator · 3 eps

2013
Father Brown poster

Father Brown

TV · as Mr Feste · 1 ep

2012
First Encounter: King Lear poster

First Encounter: King Lear

Movie · as King Lear

2012
Last Tango in Halifax poster

Last Tango in Halifax

TV · as Harry · 5 eps

2012
White Heat poster

White Heat

TV · as Alan (present day) · 6 eps

2012
Call the Midwife poster

Call the Midwife

TV · as Tommy Smith · 1 ep

2011
Vera poster

Vera

TV · as Malcolm Kenrich · 1 ep

2010
Downton Abbey poster

Downton Abbey

TV · as Mr. Mason · 11 eps

2009
Moving On poster

Moving On

TV · as Ronnie · 1 ep

2008
Survivors poster

Survivors

TV · as Ted · 1 ep

2008
Inspector George Gently poster

Inspector George Gently

TV · 1 ep

2007
The Shadow in the North poster

The Shadow in the North

Movie · as Paton

2007
Kingdom poster

Kingdom

TV · as Vincent Straker · 1 ep

2006
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital poster

When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital

Movie · as Self - Narrator (voice)

2006
Torchwood poster

Torchwood

TV · as Clement McDonald · 4 eps

2006
Life on Mars poster

Life on Mars

TV · as Reg Cole · 1 ep

2006
The Street poster

The Street

TV · 1 ep

2006
Johnny and the Bomb poster

Johnny and the Bomb

TV · as Sgt. Bourke · 3 eps

2005
Marian, Again poster

Marian, Again

Movie · as Phillip Walsh

2005
Dead Man Weds poster

Dead Man Weds

TV · as Blind Man · 6 eps

2004
Shameless poster

Shameless

TV · as Norman Owens · 1 ep

2004
New Tricks poster

New Tricks

TV · as Pat the Rat · 1 ep

2003
Hornblower: Loyalty poster

Hornblower: Loyalty

Movie · as Matthews

2003
The Key poster

The Key

Movie

2003
Hornblower: Duty poster

Hornblower: Duty

Movie · as Matthews

2003
How Clean Is Your House? poster

How Clean Is Your House?

TV · as Self - Narrator (voice)

