Paul Copley
Acting
Born: November 25, 1944 (age 81) · Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Highest Rated
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
Enola Holmes
2020
The Remains of the Day
1993
Downton Abbey
2010
A Bridge Too Far
1977
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
Torchwood
2006
Midsomer Murders
1997
Life on Mars
2006
Inside No. 9
2014
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025
Call the Midwife
2012
Vera
2011
Photos (1)
Movies (56)
Enola Holmes
Station Master
The Remains of the Day
Harry Smith
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Mason
A Bridge Too Far
Pvt. Wicks
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Albert Mason
Blow Dry
Ken
Jude
Mr. Willis
Zulu Dawn
Cpl. Storey
Hornblower: Mutiny
Mathews
Big Winners
Arthur Thistle
The Shadow in the North
Paton
Silas Marner
William Dane
Hornblower: Loyalty
Matthews
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
Mathews
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
Mathews
Hornblower: Retribution
Matthews
Hornblower: Duty
Matthews
Travellers
Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
Hornblower: The Even Chance
Matthews
The 12 Days of Christine
Ernie
The Sound of Music Live!
Franz
Mucking Out
Brian Wilson
Alfie Darling
Bakey
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
Matthews
Happy
Vernon
Which Side Are You On?
Narrator (voice)
Death of a Princess
Steve Jackson
Marian, Again
Phillip Walsh
A Christmas Carol
Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
Tom
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
Finnegan
Ticker
Howard
Father Dear Father
Dumbo
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
Local Man
A Pinch of Snuff
Charlie Heppelwhite
The Key
2003
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976
Black Jack
Narrator
Reg
Man 2
Bird Fancier
Roy Pearson
On a Paving Stone Mounted
1978
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
Danny Peck
Speech Day
Woodwork Master
Ghost in the Water
Mr. Reed
First Encounter: King Lear
King Lear
Destiny
Paul McShane
P.Q. 17
PO Jordan
Doll’s Eye
Social Worker
Ropeless
Larry Windsor
Diane
Jim
Cries from a Watchtower
Andy
Written in Blood
Brian Chappel
The Nest Egg
2016
Testimony of a Child
Gerry
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
Great Uncle Geoffrey
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
Bill
TV Shows (77)
Midsomer Murders
Frank Dewar · 1 eps
Play for Today
2 eps
Play for Today
Andy · 1 eps
Casualty
Frederick Chambers · 1 eps
Casualty
Mick McCarthur · 1 eps
Casualty
Arthur · 4 eps
Silent Witness
3 eps
Call the Midwife
Tommy Smith · 1 eps
Vera
Malcolm Kenrich · 1 eps
Downton Abbey
Mr. Mason · 11 eps
Father Brown
Mr Feste · 1 eps
Shameless
Norman Owens · 1 eps
New Tricks
Pat the Rat · 1 eps
BBC Play of the Month
1 eps
Peak Practice
Tim Shardlow · 1 eps
Peak Practice
DS Patrick Hopkins · 2 eps
Minder
Palmer · 1 eps
Heartbeat
Dick Radcliffe · 1 eps
Heartbeat
Herbie Lloyd · 1 eps
Heartbeat
Malcolm Stainsby · 1 eps
Waking the Dead
1 eps
Waking the Dead
Clifford Day · 1 eps
ITV Playhouse
Peter · 1 eps
Inside No. 9
Ernie · 1 eps
The Bill
1 eps
Torchwood
Clement McDonald · 4 eps
Dalziel and Pascoe
Jack Henslowe · 1 eps
Playhouse
Jim · 1 eps
Playhouse
Vernon · 1 eps
Cracker
Pathologist · 5 eps
Churchill's People
Viventius · 1 eps
Moving On
Ronnie · 1 eps
Hornblower
Matthews · 8 eps
Life on Mars
Reg Cole · 1 eps
Inspector George Gently
1 eps
DI Ray
Terry Hunter · 1 eps
BBC2 Play of the Week
Finnegan · 1 eps
BBC2 Play of the Week
Bill · 1 eps
Secret Army
Eric Finch · 1 eps
Kingdom
Vincent Straker · 1 eps
Survivors
Ted · 1 eps
The Lakes
Peter Quinlan · 14 eps
The Worst Witch
Algernon Rowan-Webb · 2 eps
The Worst Witch
Algernon Rowan Webb · 3 eps
The Coroner
John Roxwell · 1 eps
Tenko
POW · 1 eps
The Street
1 eps
Born and Bred
Hubert Gough · 1 eps
Strangers
Des White · 1 eps
Big Deal
Max · 1 eps
The Afternoon Play
Dave · 1 eps
Last Tango in Halifax
5 eps
Last Tango in Halifax
Harry · 24 eps
The Paradise Club
Mousey Pavitt · 1 eps
This Life
Jerry Cook · 6 eps
Queer as Folk
Roy Maloney · 2 eps
Trinity Tales
Dave the Joiner · 6 eps
Stay Lucky
1 eps
White Heat
Alan (present day) · 6 eps
Trust Me
Arthur Hardacre · 3 eps
Broken
Joe Kerrigan · 6 eps
Messiah
Ian Fleet · 2 eps
How Clean Is Your House?
2003
Roughnecks
Ian · 13 eps
Code of a Killer
Sidney Jeffreys · 2 eps
On the Edge
Ray · 1 eps
Johnny and the Bomb
Sgt. Bourke · 3 eps
Burn It
Terry Grimshaw · 10 eps
Days of Hope
Ben Matthews · 4 eps
Young Charlie Chaplin
Chimnery Sweep · 1 eps
Play for Today
Arthur Thistle · 1 eps
Dead Man Weds
Blind Man · 6 eps
The Gathering Seed
Bob Henshaw · 6 eps
Treasure Island
4 eps
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks
Narrator (voice) · 2 eps
The Royal
Nesbitt · 1 eps
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork
Narrator · 3 eps
