
Kenneth Colley
Kenneth Colley (born 7 December 1937) is an English actor. A long-time character actor, he came to wider prominence through his role as Admiral Piett in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Colley was born in Manchester. He played Jesus (very briefly indeed) in The Life of Brian, having also appeared in the earlier Monty Python-related production Ripping Yarns episode "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" alongside Michael Palin. As a Shakespearean actor he played the Duke of Vienna in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of Measure for Measure in 1979. Colley also held an important role in the Clint Eastwood movie Firefox, where he played a Soviet Colonel tasked with the protection of the Firefox and its secrets. Colley went on to play SS-Standartenführer Paul Blobel in the World War II drama War and Remembrance. His character was charged with hiding the evidence of the Holocaust, and putting dead victims through "Economic Processing". According to comments Terry Gilliam (who directed him in Jabberwocky and co-starred with him in Life of Brian) made in the DVD audio commentaries for both films, Colley is a terrible stutterer in real life. When he had a role in a film, however, he could recite the lines perfectly. Stuttering is a character trait, however, in his role as the "Accordion Man" in the 1978 BBC television drama, Pennies from Heaven. He has also recently starred in BBC's HolbyBlue as a drunk and violent father, grandfather and father-in-law. He currently lives at Hythe in Kent. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenneth Colley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 ·Dan Hawk Psychic Detectiveas Thaddeus Moncrief
- 2013 ·Peaky Blindersas Vicente Changretta
- 2013 ·Scar Tissueas Weaver
- 2012 ·LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Outas Admiral Piett (voice)
- 2011 ·Veraas Ronald Devreux
- 2009 ·The Queenas
- 2009 ·Misfitsas Old Rudy
- 2007 ·Greetingsas Ken
- 2005 ·Like Father Like Sonas Rawsthorne
- 2004 ·New Tricksas
- 2003 ·The Royalas Bernard Hussey
- 2002 ·Foyle's Waras
- 1999 ·Relic Hunteras Professor Lamenza
- 1999 ·Hold Back the Nightas Uncle Bob
- 1999 ·The Last Trainas
- 1998 ·The Mrs Bradley Mysteriesas Archie Burlington
- 1998 ·Shadow Runas Larcombe
- 1997 ·Midsomer Murdersas Lloyd Kirby
- 1996 ·Brassed Offas Greasley
- 1996 ·Robert Rylands' Last Journeyas Archdale
- 1995 ·Solomon & Shebaas Nathan
- 1994 ·Wycliffeas Sam Peploe
- 1993 ·Peak Practiceas Stan Jordan
- 1993 ·Unnatural Causesas Inspector Gerry Reckless
- 1992 ·The Secret Life of Arnold Baxas John Ireland
- 1992 ·Between the Linesas Chief Supt. Tattersall
- 1992 ·Heartbeatas Clive Harris
- 1992 ·La Vie de Bohèmeas Street Sweeper
- 1991 ·Prisoner of Honoras Capt. Dreyfus
- 1990 ·The Last Islandas Nick
- 1990 ·I Hired a Contract Killeras The Killer
- 1990 ·Kremlin Farewellas Sergej
- 1990 ·The Plot to Kill Hitleras Wilhelm Keitel
- 1989 ·The Rainbowas Mr. Brunt
- 1989 ·A Master of the Marionettesas Inspector Tennyson
- 1989 ·Agatha Christie's Poirotas Mathew Davenheim
- 1988 ·A Summer Storyas Jim
- 1988 ·The Modern World: Ten Great Writersas Chief Inspector Heat
- 1987 ·Casanovaas Le Duc
- 1987 ·Inspector Morseas DCI Patrick Dawson
- 1986 ·The Whistle Bloweras Bill Pickett
- 1986 ·Casualtyas Paddy
- 1986 ·Casualtyas Clifford Watkins
- 1986 ·Casualtyas Arthur Cobb
- 1986 ·John Silver's Return to Treasure Islandas Ben Gunn
- 1985 ·Mussolini: The Untold Storyas King Vittorio Emmanuele
- 1985 ·Wallenberg: A Hero's Storyas Adolf Eichmann
- 1984 ·Return to Waterlooas The Traveller
- 1983 ·Return of the Jedias Admiral Piett
- 1983 ·The Scarlet and the Blackas Capt. Hirsch
- 1982 ·Giro Cityas Martin
- 1982 ·Firefoxas Colonel Kontarsky
- 1982 ·I Remember Nelsonas Vice-Adm. Horatio Viscount Nelson
- 1982 ·I Remember Nelsonas ice-Adm. Horatio Viscount Nelson
- 1982 ·The Kenny Everett Television Showas Self
- 1981 ·Peter and Paulas Theodotus
- 1980 ·The Empire Strikes Backas Admiral Piett
- 1979 ·Minderas Ron
- 1979 ·Life of Brianas Jesus
- 1979 ·The Danedyke Mysteryas The Major
- 1979 ·Measure for Measureas Duke Vincentio
- 1978 ·Les Misérablesas Police Prefect
- 1978 ·One Bummer News Dayas Frank Benyon
- 1978 ·The BBC Television Shakespeareas
- 1978 ·Pennies from Heavenas The Accordion Man
- 1978 ·Hazellas
- 1977 ·Come the Revolutionas Bruce Tetley
- 1977 ·The Testing of Eric Olthwaiteas Robber
- 1977 ·Jabberwockyas 1st Fanatic
- 1976 ·Ripping Yarnsas Robber
- 1975 ·Lisztomaniaas Frederic Chopin
- 1975 ·Flameas Tony Devlin
- 1975 ·The Love Schoolas Edward Burne-Jones
- 1975 ·The Sweeneyas Noah Riley
- 1974 ·Juggernautas Detective Brown
- 1974 ·Mahleras Krenek
- 1974 ·Fall of Eaglesas Father Gapon
- 1973 ·Hitler: The Last Ten Daysas Boldt
- 1972 ·The Triple Echoas Provo Corporal
- 1972 ·Crown Courtas Stanley Meredith
- 1972 ·The Protectorsas Devlin
- 1971 ·The Boy Friendas King in fantasy sequence (uncredited)
- 1971 ·The Rivals of Sherlock Holmesas Farrish
- 1971 ·The Devilsas Legrand
- 1971 ·The Music Loversas Modeste Tchaikovsky
- 1970 ·Play for Todayas Bruce Tetley
- 1970 ·Play for Todayas Frank Benyon
- 1970 ·Performanceas Tony Farrell (as Ken Colley)
- 1970 ·Dance of the Seven Veilsas
- 1969 ·Dear Mother... ...Love Albertas
- 1969 ·Judge Deeas
- 1968 ·The Expertas Foreman
- 1968 ·The Expertas Munt
- 1968 ·The Blood Beast Terroras James
- 1968 ·Who Pays?as Corbett
- 1967 ·How I Won the Waras 2nd Replacement
- 1967 ·Omnibusas Hitler
- 1967 ·The Jokersas De Winter
- 1965 ·Thirty-Minute Theatreas Paddy
- 1965 ·Three Clear Sundaysas Nick
- 1964 ·The Wednesday Playas Bethold Florenberg
- 1963 ·Seventy Deadly Pillsas Covent Garden porter
- 1961 ·A for Andromedaas Dead Body (uncredited)
- 1961 ·The Avengersas
- 1959 ·No Hiding Placeas