Trevor Peacock:
† May 19 1931 – March 8 2021
'No, no, no, no, no...'
But yes, 'The Vicar of Dibley's endearingly speech impeded Jim Trott is the most widely known of the many TV characters played by this fascinating veteran actor, born in London in 1931, but he's been equally prolific on the stage, particularly with the RSC and the Royal Exchange in Manchester. He has acted with a star-studded roll-call of luvvies including (deep breath) Kenneth Cranham, Judi Dench, Barry Foster, Michael Gambon, Brian Glover, Nigel Havers, Patricia Hayes, Michael Hordern, Martin Jarvis, Anna Massey, Geraldine McEwan, Julia McKenzie, Bill Nighy, Diana Quick, Ralph Richardson, Paul Scofield, Fiona Shaw, Imelda Staunton, Maggie Steed, Zoe Wanamaker, Billie Whitelaw, Penelope Wilton and David Yelland - to name but a few.
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| Looking uncannily like his son Daniel Peacock in the Adam Faith comedy 'What A Whopper!' (1961) |
In the early days he seems to have knocked about Tin Pan Alley with RADA-trained 'Oh Boy!' producer Jack Good and the early stars of the British rock'n'roll scene.
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| He wrote this mostly forgotten 45, but a jukebox burst on the soundtrack of 'Victim (1961) might have raised a few guineas |
He is credited as a scriptwriter on 'Six Five Special', 'Oh Boy!' and the less well remembered 'Wham!'. When Jack Good put together the 'Around The Beatles' TV special in 1964, he got Peacock to lead the Fab Four in their Midsummer Night's Dream skit. And not many people know that Trevor Peacock wrote the winsome pop novelty 'Mrs Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter', later a hit for Herman's Hermits, as well as Billy Fury's 'Stick Around', and the lyrics for the vocal numbers on the 'Beat Girl' (1959) soundtrack.
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| In the 1964 TV special, 'Around The Beatles' |
On TV, he was in a number of serious dramas and classic serials: 'Edward VII', 'The Borgias', 'The Old Curiosity Shop' (as Quilp, BBC 1979), 'Henry VI', 'Pericles', 'Titus Andronicus' and Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere', but was also seen in comedy shows ranging from 'Father Dear Father' to 'The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer'. Not forgetting the dipsomaniac human cannonball, Captain Zero, in 'Last of the Summer Wine'. The pre-Dibley mainstay has been from the better end of popular primetime drama. See for example 'Minder', 'Boon', 'Underworld', 'Van Der Valk', 'Lytton's Diary', 'Jonathan Creek' and so on.
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| As old lag and golf caddy, Previous, making things tricky for Arthur at the golf club in a '90s episode of 'Minder' |
On the big screen, a few fleeting glimpses: 'Hamlet' (1990) as the gravedigger, 'The Trial' (1993) prosecuting Anthony Hopkins as Joseph K, 'Sunshine' (1999), and 'Fred Claus' (2007). A couple of London-centred films sound really interesting, but I don't know if they are available these days, 'The Barber of Stamford Hill' (1962)* and 'Tersons Were There' (1967). Any information gratefully received.
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| Arranging a pugilistic contest for a rather flimsy Lord Byron (Richard Chamberlain) in 'Lady Caroline Lamb' (1972) |
Trivia: When he appeared on 'The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer', he played a Vox Continental organ while wearing a red catsuit in Uncle Peter's Band.
The father of Daniel Peacock. And Harry Peacock - best known as Ray Bloody Purchase from 'Toast of London'.
* You can now watch this little gem on the BFI website.
Trevor Peacock-imdb
