Graham Cole

Graham Cole OBE (born Graham Coleman-Smith on 16 March 1952) is an English actor.

Early life

Cole was born in Willesden, Middlesex in 1952 to Victor and Freda Coleman-Smith (née Coleman), the youngest of three children.

Career

He appeared in numerous episodes of ''Doctor Who'' in the early 1980s, often in uncredited roles, such as Marshman and then a Cyberman in ''Earthshock''. He has also played Melkur in ''The Keeper of Traken'' and finally a Jacondan in ''The Twin Dilemma''. He also made a guest appearance in the final series of '' Sooty and Co'' as a detective called Maurice and in ''Only Fools and Horses'' as a Spanish customs official. His first film appearance was in the James Bond film '' The Living Daylights'' in 1987. Cole then appeared in ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' as one of Walter Donovan's henchmen, who escort Indiana Jones to their boss's New York apartment.

He is best known as PC Tony Stamp in the ITV police drama ''The Bill'', a role he played initially as a recurring character from 1984, and then as a regular from 1988 until 2009. Cole appeared in more episodes of the programme than any other actor, appearing in 1,202 episodes. He had previously spent 12 years in Repertory Theatre, and musicals.

He presented and narrated the police video programme '' Police Stop!''. He appeared regularly on '' Noel's House Party'' in sketches with Andrew Paul. Cole has also made a guest appearance in ITV series '' Law & Order: UK'' as a barman in one episode.

In his early career in the late 1970s Cole appeared as the Emperor of China in a season of ''Aladdin'' at the Grand Theatre in Swansea. Other pantomime appearances have included the role of "Beast" in ''Beauty & The Beast'' at the Woodville Halls in Gravesend, Kent. He played ''Scrooge'' at Garrick Theatre, Lichfield in 2012 and Abanazer for Theatre Royal, Norwich, 2013–2014. He played General Waverley in Irving Berlin's ''White Christmas'' at The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. He later returned to the role at The Dominion Theatre, London.

Cole starred in the gangster-horror film '' Evil Never Dies'' in 2014, as DI David Bracken, a film that also starred Katy Manning, P.H. Moriarty and former ''The Bill'' colleague Tony Scannell. Cole made appearances in ''Doctors'' (2015) and ''Holby City'' (2018), before starring in the romantic-drama film ''23 Walks'' in 2020 with Alison Steadman.

Personal life

Cole is a member of the showbusiness charity the Grand Order of Water Rats and held the title ''King Rat'' in 2009. He is President of the National Holiday Fund, which takes sick and disabled children to Disney World in Florida. He has been a patron of ChildLine for over 25 years and is the president of Greater London South East Scout County.

Cole supports emergency service charities with his patronage. He is a patron of the Orphans' Gift Fund South East London Boroughs of the Constables Branch Board of the Metropolitan Police. He is a Voluntary Police Cadets ambassador.

He was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1997 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel.

Cole was awarded an OBE in 2010 for his continuing work with charities. He is married and has two children.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Graham
1952 births
Actors from the London Borough of Brent
English male film actors
English male soap opera actors
Living people
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
People from Willesden