Trevor Peacock
Peacock as Jim Trott (2006)
Born
Trevor Edward Peacock

(1931-05-19)19 May 1931
Died8 March 2021(2021-03-08) (aged 89)
Yeovil, Somerset, England
Occupation(s)Actor, songwriter
Spouses
  • Iris Jones
    (m. 1957, divorced)
  • Tilly Tremayne
    (m. 1979)
    [1]
Children4, including Daniel and Harry

Trevor Edward Peacock[2] (19 May 1931 – 8 March 2021) was an English actor and songwriter. He made his name as a theatre actor, including for his roles in Shakespeare. He later became known for playing Jim Trott in the BBC comedy series The Vicar of Dibley.[3]

His song "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" was a number one hit for Herman's Hermits in 1965.

Early life

Peacock was born on 19 May 1931 in Edmonton, London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Peacock.[4] Prior to his acting career, he was a teacher for a few years in North London, including spells at Cuckoo Hall School in Edmonton and Carterhatch Junior School in Enfield.

Film and television career

Peacock's many television roles include Jim Trott in The Vicar of Dibley, Rouault in Madame Bovary (opposite Keith Barron), Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop and Old Bailey in Neverwhere. He appeared in a wide variety of programmes, such as EastEnders (playing Sid, a war veteran Alfie Moon met in France), LWT's Wish Me Luck (in which he played resistance leader Renard), Jonathan Creek, Between the Lines, The Riff Raff Element, The Thin Blue Line, My Family, and in a 1990 episode of Van der Valk.

Peacock had starring roles in several plays in the BBC Television Shakespeare series, including the title role in Titus Andronicus, Feste in Twelfth Night, Lord Talbot in Henry VI, Part 1 and Jack Cade in Henry VI, Part 2.[3] He was the Gravedigger in Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 film version of Hamlet, Old Joe in the 1999 Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol, and the Innkeeper in the 2000 made-for-television film version of Don Quixote.[5] In 1962, he played Willy, in The Barber of Stamford Hill. In 1964, he appeared with The Beatles in the television special Around the Beatles, playing Peter Quince in the Pyramus and Thisbe scene (Act V, Scene 1) from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.[6]

He played the father of Father Christmas in the 2007 film Fred Claus, co-starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. In July 2009, he also had a bit part in the TV drama Hotel Babylon. Peacock appeared as "Captain Zero" in the BBC TV series Last of The Summer Wine (1990) and as Maurey in The Sins (2000). In 2012, he played George in Quartet, a British comedy-drama film based on the play of the same title..

Peacock was also a songwriter. He wrote the 1960s pop hit "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter", which, recorded by Herman's Hermits, was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1965, having been number one in Canada the month before.[7] Other hit songs to his credit include "Mystery Girl" (recorded by Jess Conrad),[8] "Made You" (Adam Faith),[9] "Gossip Calypso" (Bernard Cribbins),[10] "Stick Around" (Billy Fury),[11] "That's What Love Will Do"[12] and "Nature's Time For Love"[13] (both recorded by Joe Brown).

Peacock wrote the lyrics for several hit singles by The Vernons Girls. The songs he wrote for the group include "Be Nice To Him Mama", "You Know What I Mean", "Funny All Over" and "He'll Never Come Back".[14] He contributed the lyrics for the musical show Passion Flower Hotel (music by John Barry), and for a musical based on the newspaper cartoon strip, Andy Capp (music by Alan Price). Before his acting career took off, Peacock compered Drumbeat for the BBC, also writing scripts for Oh Boy! and Six-Five Special.

He starred in the 1991 fantasy BBC radio play Heart of Hark'un.[15] In 2002 he filmed an episode of Dinotopia in Budapest, playing the mysterious sage Lok in "Night of the Wartosa". In 2010, he appeared in The Old Guys and a radio adaptation of I, Claudius.

Theatre career

Peacock acted in the theatre throughout his career and was particularly associated with the Royal Exchange, Manchester.[16][17] In addition to performing in many productions since the theatre opened in 1976, he also wrote a number of shows for the company. These include:

In the 1970s he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing comic roles such as Silence and Feste, as well as more serious parts.[3] During the 1990s he appeared in several National Theatre productions.[3]

Acting credits

Peacock's acting credits include:[16][17]

Personal life and death

Peacock was married twice. His first marriage was to Iris Jones in 1957, which ended in divorce. His second wife was actress Tilly Tremayne, whom he married in 1979.[1] Peacock had two sons, actors Daniel Peacock and Harry Peacock, and two daughters, Sally and Maudie.[18] His daughter-in-law is actress Katherine Parkinson, who is married to Harry.[19] Peacock lived in the village of East Coker, Somerset[20] and was a supporter of Yeovil Town.[21]

Peacock was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, and it was reported in 2018 that he was in the advanced stages of the disease, had retired from acting and was living in a nursing home in Yeovil, Somerset. His last role was in the 2015 Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief Special.[18] He died on 8 March 2021, aged 89.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "Tilly relishes the Turing challenge". Northampton Chronicle. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  2. "Peacock, Trevor 1931– (Jackie Atom) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Michael Coveney (9 March 2021). "Trevor Peacock obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. "Trevor Peacock profile". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  5. "Vicar of Dibley star Trevor Peacock dies at 89". BBC News. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. "Around the Beatles". 6 May 1964. Retrieved 9 March 2021 via IMDb.
  7. Ruhlmann, William. "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  8. "Mystery Girl - Jess Conrad: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  9. "Adam Faith: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  10. "Gossip Calypso - Bernard Cribbins: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  11. "Stick Around - Billy Fury: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  12. "That's What Love Will Do - Joe Brown : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  13. "Nature's Time for Love - Joe Brown: Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  14. Eder, Bruce. "Very Best of Vernon Girls - The Vernons Girls". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  15. "BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Heart of Hark'un, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  16. 1 2 Murray, Braham (2007). The Worst It Can Be Is a Disaster. London: Methuen Drama; ISBN 978-0-7136-8490-2.
  17. 1 2 The Royal Exchange Theatre Company Words & Pictures 1976–1998; ISBN 0-9512017-1-9
  18. 1 2 3 Moses, Toby (9 March 2021). "Vicar of Dibley actor Trevor Peacock dies at the age of 89". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  19. "Soundtrack Of My Life: Katherine Parkinson". NME. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  20. "Villagers hold referendum to beat sprawl". BBC News. 18 September 2003. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  21. "Rest in peace, Trevor Peacock". ytfc.net. YeovilT own F.C. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
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