Peter Collingwood

Peter Trevor Collingwood (6 May 1920 – 23 September 2016) was an English-born actor who appeared on stage in England and Australia, as well as being a theatre writer, and in a number of British and Australian films, miniseries and serials from 1938 to 2003. Known for his portrayal of judges, military men, and upper-crust, befuddled types.

Early life

Collingwood was born in Kent,(some sources give, Farnham, Surrey), England on 6 May 1920. He enrolled in the Embassy School of Acting at the Embassy Theatre, London, in 1937. His first professional acting job was in The Western Chamber, Chinese play, in 1938.

Navy service

During the Second World War, Collingwood served in the British Navy, including on the Greek submarine Matrozos as liaison officer, but was discharged due to eye sight problems.

After the war, Collingwood joined Amersham Repertory Theatre, followed by the Young Vic Company, and a number of other companies. In 1950 he married Margery Shaw. They moved to Perth, Scotland where he worked for the Perth Repertory Company. During this time, he wrote the farce Gathering Nuts, which was performed by the company, as well as by a number of other repertory companies.

In 1953, Collingwood returned to London with his family—daughter Julia, stepsons Christopher and Michael—where he worked regularly on stage, in film, and on television.

In 1961, with Margery and step-son Michael, Collingwood travelled overland to Sri Lanka, then by ship to Perth, Australia. From late 1961 to 1963, he worked at the Perth Playhouse.

The family returned to England for two years, during which he appeared in a number of successful West End shows, including Inadmissible Evidence, Meals on Wheels, and I Love you Mrs Patterson.

In 1967, Collingwood emigrated to Australia, first living in Perth before settling near Sydney in Balmain, New South Wales. He worked for many Sydney theatre companies including the Old Tote, Nimrod Theatre, Belvoir Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, and the Independent. Between 1970 and 1972 he was director of the Marian Street Theatre.

Collingwood has appeared in serial roles, both dramatic and comedic, including Homicide, Division 4, Mother and Son,A Country Practice, Police Rescue, Home and Away (as Bert King), and Always Greener.

Television roles also included Lord John Russell in Edward the Seventh and Mr. Dunkley in Are You Being Served?.

Collingwood retired in 2003 and died 23 September 2016 at the age of 96.

Appearances in movies

• River Beat (1954) - Coroner
• Up the Creek (1958) - Chippy
• Further Up the Creek (1958) - Chippy
• The Green Helmet (1961) - Charlie
• Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966) - Geoffrey
• Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) - Colonel Fitzhubert
• Fast Talking (1984) - School Principal

Appearances in miniseries

• The Timeless Land, ABC Television (Australia), 1980 - Governor Phillip
• Under Capricorn, 1982 - Governor
• Coral Island, 1983 - Reverend McNab
• The Dismissal, 1983 - Tun Abdul Razak
• A Difficult Woman, ABC Television (Australia), 1998 - Chris Fitzgerald