Kenneth Cope obit

Randall and Hopkirk star Kenneth Cope dies aged 93

 

He was not on the list.

British actor and writer Kenneth Cope, best known for appearing in the detective TV series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), has died aged 93.

A statement from his agent said Cope "passed away peacefully in his sleep" on Wednesday, with his wife and family by his side.

In Randall and Hopkirk, Cope played Marty Hopkirk, a man who is murdered but returns as a ghost.

The show, first broadcast in 1969 and 1970, developed a cult following and was remade in 2000 by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.

Cope also appeared in Coronation Street, as Jed Stone, and was part of the Carry On Team.

The statement released by his agent described Cope as a "natural comedy actor".

"A proud native Liverpudlian," the statement continued, Cope was "a loyal supporter of Everton Football Club".

"We are deeply saddened by his passing and ask that his family are given privacy at this time. He is survived by his loving wife Renny Lister and his children Nick, Mark and Martha."

Cope began his acting career in theatre before securing several roles in film and television.

His other credits included Brookside, That Was The Week That Was, Doctors, The Bill, Truckers and Last of the Summer Wine.

As character Jed Stone, Cope appeared in more than 100 episodes of Coronation Street in the 1960s, and briefly returned in 2008 and 2009.

A spokesman for the ITV series said: "Kenneth's portrayal of Jed Stone, also known as Sonny Jim, on Coronation Street between 1961 and 1966 made him a firm favourite with the soap's fans.

"He was a talented actor and writer and we were delighted when he agreed to reprise the role 42 years later in 2008.

"We are sorry to hear of his passing and our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Cope also portrayed Ray Hilton in Brookside for 171 episodes between 1999 and 2002.

Michael Starke, who played Sinbad in Brookside and worked alongside Cope in the soap in the late 1990s, described him as a “proper gentleman”.

He said: “We had a few scenes together, and I remember he was a sweet man. He never had a cross word for anyone and was always really generous. I liked him a lot.”

Cope also had leading roles in Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) and Carry On Matron (1972).

Filmography

Impulse (1954) as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)

The Gilded Cage (1955) as Hotel Receptionist (uncredited)

Doublecross (1956) as Jeffrey

X the Unknown (1956) as Private Lansing

Dixon of Dock Green (1956) as Doug Beale

Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) as Store's Rating HMS Amythest

These Dangerous Years (1957) as The Juggler

Dunkirk (1958) as Lt. Lumpkin

No Time to Die (1958) as 2nd English Soldier

Naked Fury (1959) as Johnny

The Lady Is a Square (1959) as Dereck

Jungle Street (1960) as Johnny

The Criminal (1960) as Kelly

The Unstoppable Man (1961) as Benny

Edgar Wallace Mysteries, "Death Trap" (1962) as Derek Maitland

Tomorrow at Ten (1962) as Sergeant Grey

The Damned (1963) as Sid

Carry On Jack (1963) as Sailor (uncredited)

Father Came Too! (1963) as Ron

The One That Didn't Get Away (Short) as car salesman

Change Partners (1965) as Joe Trent

Genghis Khan (1965) as Subotai

Dateline Diamonds (1965) as Lester Benson

A Letter from Liz (short)

Night of the Big Heat (1967) as Tinker Mason

Hammerhead (1968) as Motorcyclist

A Twist of Sand (1968) as Flag Officer

The Desperados (1969) as Carlin

A Touch of the Other (1970) as Delger

She'll Follow You Anywhere (1971) as Mike Carter

Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) as Vic Spanner

Carry On Matron (1972) as Cyril Carter

Rentadick (1972) as West

Juggernaut (1974) as Bridgeman

George and Mildred (1980) as Harvey

Captives (1994) as Dr. Hockley

Television appearances

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, " The Duenna" (1953); "The Bridge" (1953) as Robert Nason; "The Stone Ship" (1959) as Leading Telegraphist Marshall

