George A. Cooper
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Casualty
Albert Collins
1986
Series
Play for Today
Ashcroft
1970
Series
Play for Today
Frank Palmer
1970
Series
Play for Today
Lionel
1970
Series
The Avengers
Burgess
1961
Series
The Avengers
Maxwell Barker
1961
Series
Crown Court
1972
Series
Heartbeat
Walter Pettigrew
1992
Series
The Saint
Harold Laker
1962
Series
The Saint
Milton Ourley
1962
Series
The Wednesday Play
Mr. Winter
1964
Series
Grange Hill
Mr. Griffiths
1978
Series
ITV Playhouse
Albert Verdoni
1967
Series
ITV Playhouse
Mr. Tundish
1967
Series
ITV Playhouse
Grimston
1967
Series
Z-Cars
1962
Series
Theatre 625
Arkwright
1964
Series
Theatre 625
Governor
1964
Series
No Hiding Place
1959
Series
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Dr. Quince
1955
Series
All Creatures Great and Small
Mr. Crump
1978
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Ted Crampton
1969
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Bert Clarke
1969
Series
Danger Man
Blatta
1960
Series
Dr. Finlay's Casebook
Tom Farquhar
1962
Series
The Expert
Arnold Bottomley
1968
Series
Justice
Supt. George Grover
1971
Series
Dixon of Dock Green
Topper Brown
1955
Series
Dixon of Dock Green
Jackson
1955
Series
Dixon of Dock Green
Monty Pitman
1955
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Man
1977
Series
Wonder Woman
Gen. Clewes
1975
Series
The New Avengers
Burt Brandon
1976
Series
Sykes
Arthur Coats
1972
Series
Public Eye
1965
Series
Public Eye
Alec Payton
1965
Series
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Inspector Beedel
1971
Series
Espionage
Leo Winters
1963
Series
Terry and June
Mr. Ridge
1979
Series
Terry and June
Uncle Bob
1979
Series
Terry and June
Eric
1979
Series
Budgie
Det. Inspector Shepherd
1971
Series
Budgie
Inspector Shepherd
1971
Series
Doomwatch
Thomas Prentice
1970
Series
An Age of Kings
Earl of Northumberland
1960
Series
An Age of Kings
Ancient Pistol
1960
Series
Man in a Suitcase
1967
Series
Sergeant Cork
Mr. Bellamy
1963
Series
Steptoe and Son
Uncle Arthur
1962
Series
Sherlock Holmes
1964
Series
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Mr. Fawcett
1967
Series
Mind Your Language
Mr Short
1977
Series
Shadows
Higgs
1975
King of the River
Reverend Ackroyd
1966
Film
A Night to Remember
Carpathia Purser Hughes (uncredited)
1958
Series
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
1973
Series
The First Lady
1968
Series
Armchair Theatre
Vincenzo Galassi
1956
Series
Armchair Theatre
Dennis Fleming
1956
Series
Armchair Theatre
Manager
1956
Series
Two's Company
Mr. Begley
1975
Saturday Playhouse
George Day
1958
Saturday Playhouse
Bob Sanders
1958
Saturday Playhouse
Mr. Jackson
1958
Saturday Playhouse
Inspector Fitchitt
1958
Film
Tom Jones
Mr. Fitzpatrick
1963
Series
Q.E.D.
Lord Eastleigh
1982
Film
The Star Chamber
State Senator Walden
1983
Series
Billy Liar
1973
Film
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Village Landlord
1968
The Ronnie Barker Playhouse
Badger
1968
Series
Nice Work
Mr. Wilcox Snr
1989
Series
The Upchat Connection
Mr Hutcheson
1978
Film
Start the Revolution Without Me
Dr. Duval
1970
Film
The Ties That Bind Us
Cherub (archive footage)
2008
Film
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
Mr. Twitchell
1978
Turning Year Tales
Alan
1979
Film
Fair Game
George
1994
Film
Hell Is a City
Doug Savage
1960
Film
Life at the Top
Graffham
1965
Series
Dawson's Weekly
1975
Film
Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done
The Pirate King (voice)
1975
Film
The Bargee
Official in Office
1964
Film
Nightmare
John
1964
Film
Fortune Is a Woman
Hotel Porter
1957
Film
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Blacket
1970
Film
Violent Playground
Chief Inspector
1958
Film
Okinawa
Yeoman
1952
Film
Red Monarch
Kaganovitch
1983
Film
I Can't See My Little Willie
Frank Palmer
1970
Film
Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle
Alf
1984
Film
Trial by Combat
2nd Leather Jerkin
1976
Film
Mr and Mrs Bureaucrat
Man
1978
Film
The Brain
Thomas Gabler
1962
Film
Ferry Cross the Mersey
Mr. Lumsden
1965
Film
The Light Princess
King
1978
Film
Customers From Hell
1989
Film
The Secret Place
Harry
1957
Film
Roll On Four O'Clock
Ted Crampton
1970
Film
Bless This House
Mr. Wilson
1972
Film
Smashing Time
Irishman
1967
Film
Reunion at Fairborough
Bartender
1985
Film
What Became of Jack and Jill?
Trouncer
1972
Film
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
Cherub
1966
Film
The Cracksman
Fred
1963
Film
Somewhere More Central
Uncle Joe
1981
Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent It
Mr. Tundish
1970
Film
The Strange Affair
Supt. Kingsley
1968
Film
The Bouncing Boy
Ashcroft
1972
Film
Amy
Will Johnson
1984
Film
In the Doghouse
Examiner (Uncredited)
1962
The Confession
Albert Verdoni
1967
Film
The Villa Maroc
Lionel
1972
Film
In Two Minds
Mr. Winter
1967
Film
Miracle in Soho
Foreman
1957
Film
Awkward Customers
Awkward Customer: Mr. Wart-hog
1975
Decorators Limited
Porter
1976
Film
Office Party
Manager
1971
Film
Lifting Safely
1972