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 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.
Photos
Films (64)
Big Winners
2025 · Arthur Thistle
Downton Abbey III : Le Grand Final
2025 · Albert Mason
Ticker
2023 · Howard
Downton Abbey II : Une nouvelle ère
2022 · Mason
The Infectious Imagination of Henry Bramble
2021 · Great Uncle Geoffrey
Enola Holmes
2020 · Station Master
Ropeless
2020 · Larry Windsor
Reg
2016 · Man 2
The Nest Egg
2016
The Sound of Music Live!
2015 · Franz
The 12 Days of Christine
2015 · Ernie
First Encounter: King Lear
2012 · King Lear
The Shadow in the North
2007 · Paton
When Kim & Aggie Went To Hospital
2006 · Self - Narrator (voice)
Marian, Again
2005 · Phillip Walsh
The Key
2003
Hornblower: Duty
2003 · Matthews
Hornblower: Loyalty
2003 · Matthews
The Many Lives of Albert Walker
2002 · Danny Peck
Hornblower: Retribution
2001 · Matthews
Hornblower: Mutiny
2001 · Mathews
Coup de peigne
2001 · Ken
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters
1999 · Mathews
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil
1999 · Matthews
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant
1998 · Mathews
Hornblower: The Even Chance
1998 · Matthews
Written in Blood
1998 · Brian Chappel
Jude
1996 · Mr. Willis
A Pinch of Snuff
1994 · Charlie Heppelwhite
The Remains of the Day
1993 · Harry Smith
How's Business
1991 · Jack
Testimony of a Child
1989 · Gerry
Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus
1986 · Local Man
Silas Marner
1985 · William Dane
Which Side Are You On?
1985 · Narrator (voice)
Bird Fancier
1985 · Roy Pearson
Doll’s Eye
1983 · Social Worker
Ends and Means
1983
Ghost in the Water
1982 · Mr. Reed
P.Q. 17
1981 · PO Jordan
A Room for the Winter
1981 · Robert
A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to El Dorado
1981 · Tom
Happy
1980 · Vernon
Death of a Princess
1980 · Steve Jackson
Cries from a Watchtower
1979 · Andy
Black Jack
1979 · Narrator
Zulu Dawn
1979 · Cpl. Storey
Pillion
1979 · Writer
On a Paving Stone Mounted
1978
Travellers
1978 · Young William/Middle William/Sales Rep
Mucking Out
1978 · Brian Wilson
The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill
1978 · Bill
Destiny
1978 · Paul McShane
Some Enchanted Evening
1978 · Peter
A Christmas Carol
1977 · Fred (Scrooge's Nephew)
A Bridge Too Far
1977 · Pvt. Wicks
Arnhem: The Story of an Escape
1976 · Finnegan
Trade Unions: Seven Days that Shook Young Jim
1976 · Tony
The Chester Mystery Plays
1976
Alfie Darling
1975 · Bakey
Diane
1975 · Jim
Father Dear Father
1973 · Dumbo
Speech Day
1973 · Woodwork Master
Dangerous Journey
· Narrator
Séries (75)
Play for Today
2025 · Arthur Thistle
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks
2025 · Narrator (voice)
DI Ray
2022 · Terry Hunter
On the Edge
2018 · Ray
Secret médical
2017 · Arthur Hardacre
Broken
2017 · Joe Kerrigan
The coroner
2015 · John Roxwell
Le Code du tueur
2015 · Sidney Jeffreys
Inside No. 9
2014 · Ernie
Padre Brown, detective
2013 · Mr Feste
Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork
2013 · Narrator
Last Tango in Halifax
2012 · Harry
White Heat
2012 · Alan (present day)
SOS sages-femmes
2012 · Tommy Smith
Les Enquêtes de Vera
2011 · Malcolm Kenrich
Downton Abbey
2010 · Mr. Mason
Moving On
2009 · Ronnie
Survivors
2008 · Ted
Inspecteur Gently
2008
Kingdom
2007 · Vincent Straker
Torchwood: El día del milagro
2006 · Clement McDonald
The Street
2006
Johnny and the Bomb
2006 · Sgt. Bourke
Life on Mars
2006 · Reg Cole
Dead Man Weds
2005 · Blind Man
Shameless
2004 · Norman Owens
New Tricks
2004 · Pat the Rat
How Clean Is Your House?
2003 · Self - Narrator (voice)
Burn It
2003 · Terry Grimshaw
The Afternoon Play
2003 · Dave
The Royal
2003 · Nesbitt
Nice Guy Eddie
2002
Born and Bred
2002 · Hubert Gough
Waking the Dead
2001 · Clifford Day
Messiah
2001 · Ian Fleet
Queer as Folk
1999 · Roy Maloney
The Worst Witch
1998 · Algernon Rowan-Webb, Algernon Rowan Webb
Hornblower
1998 · Matthews
The Lakes
1997 · Peter Quinlan
Midsomer Murders
1997 · Frank Dewar
This Life
1996 · Jerry Cook
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996 · Jack Henslowe
Silent Witness
1996
Roughnecks
1994 · Ian
Cracker
1993 · Pathologist
Harry
1993 · Thomas Thomas
Peak Practice
1993 · Tim Shardlow, DS Patrick Hopkins
Heartbeat
1992 · Dick Radcliffe, Herbie Lloyd, Malcolm Stainsby
Stay Lucky
1989
The Paradise Club
1989 · Mousey Pavitt
Young Charlie Chaplin
1989 · Chimnery Sweep
Gruey
1988 · Mr. Grucock
Casualty
1986 · Frederick Chambers, Mick McCarthur, Arthur
The Bright Side
1985
The Bill
1984
Big Deal
1984 · Max
The Gathering Seed
1983 · Bob Henshaw
Tenko
1981 · POW
West End Tales
1981 · Herbert
Minder
1979 · Palmer
Turning Year Tales
1979 · Tim
After Julius
1979 · Dan
Strangers
1978 · Des White
Treasure Island
1977
Premiere
1977 · Young William
BBC2 Play of the Week
1977 · Finnegan, Bill
Secret Army
1977 · Eric Finch
Trinity Tales
1975 · Dave the Joiner
Days of Hope
1975 · Ben Matthews
Churchill's People
1974 · Viventius
Playhouse
1974 · Jim, Vernon
Second City Firsts
1973 · Brian Wilson
Play for Today
1970 · Andy
ITV Playhouse
1967 · Peter
BBC Play of the Month
1965