Paul Copley
Acting • Born 1944-11-25
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.
Filmography
138 credits
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
Movie • 2021
Great Uncle Geoffrey
Mucking Out
Movie • 1978
Brian Wilson
Ticker
Movie • 2023
Howard
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
Movie • 1998
Mathews
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
Movie • 1999
Matthews
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
Movie • 1999
Mathews
Hornblower: Mutiny
Movie • 2001
Mathews
Marian, Again
Movie • 2005
Phillip Walsh
Bird Fancier
Movie • 1985
Roy Pearson
A Christmas Carol
Movie • 1977
Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
Hornblower: Loyalty
Movie • 2003
Matthews
Ghost in the Water
Movie • 1982
Mr. Reed
Black Jack
Movie • 1979
Narrator
Hornblower: The Even Chance
Movie • 1998
Matthews
Father Dear Father
Movie • 1973
Dumbo
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Movie • 2022
Mason
The Remains of the Day
Movie • 1993
Harry Smith
Death of a Princess
Movie • 1980
Steve Jackson
Ends and Means
Movie • 1983
Destiny
Movie • 1978
Paul McShane
First Encounter: King Lear
Movie • 2012
King Lear
Jude
Movie • 1996
Mr. Willis
Dangerous Journey
Movie
Narrator
Zulu Dawn
Movie • 1979
Cpl. Storey
Some Enchanted Evening
Movie • 1978
Peter
Testimony of a Child
Movie • 1989
Gerry
Written in Blood
Movie • 1998
Brian Chappel
On a Paving Stone Mounted
Movie • 1978
Diane
Movie • 1975
Jim
The Key
Movie • 2003
Hornblower: Duty
Movie • 2003
Matthews
Reg
Movie • 2016
Man 2
Blow Dry
Movie • 2001
Ken
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Movie • 2025
Albert Mason
The Sound of Music Live!
Movie • 2015
Franz
The Shadow in the North
Movie • 2007
Paton
Silas Marner
Movie • 1985
William Dane
Hornblower: Retribution
Movie • 2001
Matthews
Speech Day
Movie • 1973
Woodwork Master
Alfie Darling
Movie • 1975
Bakey
A Bridge Too Far
Movie • 1977
Pvt. Wicks
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
Movie • 2002
Danny Peck
How's Business
Movie • 1991
Jack
A Pinch of Snuff
Movie • 1994
Charlie Heppelwhite
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
Movie • 1986
Local Man
Which Side Are You On?
Movie • 1985
Narrator (voice)
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
Movie • 1976
Finnegan
Cries from a Watchtower
Movie • 1979
Andy
Doll’s Eye
Movie • 1983
Social Worker
Enola Holmes
Movie • 2020
Station Master
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
Movie • 1981
Tom
A Room for the Winter
Movie • 1981
Robert
P.Q. 17
Movie • 1981
PO Jordan
Ropeless
Movie • 2020
Larry Windsor
The Nest Egg
Movie • 2016
Travellers
Movie • 1978
Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
Happy
Movie • 1980
Vernon
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
Movie • 1978
Bill
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital
Movie • 2006
Self - Narrator (voice)
Big Winners
Movie • 2025
Arthur Thistle
The Chester Mystery Plays
Movie • 1976
Hornblower
TV • 1998
Matthews
Torchwood
TV • 2006
Clement McDonald
The Bill
TV • 1984
Silent Witness
TV • 1996
Heartbeat
TV • 1992
Dick Radcliffe
Dalziel & Pascoe
TV • 1996
Life on Mars
TV • 2006
Reg Cole
Waking the Dead
TV • 2001
Survivors
TV • 2008
Ted
Messiah
TV • 2001
Ian Fleet
Inspector George Gently
TV • 2008
Play for Today
TV • 1970
How Clean Is Your House?
TV • 2003
Treasure Island
TV • 1977
Roughnecks
TV • 1994
Ian
BBC Play of the Month
TV • 1965
The Street
TV • 2006
The Bright Side
TV • 1985
Nice Guy Eddie
TV • 2002
Downton Abbey
TV • 2010
Mr. Mason
Young Charlie Chaplin
TV • 1989
Chimnery Sweep
Cracker
TV • 1993
Pathologist
Waking the Dead
TV • 2001
Clifford Day
Johnny and the Bomb
TV • 2006
Sgt. Bourke
This Life
TV • 1996
Jerry Cook
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork
TV • 2013
Narrator
Peak Practice
TV • 1993
Tim Shardlow
Last Tango in Halifax
TV • 2012
Minder
TV • 1979
Palmer
Inside No. 9
TV • 2014
Ernie
Father Brown
TV • 2013
Mr Feste
Queer as Folk
TV • 1999
Roy Maloney
Tenko
TV • 1981
POW
Secret Army
TV • 1977
Eric Finch
Kingdom
TV • 2007
Vincent Straker
Stay Lucky
TV • 1989
Code of a Killer
TV • 2015
Sidney Jeffreys
Peak Practice
TV • 1993
DS Patrick Hopkins
The Worst Witch
TV • 1998
Algernon Rowan-Webb
The Worst Witch
TV • 1998
Algernon Rowan Webb
The Royal
TV • 2003
Nesbitt
Vera
TV • 2011
Malcolm Kenrich
Casualty
TV • 1986
Frederick Chambers
Casualty
TV • 1986
Mick McCarthur
Casualty
TV • 1986
Arthur
Moving On
TV • 2009
Ronnie
Dead Man Weds
TV • 2005
Blind Man
Days of Hope
TV • 1975
Ben Matthews
White Heat
TV • 2012
Alan (present day)
Broken
TV • 2017
Joe Kerrigan
Call the Midwife
TV • 2012
Tommy Smith
The Paradise Club
TV • 1989
Mousey Pavitt
Burn It
TV • 2003
Terry Grimshaw
The Coroner
TV • 2015
John Roxwell
Heartbeat
TV • 1992
Herbie Lloyd
Last Tango in Halifax
TV • 2012
Harry
Heartbeat
TV • 1992
Malcolm Stainsby
How Clean Is Your House?
TV • 2003
Self - Narrator (voice)
Midsomer Murders
TV • 1997
Frank Dewar
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Andy
On the Edge
TV • 2018
Ray
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks
TV • 2025
Narrator (voice)
DI Ray
TV • 2022
Terry Hunter
Playhouse
TV • 1974
Jim
Playhouse
TV • 1974
Vernon
BBC2 Play of the Week
TV • 1977
Finnegan
BBC2 Play of the Week
TV • 1977
Bill
Born and Bred
TV • 2002
Hubert Gough
West End Tales
TV • 1981
Herbert
The Lakes
TV • 1997
Peter Quinlan
The Gathering Seed
TV • 1983
Bob Henshaw
The Afternoon Play
TV • 2003
Dave
Harry
TV • 1993
Thomas Thomas
Churchill's People
TV • 1974
Viventius
Shameless
TV • 2004
Norman Owens
New Tricks
TV • 2004
Pat the Rat
Strangers
TV • 1978
Des White