Biography
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.
Acted in 93
2000s
- 2008
The Ties That Bind Us
Cherub (archive footage)
1990s
- 1994
Fair Game
George
- 1992
1980s
- 1989
Nice Work
Mr. Wilcox Snr · 1 episode
Customers From Hell
Movie
- 1986
- 1985
Reunion at Fairborough
Bartender
- 1984
Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle
Alf
Amy
Will Johnson
- 1983
Red Monarch
Kaganovitch
- 1982
- 1981
Somewhere More Central
Uncle Joe
1970s
- 1979
- 1978
The Light Princess
King
The Upchat Connection
Mr Hutcheson · 1 episode
Mr. and Ms. Bureaucrat
Man
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story
Mr. Twitchell
- 1977
- 1976
- 1975
Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done
The Pirate King (voice)
Awkward Customers
Awkward Customer: Mr. Wart-hog
Two's Company
Mr. Begley · 1 episode
Dawson's Weekly
TV
- 1973
Billy Liar
TV
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Bradshaw
- 1972
The Bouncing Boy
Ashcroft
Bless This House
Mr. Wilson
What Became of Jack and Jill?
Trouncer
The Villa Maroc
Lionel
Lifting Safely
Movie
- 1971
Office Party
Manager
- 1970
Roll On Four O'Clock
Ted Crampton
I Can't See My Little Willie
Frank Palmer
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Blacket
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
The Strange Affair
Supt. Kingsley
The First Lady
TV
- 1967
In Two Minds
Mr. Winter
- 1966
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
Cherub
- 1965
Life at the Top
Graffham
Ferry Cross the Mersey
Mr. Lumsden
- 1964
The Bargee
Official in Office
Nightmare
John
- 1963
The Cracksman
Fred
- 1962
In the Doghouse
Examiner (Uncredited)
- 1961
- 1960
Hell Is a City
Doug Savage
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
Violent Playground
Chief Inspector
- 1957
Miracle in Soho
Foreman
Fortune Is a Woman
Hotel Porter
The Secret Place
Harry
- 1956
Armchair Theatre
Vincenzo Galassi, Dennis Fleming, Manager · 1 episode
- 1955
- 1952
