Trevor Peacock
Trevor Edward Peacock (19 May 1931 – 8 March 2021) was an English actor, screenwriter and songwriter. He made his name as a theatre actor, later becoming known for his Shakespearean roles. Later in his career, he became best known for playing Jim Trott in the BBC comedy series "The Vicar of Dibley". Early life. He was born on 19 May 1931 in Edmonton, London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Peacock. 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 range of diverse 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" and "My Family". 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". 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". 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". 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 was recorded by Herman's Hermits. Other hit songs to his credit include "Mystery Girl" (recorded by Jess Conrad), "Made You" (Adam Faith), "Gossip Calypso" (Bernard Cribbins), "Stick Around" (Billy Fury), "That's What Love Will Do" and "Nature's Time For Love" (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". 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". 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. 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. During the 1990s he appeared in several National Theatre productions. Acting credits. Peacock's acting credits include: 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. Peacock had two sons, actors Daniel Peacock and Harry Peacock, and two daughters, Sally and Maudie. His daughter-in-law is actress Katherine Parkinson, who is married to Harry. Peacock lived in the village of East Coker, Somerset and was a supporter of Yeovil Town. 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. He died on the morning of 8 March 2021, at the age of 89.