Paul Copley
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Torchwood
Clement McDonald
2006
Series
Midsomer Murders
Frank Dewar
1997
Series
Casualty
Frederick Chambers
1986
Series
Casualty
Mick McCarthur
1986
Series
Casualty
Arthur
1986
Series
Silent Witness
1996
Series
Call the Midwife
Tommy Smith
2012
Series
Father Brown
Mr Feste
2013
Series
Play for Today
1970
Series
Play for Today
Andy
1970
Series
Vera
Malcolm Kenrich
2011
Series
Downton Abbey
Mr. Mason
2010
Series
Shameless
Norman Owens
2004
Series
Heartbeat
Dick Radcliffe
1992
Series
Heartbeat
Herbie Lloyd
1992
Series
Heartbeat
Malcolm Stainsby
1992
Series
Minder
Palmer
1979
Series
BBC Play of the Month
1965
Series
The Bill
1984
Series
Peak Practice
Tim Shardlow
1993
Series
Peak Practice
DS Patrick Hopkins
1993
Series
Waking the Dead
2001
Series
Waking the Dead
Clifford Day
2001
Series
New Tricks
Pat the Rat
2004
Series
ITV Playhouse
Peter
1967
Series
Playhouse
Jim
1974
Series
Playhouse
Vernon
1974
Series
Inside No. 9
Ernie
2014
Series
Dalziel and Pascoe
Jack Henslowe
1996
Series
Secret Army
Eric Finch
1977
Series
Kingdom
Vincent Straker
2007
Series
Cracker
Pathologist
1993
Series
Moving On
Ronnie
2009
Series
Inspector George Gently
2008
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Finnegan
1977
Series
BBC2 Play of the Week
Bill
1977
Series
Hornblower
Matthews
1998
Series
Life on Mars
Reg Cole
2006
Series
Tenko
POW
1981
Series
Churchill's People
Viventius
1974
Series
Strangers
Des White
1978
Film
Enola Holmes
Station Master
2020
Series
The Worst Witch
Algernon Rowan-Webb
1998
Series
The Worst Witch
Algernon Rowan Webb
1998
Series
The Lakes
Peter Quinlan
1997
Film
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Albert Mason
2025
Film
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Mason
2022
Film
A Bridge Too Far
Pvt. Wicks
1977
Series
Born and Bred
Hubert Gough
2002
Series
DI Ray
Terry Hunter
2022
Series
This Life
Jerry Cook
1996
Series
The Coroner
John Roxwell
2015
Series
The Paradise Club
Mousey Pavitt
1989
Series
Survivors
Ted
2008
Series
The Afternoon Play
Dave
2003
Series
Messiah
Ian Fleet
2001
Series
Last Tango in Halifax
2012
Series
Last Tango in Halifax
Harry
2012
Series
The Street
2006
Premiere
Young William
1977
Second City Firsts
Brian Wilson
1973
Series
Queer as Folk
Roy Maloney
1999
Series
Trust Me
Arthur Hardacre
2017
Film
The Remains of the Day
Harry Smith
1993
Harry
Thomas Thomas
1993
Series
Big Deal
Max
1984
Series
Stay Lucky
1989
Series
Code of a Killer
Sidney Jeffreys
2015
Series
Roughnecks
Ian
1994
Series
On the Edge
Ray
2018
Series
How Clean Is Your House?
2003
Series
How Clean Is Your House?
Self - Narrator (voice)
2003
Series
Burn It
Terry Grimshaw
2003
Series
White Heat
Alan (present day)
2012
Series
Broken
Joe Kerrigan
2017
Series
Play for Today
Arthur Thistle
2025
Film
Jude
Mr. Willis
1996
Series
Days of Hope
Ben Matthews
1975
Film
Zulu Dawn
Cpl. Storey
1979
Series
Johnny and the Bomb
Sgt. Bourke
2006
Film
The Shadow in the North
Paton
2007
Series
Trinity Tales
Dave the Joiner
1975
Series
Young Charlie Chaplin
Chimnery Sweep
1989
Film
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
Mathews
1999
Turning Year Tales
Tim
1979
West End Tales
Herbert
1981
Series
Dead Man Weds
Blind Man
2005
Film
Hornblower: Retribution
Matthews
2001
Gruey
Mr. Grucock
1988
Nice Guy Eddie
2002
Film
Blow Dry
Ken
2001
Film
Marian, Again
Phillip Walsh
2005
Film
Hornblower: Loyalty
Matthews
2003
Film
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
Local Man
1986
After Julius
Dan
1979
Series
The Gathering Seed
Bob Henshaw
1983
Film
Travellers
Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
1978
Film
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
Mathews
1998
Film
Hornblower: The Even Chance
Matthews
1998
Series
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks
Narrator (voice)
2025
Film
Big Winners
Arthur Thistle
2025
Film
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
Matthews
1999
Film
Alfie Darling
Bakey
1975
Film
The Sound of Music Live!
Franz
2015
Film
Hornblower: Mutiny
Mathews
2001
Film
The 12 Days of Christine
Ernie
2015
Film
Hornblower: Duty
Matthews
2003
Film
Black Jack
Narrator
1979
Film
Mucking Out
Brian Wilson
1978
Film
Happy
Vernon
1980
Film
Reg
Man 2
2016
Film
Silas Marner
William Dane
1985
Film
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976
Film
Ticker
Howard
2023
Film
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
Danny Peck
2002
Series
Treasure Island
1977
Series
The Royal
Nesbitt
2003
Film
A Pinch of Snuff
Charlie Heppelwhite
1994
Film
Death of a Princess
Steve Jackson
1980
The Bright Side
1985
Film
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
Tom
1981
Film
Testimony of a Child
Gerry
1989
Trade Unions: Seven Days that Shook Young Jim
Tony
1976
Film
Doll’s Eye
Social Worker
1983
Film
First Encounter: King Lear
King Lear
2012
Film
Destiny
Paul McShane
1978
Film
A Christmas Carol
Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
1977
Film
The Key
2003
Film
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
Finnegan
1976
Film
Which Side Are You On?
Narrator (voice)
1985
Film
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital
Self - Narrator (voice)
2006
Film
Diane
Jim
1975
Film
Speech Day
Woodwork Master
1973
Film
Father Dear Father
Dumbo
1973
Film
On a Paving Stone Mounted
1978
A Room for the Winter
Robert
1981
Film
Ghost in the Water
Mr. Reed
1982
Film
Bird Fancier
Roy Pearson
1985
Film
Cries from a Watchtower
Andy
1979
Some Enchanted Evening
Peter
1978
Ends and Means
1983
Film
P.Q. 17
PO Jordan
1981
Series
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork
Narrator
2013
Film
Written in Blood
Brian Chappel
1998
Film
The Nest Egg
2016
Film
Ropeless
Larry Windsor
2020
Film
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
Great Uncle Geoffrey
2021
Film
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
Bill
1978
How's Business
Jack
1991
Film
Dangerous Journey
Narrator