Trevor Peacock

Trevor Peacock (born 19 May 1931) is an English stage and television character actor and former screenwriter and songwriter. He is best known for playing Jim Trott in the BBC comedy series The Vicar of Dibley, alongside Dawn French. He was born in Tottenham, North London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Peacock.

Television and film 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 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 and My Family.

Peacock had starring roles in several of the BBC Shakespeare series, including the title role in Titus Andronicus, Feste in Twelfth Night, or What You Will, 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.

Peacock 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. He has also 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 is also a noted songwriter. He wrote the 1960s pop classic "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 a number of hits by The Vernons Girls. The songs include "Be Nice To Him Mama", "You Know What I Mean", "Funny All Over" and "We Love The Beatles". He wrote the lyrics for the musical show, Passion Flower Hotel (music by John Barry), and for a musical based on the popular newspaper cartoon strip, Andy Capp (music by Alan Price). Before his acting career took off, he compered Drumbeat for the BBC and wrote 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 I, Claudius.

Theatre career

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

• Leaping Ginger. World premiere directed by Braham Murray with Christopher Neil (1977)
• Cinderella. World Premiere directed by Anthony Bowles and Michele Hardy with Wendy Morgan and Gabrielle Drake (1979)
• Andy Capp written with Alan Price. World premiere directed by Braham Murray (1982)
• Class K with Judy Loe, Colin Prockter and Rosalind Knight (1985)
• Jack and the Giant (world premiere directed by Mervyn Willis with Jason Watkins, 1986)

Acting credits

Peacock's acting credits include:

• Estragon, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett for the Century Theatre, Manchester directed by Michael Elliott (1967)
• Tony Lumpkin, She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith for the Century Theatre, Manchester directed by Braham Murray and then at the Garrick Theatre, London (1969)
• Titus Andronicus at the Round House, London (1971)
• Clov, Endgame by Samuel Beckett for the Century Theatre, Manchester directed by Braham Murray and then at the Shaw Theatre, London (1973)
• Sidney Prime, Sherlock Holmes for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Aldwych Theatre, London, then (Broadway debut) Broadhurst Theatre (1974)
• Friar Mauro Tenda and Diego Lopez Duro, The Bewitched at the Aldwych Theatre, London (1975)
• Bishop of Ely and Fluellen, Henry V for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Memorial Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, England, 1975, then at the Aldwych Theatre, London (1976)
• Poins, Henry IV, Parts I and II, for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Memorial Theatre, 1975, then at the Aldwych Theatre (1976)
• Sir Hugh Evans, The Merry Wives of Windsor, for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Memorial Theatre, 1975, then at the Aldwych Theatre (1976)
• Acres, The Rivals by Sheridan at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray (1976)
• Colonel Kottwitz, The Prince of Homburg by Heinrich von Kleist at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Casper Wrede (1976)
• Zachariah Manning, Zack by Harold Brighouse at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Eric Thompson (1976)
• Sergeant Match, What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray (1977)
• Tom Price, A Family by Ronald Harwood. World premiere directed by Casper Wrede at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1978)
• Aramis, The Three Musketeers by Braham Murray and Derek Griffiths. World premiere directed by Braham Murray at the Royal Exchange, Manchester (1979)
• Estragon, Waiting for Godot at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray and then at the Round House, London (1980)
• Elwood P Dowd, Harvey by Mary Chase at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Eric Thompson (1981)
• Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Greg Hersov (1985)
• The Bluebird of Unhappiness, a Woody Allen review at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray (1987)
• Jim Trott, The Vicar of Dibley, for BBC One (1994-2007)
• Henry Horatio Hobson, Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighouse at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray (2003)
• Giles Cory, The Crucible by Arthur Miller directed by Dominic Cooke at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (2006)

Personal life

Peacock has been married twice. His first marriage was to Iris Jones, from whom he is divorced. His second wife is Tilly Tremayne. Peacock has two sons, actors Daniel Peacock and Harry Peacock. He lived in the village of East Coker, Somerset and is a supporter of Yeovil Town. Peacock was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, and it was reported in 2017 that he had advanced dementia and had retired from acting, living in a nursing home in Yeovil. His last role was in the 2015 Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief Special.