2003
The Royal poster

The Royal

TV · as Nesbitt · 1 ep

2003
Burn It poster

Burn It

TV · as Terry Grimshaw · 10 eps

2003
The Afternoon Play poster

The Afternoon Play

TV · as Dave · 1 ep

2002
The Many Lives of Albert Walker poster

The Many Lives of Albert Walker

Movie · as Danny Peck

2002
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie

TV · 1 ep

2002
Born and Bred poster

Born and Bred

TV · as Hubert Gough · 1 ep

2001
Hornblower: Mutiny poster

Hornblower: Mutiny

Movie · as Mathews

2001
Blow Dry poster

Blow Dry

Movie · as Ken

2001
Hornblower: Retribution poster

Hornblower: Retribution

Movie · as Matthews

2001
Waking the Dead poster

Waking the Dead

TV · as Clifford Day · 1 ep

2001
Messiah poster

Messiah

TV · as Ian Fleet · 2 eps

1999
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil poster

Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil

Movie · as Matthews

1999
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters poster

Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters

Movie · as Mathews

1999
Queer as Folk poster

Queer as Folk

TV · as Roy Maloney · 2 eps

1998
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant poster

Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant

Movie · as Mathews

1998
Hornblower: The Even Chance poster

Hornblower: The Even Chance

Movie · as Matthews

1998
Written in Blood poster

Written in Blood

Movie · as Brian Chappel

1998
Hornblower poster

Hornblower

TV · as Matthews · 8 eps

1998
The Worst Witch poster

The Worst Witch

TV · as Algernon Rowan-Webb, Algernon Rowan Webb · 2 eps

1997
Midsomer Murders poster

Midsomer Murders

TV · as Frank Dewar · 1 ep

1997
The Lakes poster

The Lakes

TV · as Peter Quinlan · 14 eps

1996
Jude poster

Jude

Movie · as Mr. Willis

1996
Silent Witness poster

Silent Witness

TV · 3 eps

1996
This Life poster

This Life

TV · as Jerry Cook · 6 eps

1996
Dalziel and Pascoe poster

Dalziel and Pascoe

TV · as Jack Henslowe · 1 ep

1994
A Pinch of Snuff poster

A Pinch of Snuff

Movie · as Charlie Heppelwhite

1994
Roughnecks poster

Roughnecks

TV · as Ian · 13 eps

1993
The Remains of the Day poster

The Remains of the Day

Movie · as Harry Smith

1993
Cracker poster

Cracker

TV · as Pathologist · 5 eps

1993
Peak Practice poster

Peak Practice

TV · as Tim Shardlow, DS Patrick Hopkins · 1 ep

1993
Harry

Harry

TV · as Thomas Thomas · 1 ep

1992
Heartbeat poster

Heartbeat

TV · as Dick Radcliffe, Herbie Lloyd, Malcolm Stainsby · 1 ep

1991
How's Business

How's Business

Movie · as Jack

1989
Testimony of a Child poster

Testimony of a Child

Movie · as Gerry

1989
Young Charlie Chaplin poster

Young Charlie Chaplin

TV · as Chimnery Sweep · 1 ep

1989
Stay Lucky poster

Stay Lucky

TV · 1 ep

1989
The Paradise Club poster

The Paradise Club

TV · as Mousey Pavitt · 1 ep

1988
Gruey

Gruey

TV · as Mr. Grucock · 12 eps

1986
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus poster

Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus

Movie · as Local Man

1986
Casualty poster

Casualty

TV · as Frederick Chambers, Mick McCarthur, Arthur · 1 ep

1985
Bird Fancier poster

Bird Fancier

Movie · as Roy Pearson

1985
Silas Marner poster

Silas Marner

Movie · as William Dane

1985
Which Side Are You On? poster

Which Side Are You On?

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

1985
The Bright Side

The Bright Side

TV · 6 eps

1984
The Bill poster

The Bill

TV · 1 ep

1984
Big Deal poster

Big Deal

TV · as Max · 1 ep

1983
Ends and Means

Ends and Means

Movie

1983
Doll’s Eye poster

Doll’s Eye

Movie · as Social Worker

1983
The Gathering Seed poster

The Gathering Seed

TV · as Bob Henshaw · 6 eps

1982
Ghost in the Water poster

Ghost in the Water

Movie · as Mr. Reed

1981
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado poster

A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado

Movie · as Tom

1981
A Room for the Winter

A Room for the Winter

Movie · as Robert

1981
P.Q. 17 poster

P.Q. 17

Movie · as PO Jordan

1981
Tenko poster

Tenko

TV · as POW · 1 ep

1981
West End Tales

West End Tales

TV · as Herbert · 1 ep

1980
Death of a Princess poster

Death of a Princess

Movie · as Steve Jackson

1980
Happy poster

Happy

Movie · as Vernon

1979
Black Jack poster

Black Jack

Movie · as Narrator

1979
Zulu Dawn poster

Zulu Dawn

Movie · as Cpl. Storey

1979
Cries from a Watchtower poster

Cries from a Watchtower

Movie · as Andy

1979
Minder poster

Minder

TV · as Palmer · 1 ep

1979
After Julius

After Julius

TV · as Dan · 3 eps

1979
Turning Year Tales

Turning Year Tales

TV · as Tim · 1 ep

1978
Mucking Out poster

Mucking Out

Movie · as Brian Wilson

1978
Destiny poster

Destiny

Movie · as Paul McShane

1978
Some Enchanted Evening

Some Enchanted Evening

Movie · as Peter

1978
On a Paving Stone Mounted poster

On a Paving Stone Mounted

Movie

1978
Travellers poster

Travellers

Movie · as Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep

1978
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill poster

The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill

Movie · as Bill

1978
Strangers poster

Strangers

TV · as Des White · 1 ep

1977
A Christmas Carol poster

A Christmas Carol

Movie · as Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)

1977
A Bridge Too Far poster

A Bridge Too Far

Movie · as Pvt. Wicks

1977
Treasure Island poster

Treasure Island

TV · 4 eps

1977
Secret Army poster

Secret Army

TV · as Eric Finch · 1 ep

1977
BBC2 Play of the Week poster

BBC2 Play of the Week

TV · as Finnegan, Bill · 1 ep

1977
Premiere

Premiere

TV · as Young William · 1 ep

1976
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape poster

Arnhem: The Story of an Escape

Movie · as Finnegan

1976
The Chester Mystery Plays poster

The Chester Mystery Plays

Movie

1976
Trade Unions: Seven Days that Shook Young Jim

Trade Unions: Seven Days that Shook Young Jim

Movie · as Tony

1975
Diane poster

Diane

Movie · as Jim

1975
Alfie Darling poster

Alfie Darling

Movie · as Bakey

1975
Days of Hope poster

Days of Hope

TV · as Ben Matthews · 4 eps

1975
Trinity Tales poster

Trinity Tales

TV · as Dave the Joiner · 6 eps

1974
Playhouse poster

Playhouse

TV · as Jim, Vernon · 1 ep

1974
Churchill's People poster

Churchill's People

TV · as Viventius · 1 ep

1973
Father Dear Father poster

Father Dear Father

Movie · as Dumbo

1973
Speech Day poster

Speech Day

Movie · as Woodwork Master

1973
Second City Firsts

Second City Firsts

TV · as Brian Wilson · 1 ep

1970
Play for Today poster

Play for Today

TV · as Andy · 2 eps

1967
ITV Playhouse poster

ITV Playhouse

TV · as Peter · 1 ep

1965
BBC Play of the Month poster

BBC Play of the Month

TV · 1 ep