Graham Cole

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

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

Early life

Cole was born in Willesden in 1952 to Victor and Freda Coleman-Smith (née Coleman), the youngest of three children. He was part of the film crew of '' A Clockwork Orange'', although he didn't meet the stars. It was when he took part in a staff pantomime, that his colleagues persuaded him to take up a career in showbusiness.

Career

He appeared in numerous episodes of ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' 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 ''The Twin Dilemma'' is the seventh and final serial of the 21st season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 22 March to 30 March 1984. In the serial, the al ...

''. He also made a guest appearance in the final series of Sooty and Co as a detective called Maurice in the episode "Delgrub" and in '' Only Fools and Horses'' as a Spanish customs official. His first film appearance as a '00' agent in the James Bond film '' The Living Daylights'' in 1987. Cole then appeared in ''

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' is a 1989 American action film, action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third installment in the Indiana Jones, ''Indiana ...

''. As one of

Walter Donovan This is a list of characters in the Indiana Jones (franchise), ''Indiana Jones'' series. Introduced in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' Indiana Jones Indiana Jones (character), Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford), the titular chara ...

's henchmen, who escort

Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...

to their boss's New York apartment. https://twitter.com/grahamcoleact/status/368483388698546177?lang=en-GB He is best known as PC

Tony Stamp ''The Bill'' is a long-running British television police procedural television series, named after a slang term for the police. The characters are all police officers or civilian staff at the fictional Sun Hill police station in London. Senior ...

in the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

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! ''Police Stop!'' is a British television documentary series, narrated and presented by Graham Cole, best known for his role as PC Tony Stamp in the Thames Television drama series ''The Bill'', that was first developed in 1993 as a Direct-to-vi ...

''. He appeared regularly on '' Noel's House Party'' in sketches with

Andrew Paul Andrew Paul (born Paul Andrew Herman; 17 March 1961 in Mile End, East London) is an English actor, known for portraying PC Dave Quinnan in the ITV drama ''The Bill'' for 13 years. Life and career Paul grew up in Manor House, North London, ...

. Cole was

gunge Gunge as it is known in the United Kingdom, or slime as it is known in the United States and most English-speaking areas of the world, is a thick, gooey, yet runny substance with a consistency somewhere between that of paint and custard. It has ...

d on the show, which was arranged by his mother-in-law. He has also made a guest appearance in

series '' Law & Order: UK'' as a barman in one episode. GColePanto

Cole is also a singer. In his early career Cole appeared as the Emperor of China in a record-breaking 1978/79 season of ''Aladdin'' at the Grand Theatre in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

. Other pantomime appearances have included the role of "Beast" in ''Beauty & The Beast'' at the Woodville Halls in

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...

, Kent. To date he has appeared in 36 pantomimes. He played ''Scrooge'' to critical acclaim at Garrick Theatre Lichfield in 2012 and Abanazer for Theater Royal Norwich, 2013–2014. He Played General Waverley In Irving Berlin's ''White Christmas'' at The Festival Theatre Edinburgh. He then returned to the role in 2015/16 to record breaking houses at The Dominion Theatre London. Cole starred in the gangster-horror film ''

Evil Never Dies ''Evil Never Dies'' is the debut studio album of thrash metal band Toxic Holocaust Toxic Holocaust is an American thrash metal band from Portland, Oregon. History Joel Grind founded Toxic Holocaust in 1999. He originally wrote and recorded ...

'' in 2014, as DI David Bracken, a film that also starred Katy Manning,

P.H. Moriarty Patrick H. Moriarty (born 27 February 1939) is a British character actor and voice actor, known for his role as 'Razors' in John Mackenzie's ''The Long Good Friday''. Career Moriarty came to acting late in life; he had worked as a boxer and a ...

and former ''The Bill'' colleague Tony Scannell. Cole made appearances in ''

Doctors Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

'' (2015) and ''

Holby City ''Holby City'' (stylised on-screen as HOLBY CIY) is a British medical drama television series that aired weekly on BBC One. It was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', and pr ...

'' (2018), before starring in the romantic-drama film ''

23 Walks ''23 Walks'' is a 2020 British romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Morrison. It stars Alison Steadman, Dave Johns and Graham Cole. It was released on 30 July 2020 in New Zealand and is scheduled to release on 25 September 202 ...

'' 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 The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...

and of the charit
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He is a

Voluntary Police Cadets Voluntary may refer to: * Voluntary (music) * Voluntary or volunteer, person participating via volunteering/volunteerism * Voluntary muscle contraction See also * Voluntary action * Voluntariness, in law and philosophy * Voluntaryism, reje ...

ambassador. Cole was awarded an

in 2010 for his continuing work with charities. Cole is married and has two children. He was the subject of ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' in 1997 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel.

Filmography

Film

Television

*''

The Canal Children ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...

'' - ''Poor Man's Morris'' (1976) as Mick Murphy *'' Secret Army'' - ''Ring of Rosies'' (1979) as German Soldier in cafe (uncredited) *'' Secret Army'' - ''Just Light the Blue Touch-Paper'' (1979) as Guerilla (uncredited) *'' Citizen Smith'' - ''Prisoners'' (1980) (uncredited) *'' Kessler'' (1981) as Hotel surveillance man (uncredited) * The Bill (Long Running TV Drama)

PC Tony Stamp '' The Bill'' is a long-running British television police procedural television series, named after a slang term for the police. The characters are all police officers or civilian staff at the fictional Sun Hill police station in London. S ...

(1984-2009)

Doctor Who

*'' The Leisure Hive'' (1980) - Squash Player (uncredited) *'' Full Circle'' (1980) - Marshman (uncredited) *'' The Keeper of Traken'' (1981) - Melkur (uncredited) *''

Kinda Kinda or Kindah may refer to: Politics and society *Kinda (tribe), an ancient and medieval Arab tribe *Kingdom of Kinda, a tribal kingdom in north and central Arabia in – Places * Kinda, Idlib, Syria * Kinda Hundred, a hundred in Sweden * Kinda ...

'' (1982) - Kinda (uncredited) *'' Earthshock'' (1982) - Cyberman (uncredited) *'' Time-Flight'' (1982) - Melkur (uncredited) *'' The Five Doctors'' (1983) - Cyberman (uncredited) *'' Resurrection of the Daleks'' (1984) - Crewmember (uncredited) *''

'' (1984) - Jacondan (uncredited)

References

External links

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