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Peter Vaughan

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For other people named Peter Vaughan, see Peter Vaughan (disambiguation).

Peter Vaughan
Born
Peter Ewart Ohm

(1923-04-04)4 April 1923
Wem, Shropshire, England
Died6 December 2016(2016-12-06) (aged 93)
Surrey, England
EducationUttoxeter Grammar School
OccupationActor
Years active1939–2015
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1952; div. 1966)​
  • Lillias Walker

Peter Ewart Ohm (4 April 1923 – 6 December 2016), known professionally as Peter Vaughan, was an English character actor known for many supporting roles in British film and television productions.[1] He also acted extensively on stage.

He is perhaps best known for his role as Grouty in the sitcom Porridge and its 1979 film adaptation. Other roles included a recurring role alongside Robert Lindsay in the sitcom Citizen Smith, Tom Hedden in Straw Dogs, Winston the Ogre in Time Bandits, Tom Franklin in Chancer, and Mr. Stevens Sr. in The Remains of the Day. His final role was as Maester Aemon in HBO's Game of Thrones (2011–2015).

Early life

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Vaughan was born Peter Ewart Ohm[2] on 4 April 1923[3] in Wem, Shropshire, the son of a bank clerk, Max Ohm, who was an Austrian immigrant,[4] and Eva Wright, a nurse.[5] The family later moved to Wellington, in the same county, where he began his schooling. Vaughan said that while reciting a poem at infant school in Wellington he first experienced the applause and admiration coming from a good performance.[6] From the age of seven he lived in Staffordshire,[7] where he attended Uttoxeter Grammar School.[5] After leaving school, Vaughan joined the Wolverhampton Repertory Theatre in 1939, and gained experience in other repertory theatres as well. He adopted the stage name Peter Vaughan, though he never changed his name legally.[4]

During service in the British Army during the Second World War, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Signals on 9 June 1943,[8] and served in Normandy, Belgium, and the Far East.[3][9] At the end of the war, Vaughan was in Singapore during the liberation of Changi Prison.[5]

Career

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Vaughan made his film debut in 1959 in an uncredited role as a police officer in The 39 Steps.[5] He continued for several years to play small parts, including more cameos as policemen in Village of the Damned and The Victors, before gaining his first starring role, in a minor picture called Smokescreen (1964), where he played an insurance assessor investigating a businessman's disappearance in one of the last, and best, of the old-style British B-movies.[5] In 1967, he received second billing opposite Frank Sinatra in the film The Naked Runner. His performance was not well received by one critic who accused him of overacting in his role as a British agent.[10] He played Mr. Freeman in Karel Reisz's 1980 The French Lieutenant's Woman, alongside Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons.[11]

Possibly Vaughan's highest-profile film performance was as the father of Anthony Hopkins's character in The Remains of the Day (1993).[12] He was also cast in Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, but had not shot any material before that project was abandoned. He had previously appeared for Gilliam in Time Bandits and Brazil. Vaughan appeared as a menacing character in Straw Dogs (1971), and with Bill Murray in a film of W. Somerset Maugham's novel The Razor's Edge in 1984. In 1996, he appeared as Giles Corey in The Crucible, and in 1997 he appeared alongside Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone in Face. In 1998, Vaughan played Bishop Myriel in Les Misérables, alongside Liam Neeson. His most unusual role may have been as SS Obergruppenführer Arthur Nebe in the 1994 film of Robert Harris's novel Fatherland.[citation needed]

He appeared in the music video for Kate Bush's song "Experiment IV".[citation needed]

Television

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Vaughan became known for his performances on television, including supporting roles in Porridge (as "Genial" Harry Grout) and Citizen Smith as Charles Johnson (his role in the latter series was taken over by Tony Steedman). His role in Porridge brought him a great deal of public recognition despite his character appearing in only three episodes and in the 1979 film of the series.[13] In 1975, he appeared as Tony Kirby in an episode of the hard hitting police drama The Sweeney entitled Stay Lucky, Eh?

He also appeared as "The Fence" in the well known humorous advert for McVities Fruit Shortcake biscuits along with Harry Fowler.

In 1969, Vaughan appeared in Randall and Hopkirk in the episode "Never Trust a Ghost". In the same year, he starred in the thirteen-part London Weekend Television TV series The Gold Robbers. In December 1972, he appeared as Mr. Paxton in the BBC television adaptation of the M. R. James ghost story in A Warning to the Curious,[5] shown as part of their annual series A Ghost Story for Christmas.[14]' In September 1973, he appeared as Quinn in the London Weekend Television TV series The Protectors, in an episode called 'Quinn'.

