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Trevor Peacock | |
|---|---|
 Peacock asJim Trott (2006) | |
| Born | Trevor Edward Peacock (1931-05-19)19 May 1931 Tottenham, London, England |
| Died | 8 March 2021(2021-03-08) (aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, songwriter |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4, includingDaniel andHarry |
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 playingJim Trott in theBBC comedy seriesThe Vicar of Dibley.[3]
His song "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" was a US number one hit forHerman's Hermits in 1965.[citation needed]
Trevor Edward Peacock was born on 19 May 1931 inTottenham, London, the son of Victor and Alexandra (née Matthews) Peacock.[4] His father was a Baptist lay preacher.[4]
Peacock was interested in performing from childhood, participating in plays at school and seeing films; he had to sneak into the cinema because his parents forbade him from seeing films.[4] Prior to his acting career, he was a teacher for a few years in North London, including spells atCuckoo Hall School in Edmonton and Carterhatch Junior School in Enfield.[4]
Peacock's many television roles include Jim Trott inThe Vicar of Dibley, Rouault inMadame Bovary (oppositeKeith Barron),Quilp inThe Old Curiosity Shop and Old Bailey inNeverwhere. He appeared in a wide variety of programmes, such asEastEnders (playingSid, a war veteranAlfie Moon met in France), LWT'sWish 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 ofVan der Valk.[citation needed]
Peacock also wrote several films, includingHe Who Rides a Tiger starringTom Bell andJudi Dench in her debut role.[5]
Peacock had starring roles in several plays in theBBC Television Shakespeare series, including the title role inTitus Andronicus, Feste inTwelfth Night,Lord Talbot inHenry VI, Part 1 andJack Cade inHenry VI, Part 2.[3] He was the Gravedigger inFranco Zeffirelli's1990 film version ofHamlet, Old Joe in the 1999Patrick Stewart version ofA Christmas Carol, and the Innkeeper in the 2000made-for-television film version ofDon Quixote.[6] In 1962, he played Willy, inThe Barber of Stamford Hill. In 1964, he appeared withThe Beatles in the television specialAround the Beatles, playingPeter Quince in thePyramus and Thisbe scene (Act V, Scene 1) fromWilliam Shakespeare'sA Midsummer Night's Dream.[7]
He played the father ofFather Christmas in the 2007 filmFred Claus, co-starringVince Vaughn andPaul Giamatti. In July 2009, he also had a bit part in the TV dramaHotel Babylon. Peacock appeared as "Captain Zero" in the BBC TV seriesLast of The Summer Wine (1990) and as Maurey inThe Sins (2000). In 2012, he played George inQuartet, a British comedy-drama film based on the play of the same title.[citation needed]
He starred in the 1991 fantasyBBC radio playHeart of Hark'un.[8] In 2002 he filmed an episode ofDinotopia inBudapest, playing the mysterious sage Lok in "Night of the Wartosa". In 2010, he appeared inThe Old Guys and a radio adaptation ofI, Claudius.[citation needed]
As a songwriter, he wrote the 1960s pop hit "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter", which, recorded byHerman's Hermits, was number one on the USBillboard Hot 100 in May 1965, having been number one in Canada the month before.[9] Other hit songs to his credit include "Mystery Girl" (recorded byJess Conrad),[10] "Made You" (Adam Faith),[11] "Gossip Calypso" (Bernard Cribbins),[12] "Stick Around" (Billy Fury),[13] "That's What Love Will Do"[14] and "Nature's Time For Love"[15] (both recorded byJoe Brown).
Peacock wrote the lyrics for several hit singles byThe 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".[16] He contributed the lyrics for the musical showPassion Flower Hotel (music byJohn Barry), and for a musical based on the newspaper cartoon strip,Andy Capp (music byAlan Price). Before his acting career took off, Peacock comperedDrumbeat for theBBC, also writing scripts forOh Boy! andSix-Five Special.
Peacock acted in the theatre throughout his career and was particularly associated with theRoyal Exchange, Manchester.[17][18] 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 theRoyal Shakespeare Company, playing comic roles such as Silence andFeste, as well as more serious parts.[3] During the 1990s he appeared in several National Theatre productions.[3]
Peacock's acting credits include:[17][18]
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, actorsDaniel Peacock andHarry Peacock, and two daughters, Sally and Maudie.[19] His daughter-in-law is actressKatherine Parkinson, who is married to Harry.[20] Peacock lived in the village ofEast Coker,Somerset[21] and was a supporter ofYeovil Town.[22]
Peacock was diagnosed withAlzheimer's disease in 2009.[4] 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 inYeovil, Somerset.[citation needed] His last role was in the 2015Vicar of DibleyComic Relief Special.[19] He died on 8 March 2021, aged 89.[19]
In 2025, Peacock appeared on a Britishpostage stamp issued as part of a special set byRoyal Mail, which commemorated the seriesThe Vicar of Dibley.[23]
Trevor Peacock's screenplay is crisp, and even in the love scenes and with the kids does not teeter overmuch towards the sentimental.
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