Peppa Pig and Thunderbirds actor David Graham dies
He was not on the list.
David Graham, the actor who provided the voice for characters in TV series including Peppa Pig, Thunderbirds and Doctor Who, has died aged 99.
As the voice behind the evil Daleks in Doctor Who, Graham
terrified successive generations of children between the 1960s and late 70s.
He was also well known as the voice of Aloysius Parker, the
butler and chauffeur in 1960s TV series Thunderbirds and its film sequels.
But to today's generation of children, he will be most
familiar as the voice of Grandpa Pig in the TV series Peppa Pig.
The character, married to Granny Pig and the father of Mummy
Pig and Aunt Dottie, was referred to as "Papa Ig" by his young
grandson George.
On-screen, Graham appeared in two episodes of the first
series of Doctor Who as an actor, but became much better known as the
unemotional, harsh voice of the Daleks.
In an interview with the Mirror in 2015 about voicing the
Daleks, Graham recalled: “I created it with Peter Hawkins, another voice actor.
“We adopted this staccato style then they fed it through a
synthesiser to make it more sinister.”
As well as voicing Parker for the futuristic children's
puppet series Thunderbirds, he also played the show's pilot Gordon Tracy, and
Brains the engineer, betwen 1965 and 1966.
He reprised the role of Parker for an ITV remake of the show
in 2015, called Thunderbirds Are Go! and was the only original cast member to
return.
Parker, famous for saying "Yes m'lady", worked for
Lady Penelope, who was played in the more recent version by Saltburn star and
ex-Bond actress Rosamund Pike.
Graham said at the time: "I am triple chuffed to be on
board the new series... and reprising my role of dear old Parker with such a
distinguished cast.
"My driving skills are in good nick and I am delighted
to be behind the wheel again with m'lady."
He told The Mirror that the show's creator, Gerry Anderson,
had helped with the inspiration for Parker's voice back in the 1960s.
“Gerry took me to lunch because he wanted me to hear the
voice of somebody, a wine waiter,” the actor said.
“He had been a butler to the former Prince of Wales.
“He said, ‘Would you like to see the wine list sir?’ and
that was the birth of Parker.
"I just made him a bit more villainous. I’m not sure
the guy ever knew – he might have demanded a royalty!”
The actor, who was born in London, told The Mirror he knew
early on which career he wanted to pursue.
“At school I always wanted to say the poem or read the
story. I always wanted to act,” he told the newspaper.
He had to postpone his acting interests when World War Two
happened, however, and worked as a radar mechanic.
But afterwards, having not enjoyed his post-war work as an
office clerk, he joined his sister and her American GI husband in New York,
where he attended a theatre school.
After returning home, he worked in repertory theatre before
getting work the first Doctor Who series.
Graham was also a member of Lawrence Olivier’s company at
the National Theatre.
His long career also included providing the voice for Wise
Old Elf and Mr Gnome for Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, shown in the UK on
Channel 5.
He also had brief appearances in ITV's Coronation Street,
The Bill and London's Burning and BBC dramas Doctors and Casualty.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1960 Crossroads to
Crime Johnny
1962 K.I.L. 1 Alvero Beda
1965 The Pleasure
Girls First Gambler
Dr. Who and the Daleks Dalek
voices
1966 Daleks'
Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Thunderbirds Are Go Gordon
Tracy, Brains, Aloysius Parker
1968 Thunderbird 6
1971 Freelance General
1985 King David Ephraimite Elder
1988 Stowaways on
the Ark Brown Bear
2008 Back in Ten Janis
2009 The End Ernest Samson
2015 Peppa Pig: The
Golden Boots Grandpa Pig, Mr. Zebra
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1957 O.S.S. Pilot Episode
14 “Operation Yo-Yo”
1958–59 Private
Investigator Luis d’Crux,
Shakespeare 3 episodes
1959 Dial 999 Meaker, Vince, Radio Operator 3 episodes
1960 Four Feather
Falls Grandpa Twink, Fernando 39 episodes
1961–62 Supercar Dr. Beaker, Zarin, Mitch the
Monkey
1962–63 Fireball
XL5 Mat Matic, Lieutenant Ninety
1963 The Avengers Producer Episode:
"Man in the Mirror"
1963–79, 2023 Doctor
Who Dalek voices, Mechonoid voices,
Charlie, Professor Kerensky 36
episodes[a]
1964 The Saint Ahmed, Juan Gamma 2 episodes
1964–65 Stingray Various 39
episodes
1965 Danger Man Detective Episode
17: "The Affair at Castelevara"
1965–66 Thunderbirds Gordon Tracy, Brains, Parker, Kyrano 32 episodes
1969 The Secret
Service King of Muldovia, Air
Traffic Controller, Lord Edward Hazelwell 2
episodes, uncredited
1970–71 Timeslip 2957 7 episodes
1972 Ace of Wands Landlord Episode:
"The Meddlers: Part 1", uncredited
1976–81 When
the Boat Comes In Kaganovich,
Morty Black 3 episodes
1989 Screen One Malcolm Druce Episode 3: "The Accountant"
1990–91 Moomin Snork English version, 77 episodes
1992–94 So
Haunt Me Mr. Bloom 13 episodes
2004–2024 Peppa
Pig Grandpa Pig, Mr. Zebra,
Father Christmas 65 episodes
2005 Horizon Albert Einstein Episode:
"Einstein's Unfinished Symphony"
2009–12 Ben
and Holly’s Little Kingdom Wise Old
Elf, Mr. Gnome 47 episodes
2015–20 Thunderbirds
Are Go Parker, Vic, Malloy 40 episodes