Vaughan starred as Billy Fox in the Thames Television series Fox (1980).[5] The saga was written by Trevor Preston, directed by Jim Goddard, and produced by Verity Lambert. Other Fox family members were played by Elizabeth Spriggs, Ray Winstone, Larry Lamb, and Bernard Hill. Historical roles Vaughan played include those of Russian foreign minister Alexander Izvolsky in the serial Fall of Eagles (1974), British politician Thomas Inskip in the mini-series Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), the title role in A Last Visitor for Mr. Hugh Peter (1981), and German Nazi figures Kurt Zeitzler in the miniseries War and Remembrance (1988) and Hermann Göring in the Granada Television-PBS docu-drama Countdown to War (1989). He also appeared in many literary adaptations, such as Bleak House (BBC, 1985), in which he played the sinister lawyer Mr. Tulkinghorn, and Our Mutual Friend (BBC Two, 1998). Other television work includes the espionage thriller Codename: Kyril (1988), in a lead role as the head of the KGB.[citation needed]

In 1986, Vaughan appeared in the promotional video for Kate Bush's "Experiment IV" single. In 1991, he played John Turner in an episode of Granada Television's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes titled '"The Boscombe Valley Mystery".[citation needed]

He also appeared in the BBC production of Alan Aykbourn's play 'Season's Greetings' which was broadcast at Christmas 1986, and repeated on BBC 2 some years later. He played the role of Uncle Harvey.

Vaughan later attained particular acclaim for his supporting role as the Alzheimer's sufferer Felix Hutchinson in Our Friends in the North (BBC Two, 1996), a role that garnered a Best Actor nomination at the 1997 British Academy Television Awards.[15] He played the clockmaker George Graham in Longitude, the TV drama adaptation of Dava Sobel's eponymous non-fiction novel about the quest for a means to determine longitude at sea. In 2007 he starred in the television series Mobile, and as Uncle Alfie in the film Death at a Funeral.[16] In 2011 Vaughan starred as Michael Dodd in the BBC courtroom drama Silk.[17] His final role, between 2011 and 2015, was Maester Aemon in the HBO series Game of Thrones.[18][19]

Radio

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Vaughan was heard as Superintendent Kirk in the BBC dramatisation of Dorothy L. Sayers' Peter Wimsey novel Busman's Honeymoon, and as Denethor in the 1981 BBC Radio production of The Lord of the Rings.[5] He played Charles Augustus Milverton in a 1993 BBC radio dramatization of the Sherlock Holmes short story.[20]

Stage

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Vaughan's first breakthrough role was in 1964 as Ed in Joe Orton's work Entertaining Mr Sloane performed at Wyndham's Theatre.[5]

Personal life and death

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The first of Vaughan's two marriages was to Billie Whitelaw, whom he married in 1952 and divorced in 1966.[3][5] His second wife was actress Lilias Walker, with whom he lived in the village of Mannings Heath, in West Sussex, until his death, having previously lived in Crawley.[21] His stepdaughter Victoria Burton (actress and producer) is married to Gregor Fisher.[22]

Vaughan was partially blind in his old age. On 6 December 2016, he died from natural causes in Surrey at the age of 93.[23][24][25]

Filmography

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Vaughan appeared in the following films and television series:[1]

Features

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Year Title Role Notes
1959 The 39 Steps 2nd Police Constable on Train Uncredited
Sapphire Detective Whitehead
1960 Village of the Damned P.C. Gobby
Make Mine Mink Policeman in Car Uncredited
1961 Two Living, One Dead John Kester
The Court Martial of Major Keller Purvey
1962 I Thank a Fool Police Inspector
The Devil's Agent Chief of Hungarian Police
1963 The Punch and Judy Man Committee Man
The Victors Policeman
1964 Smokescreen Roper
1965 Fanatic Harry
Rotten to the Core Sir Henry Capell
1967 The Naked Runner Martin Slattery
The Man Outside Nikolai Volkov
1968 The Bofors Gun Sgt. Walker
Hammerhead Hammerhead
A Twist of Sand Johann
1969 Alfred the Great Burrud
The Gold Robbers DCS Cradock
1970 Taste of Excitement Inspector Malling
Eyewitness Paul Grazzini
1971 Straw Dogs Tom Hedden
1972 The Pied Piper Bishop
Savage Messiah Museum Attendant
A Warning to the Curious Mr. Paxton
1973 The Return Steven Royds
The Blockhouse Aufret
The MacKintosh Man Brunskill
Malachi's Cove Mr. Gunliffe
Massacre in Rome Gen. Albert Kesselring
1974 Symptoms Brady
11 Harrowhouse Coglin
1975 Intimate Reflections Saleman
1977 Valentino Rory O'Neil
1979 Zulu Dawn Q. S. M. Bloomfield
Porridge Harry Grout
1981 Time Bandits Winston the Ogre
The French Lieutenant's Woman Mr. Freeman
1982 Coming Out of the Ice Belov
1984 The Razor's Edge Mackenzie
Forbidden Major Stauffel
1985 Brazil Mr. Helpmann
1986 Haunted Honeymoon Francis Abbot Sr.
1987 Coast to Coast The Chiropodist
1989 Countdown to War Hermann Göring
1990 Mountains of the Moon Lord Houghton
King of the Wind Captain
1991 Prisoner of Honor Gen. Mercier
1993 The Remains of the Day William Stevens
1994 Dandelion Dead Doctor Hinks
Fatherland Nebe
1996 The Secret Agent The Driver
The Crucible Giles Corey
Our Friends in the North Felix Hutchinson
1997 The Moonstone Gabriel Betterege
Face Sonny
1998 Les misérables The Bishop
The Legend of 1900 'Pops', the Shopkeeper
The Good Son Mick Doyle
1999 An Ideal Husband Phipps
2000 Canone inverso – Making Love Old Baron Blau
The 10th Kingdom Wilfred Peep
The Thing About Vince Ray Skinner
Hotel Splendide Morton Blanche
Lorna Doone Sir Ensor Doone
2001 Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) Daddy Zoo
2003 The Mother Toots
2004 The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Bill Sellers
The Queen of Sheba's Pearls Edward Pretty
2006 Care Archie Short
2007 Death at a Funeral Uncle Alfie
2008 Is Anybody There? Bob
2011 Albatross Grandpa

Partial television credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1960–1961 Deadline Midnight Joe Dunn
1962 Oliver Twist Bill Sikes
1967 Great Expectations Mr. Jaggers
1971 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Horace Dorrington
1978 The Doombolt Chase Captain Hatfield
1979 The Danedyke Mystery Det. Insp. Burroughs
1980 Fox Billy Fox
1986 Sins Chief Prosecutor
Monte Carlo Pabst
1990–1991 Chancer Thomas 'Tom' Franklyn 17 episodes
1991 The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes John Turner Episode: "The Boscombe Valley Mystery"
1992 Lovejoy Marek Episode: "The Prague Sun"
1993 Nightingales The Inspector Episode: "All at Sea"
1994 Rab C. Nesbitt Brother Adam Episode: "Buckfast"
1998 Our Mutual Friend Mr. Boffin
1999 Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War Admiral Lord Hood TV movie
2000 Longitude George Graham
Second Sight Harold King Episode: "Kingdom of the Blind"
2002 Heartbeat Arthur Wainwright
The Jury Michael Colchester
2003 Casualty Henry Lambert
Sweet Medicine Laurence Barber
Thursday the 12th Edgar Bannister TV movie
Margery & Gladys Troy Gladwell
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher Harry Grout
2004 Beauty Mr. Robbins
2005 Malice Aforethought Widdicombe
Heartbeat Mr. Andrews
2007 Mobile Grandad Stoan
Christmas at the Riviera Glen TV movie
2008 Lark Rise to Candleford Reverend Ellison
HolbyBlue Clarence
2009 The Antiques Rogue Show George Greenhalgh TV movie
2011 Doc Martin William Newcross
Silk Michael Dodd
2011–2015 Game of Thrones Maester Aemon 11 episodes; recurring (final role)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Peter Vaughan". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  2. ^ "FindMyPast record of birth". Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "'Game of Thrones' Actor Peter Vaughan Dies At Age 93". Yahoo! News. Sunnyvale, California: Yahoo!. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b Peter Vaughan obituary The Guardian, 6 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Obituary: Peter Vaughan". BBC News. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Thrones star, 93, launches memoirs. County-born actor tells how performing bug bit him at school". Shropshire Star. 4 July 2016. p. 16.Report by Mat Growcott.
  7. ^ "Peter Vaughan: Acting Clever", Shropshire Magazine, November 2007 Archived 26 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 22 December 2014.
  8. ^ "No. 36080". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 July 1943. p. 3050.
  9. ^ "Obituary: Peter Vaughan". BBC News. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  10. ^ Variety Staff (31 December 1966). "Review: 'The Naked Runner'". Variety. Los Angeles: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  11. ^ Vincent Canby (18 September 1981). "'THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN'". NYTimes.
  12. ^ "'There are unfortunately a lot of us old guys around'". The Spectator. United Kingdom: Press Holdings. 31 October 2007. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Game of Thrones star Peter Vaughan is still best known for being Porridge's Grouty – Sunday Post". sundaypost.com. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  14. ^ Angelini, Sergio, A Warning to the Curious at the BFI's Screenonline. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  15. ^ MacDonald, Marianne (16 March 1966). "A hard act to follow". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media (1997–2010). Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  16. ^ Berardinelli, James. "Death at a Funeral | Reelviews Movie Reviews". Reelviews Movie Reviews. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  17. ^ "PBS Masterpiece Review: Silk Episode One". www.bestbritishtv.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Shropshire's Game of Thrones star Peter Vaughan still game « Shropshire Star". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Game of Thrones? 'It's a hard act to follow' ..." www.wscountytimes.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  20. ^ "The BBC audio complete Sherlock Holmes".
  21. ^ Page, Sarah (10 April 2017). "Legendary actor to be immortalised at Sussex pub". West Sussex County Times. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  22. ^ "Stepdaughter". IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  23. ^ "Peter Vaughan: Thrones and Porridge star dies at 93". BBC News. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  24. ^ "Peter Vaughan, star of Game of Thrones and Porridge, dies aged 93". The Daily Telegraph. London. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  25. ^ "OHM, PETER EWART 1923 GRO Reference: DOR Q4/2016 in SURREY (759-1G) Entry Number 514801931". General Register Office of England and Wales. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
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