Kenneth Colley

• Name — Kenneth Colley • Landscape — yes • Born — 7 December 1937 • Birthplace — Manchester, England • Died — 30 June 2025 • Place of death — Ashford, Kent, England • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1961–2017

Colley was born on 7 December 1937 in Manchester. One of his early appearances on British television was as Noah Riley in the 1970s police drama The Sweeney, in an episode entitled Trap. He played Jesus in Monty Python's 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. In 1982, he had the lead role of Horatio Nelson in the TV period drama I Remember Nelson. Colley worked extensively with British director Ken Russell from the early 1970s to the early 1990s as part of a repertory of actors who appeared across Russell's television and film work. He played the role of Modest Tchaikovsky in the film The Music Lovers (1971). He went on to play the role of LeGrand in Russell's The Devils (also 1971); he played the journalist Krenek in the biopic Mahler (1974); the composer Frédéric Chopin in Lisztomania (1975); Mr Brunt in Russell's adaptation of The Rainbow (1989) by D. H. Lawrence. His last roles for Russell were as Captain Dreyfus in the film Prisoner of Honor (1991), which dealt with the Dreyfus affair, and as the composer John Ireland in The Secret Life of Arnold Bax (1992). For his work in the Star Wars franchise, Colley's role as Admiral Piett is noted for differing from the other ill-fated Imperial officers who appeared alongside him in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), as Colley was the only actor to play an Imperial officer in a second Star Wars film, reprising his role in Return of the Jedi (1983). Colley reprised his role as Piett in the Cartoon Network animated special Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out in September 2012. Coincidentally, Colley and Darth Vader actor David Prowse had a part in the fantasy film Jabberwocky (1977). Colley also played a notable role in the 1982 Clint Eastwood film Firefox, where he played a Soviet colonel tasked with the protection of the Firefox and its secrets. He went on to play SS-Standartenführer Paul Blobel in the Second World War drama War and Remembrance. In 1990, Colley portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte during his last days in exile on St Helena in Napoleon's Last Battle, a BBC Timewatch documentary drama portraying the last days of Napoleon's life in exile on St Helena. Colley directed Greetings (2007), a horror film starring Kirsty Cox, Henry Dunn and Ben Shockley. In 2017, Colley recorded a series of short narrations for inclusion on Pop Wasteland, an album by Folkestone band Phenomenal Cat.

Colley lived in Hythe, Kent. He was married to Mary Dunne from 1962 until her death in 2018. According to comments which Terry Gilliam (who directed him in Jabberwocky and acted with him in Life of Brian) made in the DVD audio commentaries for both films, Colley had a stammer 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. Colley died in Ashford, Kent, on the afternoon of 30 June 2025, at the age of 87. He had injured his arm in a fall, then contracted COVID-19 and pneumonia in hospital. It was reported that Colley left thousands of pounds to a cats' charity - Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary of Hythe - in his will.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1963 — The Avengers — Young Man — Episode: "Don't Look Behind You" • Thorndyke — Ellis — 1 episode • 1964 — The Other Man — Colin — Part of the Play of the Week series • 1970 — Dance of the Seven Veils — Hitler — TV film • 1970–1972 — A Family at War — Sergeant Jago • 1971 — The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes — Farrish — 2 episodes • 1974 — The Nine Tailors — "Potty" Peake — TV mini-series (part of Lord Peter Wimsey), Series 1 Episode 3 • Special Branch — Oliver — TV series, Series 4 Episode 9, "Date of Birth" • Fall of Eagles — Father Gapon — Episode: "Dearest Nicky" • 1975 — The Sweeney — Noah Riley — TV series, Series 2 Episode 6, "Trap" • 1977 — Ripping Yarns — Arthur, The Robber — Episode: "The Testing of Eric Outhwaite" • 1978 — Les Misérables — Police Prefect — TV film • Pennies from Heaven — The Accordion Man — 6 episodes, TV mini-series • 1979 — Measure for Measure — Duke — TV film, part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series • The Danedyke Mystery — Major — 6 episodes, TV series • 1982 — I Remember Nelson — Admiral Lord Nelson — TV mini-series • 1985 — Wallenberg: A Hero's Story — Adolf Eichmann — TV film • Mussolini: The Untold Story — King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy — TV mini-series • 1986 — Return to Treasure Island — Ben Gunn — 10 episodes, credited as Ken Colley • 1987 — Casanova — Le Duc — TV film • 1988 — War and Remembrance — SS Standartenführer Paul Blobel — 2 episodes, TV mini-series • 1990 — Agatha Christie's Poirot — Mathew Davenheim — Episode: "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim" • 1991 — Minder — Ron the Burglar — Episode: "Him Indoors" • Inspector Morse — DCI Patrick Dawson — Episode: "Second Time Around" • Prisoner of Honor — Captain Alfred Dreyfus — TV film • 1992 — The Secret Life of Arnold Bax — John Ireland — TV film • 1993 — Unnatural Causes — Inspector Gerry Reckless — TV film • Between the Lines — Chief Supt. Tattersall — Episode: "Manoeuvre 11" • 1994–1995 — Moving Story — Ken Uttley — 13 episodes • 1995 — Solomon & Sheba — Nathan — TV film • 1996 — Wycliffe — Sam Peploe — Episode: "Number of the Beast" • 1995–1999 — The Bill — Various characters — 3 episodes, credited as Ken Colley in 1999 • 1999 — The Last Train — Mark — Episode Five, credited as Ken Colley • 2000 — Casualty — Clifford Watkins — Episode: "The Turning of the Scrooge" • 2001 — Midsomer Murders — Lloyd Kirby — Episode: "The Electric Vendetta" • 2002 — Relic Hunter — Professor Lamenza — Episode: "Faux Fox" • 2003 — EastEnders — Brian — 3 episodes • 2005 — Like Father Like Son — Rawsthorne — 2 episodes • 2006 — Foyle's War — Brian Jones — Episode: "Bad Blood" • New Tricks — Frank Benson — Episode: "Dockers" • 2009 — Casualty 1909 — Dr. Frederick Smith — 3 episodes • 2012 — Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out — Admiral Piett (voice) — TV film, credited as Kenneth Cooley • 2013 — Vera — Ronald Devreux — Series 3, Episode 3 Young Gods • Misfits — Old Rudy — Series 5, Episode 4 • 2016 — Peaky Blinders — Vicente Changretta — Series 3, Episodes 2 & 3

Kenneth Colley is recorded as actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer.