Paul Copley
Known for Acting · 135 credits
- Born
- 1944-11-25 (age 81)
- Place of birth
- 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.
Known For
TV Shows (73)
Midsomer Murders
1997
as Frank Dewar
Casualty
1986
as Frederick Chambers / Mick McCarthur / Arthur
Play for Today
1970
as Andy
The Bill
1984
Call the Midwife
2012
as Tommy Smith
Vera
2011
as Malcolm Kenrich
Silent Witness
1996
Downton Abbey
2010
as Mr. Mason
Father Brown
2013
as Mr Feste
Shameless
2004
as Norman Owens
Peak Practice
1993
as Tim Shardlow / DS Patrick Hopkins
Playhouse
1974
as Jim / Vernon
Heartbeat
1992
as Dick Radcliffe / Herbie Lloyd / Malcolm Stainsby
New Tricks
2004
as Pat the Rat
BBC Play of the Month
1965
Minder
1979
as Palmer
Waking the Dead
2001
as Clifford Day
Torchwood
2006
as Clement McDonald
Inside No. 9
2014
as Ernie
BBC2 Play of the Week
1977
as Finnegan / Bill
ITV Playhouse
1967
as Peter
Strangers
1978
as Des White
Cracker
1993
as Pathologist
Secret Army
1977
as Eric Finch
The Coroner
2015
as John Roxwell
Moving On
2009
as Ronnie
The Afternoon Play
2003
as Dave
Churchill's People
1974
as Viventius
Life on Mars
2006
as Reg Cole
Hornblower
1998
as Matthews
Inspector George Gently
2008
The Lakes
1997
as Peter Quinlan
The Paradise Club
1989
as Mousey Pavitt
This Life
1996
as Jerry Cook
Tenko
1981
as POW
Kingdom
2007
as Vincent Straker
Born and Bred
2002
as Hubert Gough
The Worst Witch
1998
as Algernon Rowan-Webb / Algernon Rowan Webb
The Street
2006
DI Ray
2022
as Terry Hunter
Second City Firsts
1973
as Brian Wilson
How Clean Is Your House?
2003
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Premiere
1977
as Young William
Last Tango in Halifax
2012
as Harry
Harry
1993
as Thomas Thomas
Big Deal
1984
as Max
Queer as Folk
1999
as Roy Maloney
Messiah
2001
as Ian Fleet
Survivors
2008
as Ted
Roughnecks
1994
as Ian
On the Edge
2018
as Ray
Trust Me
2017
as Arthur Hardacre
Broken
2017
as Joe Kerrigan
Burn It
2003
as Terry Grimshaw
Code of a Killer
2015
as Sidney Jeffreys
Stay Lucky
1989
White Heat
2012
as Alan (present day)
Days of Hope
1975
as Ben Matthews
Johnny and the Bomb
2006
as Sgt. Bourke
Trinity Tales
1975
as Dave the Joiner
Movies (62)
Enola Holmes
2020
as Station Master
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025
as Albert Mason
A Bridge Too Far
1977
as Pvt. Wicks
The Remains of the Day
1993
as Harry Smith
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
as Mason
Marian, Again
2005
as Phillip Walsh
Jude
1996
as Mr. Willis
Blow Dry
2001
as Ken
Zulu Dawn
1979
as Cpl. Storey
Ticker
2023
as Howard
The Shadow in the North
2007
as Paton
Mucking Out
1978
as Brian Wilson
Hornblower: Retribution
2001
as Matthews
Hornblower: Loyalty
2003
as Matthews
Big Winners
2025
as Arthur Thistle
Hornblower: Duty
2003
as Matthews
Travellers
1978
as Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
A Pinch of Snuff
1994
as Charlie Heppelwhite
The 12 Days of Christine
2015
as Ernie
Happy
1980
as Vernon
Hornblower: The Even Chance
1998
as Matthews
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
1999
as Matthews
Some Enchanted Evening
1978
as Peter
Silas Marner
1985
as William Dane
A Christmas Carol
1977
as Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
1999
as Mathews
Hornblower: Mutiny
2001
as Mathews
The Sound of Music Live!
2015
as Franz
Black Jack
1979
as Narrator
Father Dear Father
1973
as Dumbo
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
1998
as Mathews
Alfie Darling
1975
as Bakey
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
1986
as Local Man
On a Paving Stone Mounted
1978
Testimony of a Child
1989
as Gerry
Which Side Are You On?
1985
as Narrator (voice)
Reg
2016
as Man 2
First Encounter: King Lear
2012
as King Lear
The Key
2003
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital
2006
as Self - Narrator (voice)
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
2002
as Danny Peck
Ends and Means
1983
Cries from a Watchtower
1979
as Andy
A Room for the Winter
1981
as Robert
Ghost in the Water
1982
as Mr. Reed
Diane
1975
as Jim
Written in Blood
1998
as Brian Chappel
Destiny
1978
as Paul McShane
Speech Day
1973
as Woodwork Master
Death of a Princess
1980
as Steve Jackson
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
1976
as Finnegan
Bird Fancier
1985
as Roy Pearson
Doll’s Eye
1983
as Social Worker
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
2021
as Great Uncle Geoffrey
Dangerous Journey
as Narrator
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
1978
as Bill
The Nest Egg
2016
Ropeless
2020
as Larry Windsor
How's Business
1991
as Jack
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
1981
as Tom
P.Q. 17
1981
as PO Jordan
About Paul Copley
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 Theat… With 135 credits spanning from 1965 to 2025, Paul Copley has appeared in 62 films and 73 TV shows.
Fans searching for Paul Copley movies, Paul Copley filmography, or the latest projects starring Paul Copley can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Paul Copley Movies
- Enola Holmes (2020) — as Station Master
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) — as Albert Mason
- A Bridge Too Far (1977) — as Pvt. Wicks
- The Remains of the Day (1993) — as Harry Smith
- Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) — as Mason
Where to Watch Paul Copley Films
Most Paul Copley movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Paul Copley, check our movies catalogue and browse page.