George A. Cooper
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 7, 1925
- Died
- November 16, 2018
- Birthplace
- Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK
George Alphonsus Cooper was born in Leeds in 1925. After training as an electrical engineer and architect he was called up for National Service, working for the Royal Artillery in India. During that period he became interested in performing and on his discharge joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in Manchester. To avoid confusion with American actor George Cooper he used his middle initial in his stage name. His first appearance on television was in 1946. Over the next fifty years, he was a regular on the screen developing a career out of portraying slightly bumbling authoritarian characters. In 1964, he won a recurring role in ITV's Coronation Street playing businessman Willie Piggott who famously tried to bribe Ken Barlow to give his son Brian a pass on his tech exam. He had regular roles in Z-Cars and Dixon of Dock Green. In 1960, he appeared in the West End play Billy Liar playing the father of the title character, later reprising the role in the 1973 television series. He appeared in comedies such as Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Sykes and Mind Your Language. In 1985, he took on the role of no-nonsense caretaker Eric Griffiths in the incredibly successful children's drama Grange Hill, playing the role for seven years and earning a place in the hearts of a generation of children. His last TV appearance was in a 1995 episode of Casualty. He died in a nursing home in Hampshire on 16th November, 2018.
Filmography
The Ties That Bind Us 2008
as Cherub (archive footage)
Fair Game 1994
as George
Customers From Hell 1989
Actor
Reunion at Fairborough 1985
as Bartender
Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle 1984
as Alf
Amy 1984
as Will Johnson
The Star Chamber 1983
as State Senator Walden
Red Monarch 1983
as Kaganovitch
Somewhere More Central 1981
as Uncle Joe
The Light Princess 1978
as King
Mr. and Ms. Bureaucrat 1978
as Man
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story 1978
as Mr. Twitchell
Trial by Combat 1976
as 2nd Leather Jerkin
- Decorators Limited
Decorators Limited 1976
as Porter
Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done 1975
as The Pirate King (voice)
Awkward Customers 1975
as Awkward Customer: Mr. Wart-hog
The Bouncing Boy 1972
as Ashcroft
Bless This House 1972
as Mr. Wilson
What Became of Jack and Jill? 1972
as Trouncer
The Villa Maroc 1972
as Lionel
Lifting Safely 1972
Actor
Office Party 1971
as Manager
Roll On Four O'Clock 1970
as Ted Crampton
I Can't See My Little Willie 1970
as Frank Palmer
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer 1970
as Blacket
- Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent It
Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent It 1970
as Mr. Tundish
Start the Revolution Without Me 1970
as Dr. Duval
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave 1968
as Village Landlord
The Strange Affair 1968
as Supt. Kingsley
Smashing Time 1967
as Irishman
- The Confession
The Confession 1967
as Albert Verdoni
In Two Minds 1967
as Mr. Winter
Doctor Who: The Smugglers 1966
as Cherub
Life at the Top 1965
as Graffham
Ferry Cross the Mersey 1965
as Mr. Lumsden
The Bargee 1964
as Official in Office
Nightmare 1964
as John
Tom Jones 1963
as Mr. Fitzpatrick
The Cracksman 1963
as Fred
The Brain 1962
as Thomas Gabler
In the Doghouse 1962
as Examiner (Uncredited)
Hell Is a City 1960
as Doug Savage
A Night to Remember 1958
as Carpathia Purser Hughes (uncredited)
Violent Playground 1958
as Chief Inspector
Miracle in Soho 1957
as Foreman
Fortune Is a Woman 1957
as Hotel Porter
The Secret Place 1957
as Harry
Okinawa 1952
as Yeoman
Credits from TMDB.