Johnny, You're Wanted, "Blind Corner" (1953) as Police Constable

Patrol Car, "The Lost Boy" (1955) as Tom

Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School, "Bunter Knows How" (1955) and "Bunter the Bold" (1956) as Loder

Dixon of Dock Green (1956–76), six episides

Big City, "Rogue Male" (1956) as Chuck

Lucky Silver, "A Man Called Mickey" (1956) as Charlie

Jesus of Nazareth (1956) as rich young man

Whack-O! (1956) as F.D. Price-Whittaker

The Adventures of Robin Hood, "The Mark" (1957) as Diccon; "An Apple for the Archer" (1957) as Timothy Cox; "Elixir of Youth"(1958) as Alwyn the Squire

Ivanhoe, "The Escape" (1958) as Warren

ITV Television Playhouse, "Strictly for the Sparrows" (1958) as Tago; "The Cymbals at Your Door" (1959) as Bill Lewis; "A Kind of Freedom" (1959)

ITV Play of the Week, "The Publican's Story" (1958) as Fred White; "In Search of Happiness" (1960) as Gennady

No Hiding Place, "Wheels of Fury" (1959) as Blackie Martin

Saturday Playhouse, "The Larford Lad" (1959) as Johnnie Baxter

William Tell, "The Bandit" (1959) as Marco

Boyd Q.C., "Confession of Murder" (1959)

Kipps (1960) as Buggins

Night on the Highway (1960 TV movie) as Maurizio Rossello

Suspense, "Eight Feet to Midnight" (1960) as Joey Gallagher

The Days of Vengeance, "Goodbye, Dolly Gray" (1960) as Reg Parrish

Coronation Street (1961–1966, 2008–2009) as Jed Stone

One Step Beyond, "The Villa" (1961) as Lionel

Drama 61-67, "The Takers" (1961) as Boyd

Deadline Midnight, "Before the Cock Crows" (1961) as Joey Lippert

That Was the Week That Was (1962–1963)

Studio 4, "North Flight" (1962) as Bill Lane

First Night, "The One Night of the Year" (1963) as Johnny

The Lance Percival Show (1965)

World of His Own (1965)

Z-Cars, "The Share Out" (1965) as Richie; "The Great Art Robbery" (1967) as Frankie Hancock

Barney Is My Darling, "Weddings, Funerals and Christenings" (1966)

The Avengers, "The Bird Who Knew Too Much" (1967) as Tom Savage; "The Curious Case of the Countless Clues" (1968) as Gardiner

Sanctuary, "The Undefeated" (1967) as Charlie Musgrove

Vendetta, "The Ten-Per-Cent Man" (1967) as Johnny

Life with Cooper, "A Shortage of Money" (1968)

We Have Ways of Making You Laugh (1968)

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969–1970) as Marty Hopkirk

Catweazle, "The Wogle Stone" (1971) as Jack Victor

The Adventures of Black Beauty, "Sailor on a Horse" (1973) ... as Thackeray

Crown Court, "The Assault on Choga Sar" (1974) as Dennis Wainwright

ITV Playhouse, "Love Affair" (1974) as Roche

The Famous Five, "Five Are Together Again" (1978) as Sam

Shelley (1979), "The Nelson Touch" and "Moving In" as Alan Forsyth

Minder, "Bury My Half at Waltham Green" (1979) as Arthur Stubbs; "Waiting for Goddard" (1985) as Scooter; "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley" (1994) as Phelan.

Play for Today, "The Vanishing Army" (1980) as Drill Sergeant

George and Mildred (1980) as Harvey

Juliet Bravo (1980–1985) as Freddie Cooper

Levkas Man (1981) as Bert

Doctor Who, "Warriors' Gate" (1981) as Packard

Strangers, "A Free Weekend in the Country" (1982) as Det. Chief Supt. Miller

Thank You, Mrs. Clinkscales (TV Movie, 1984) as Hogan

Bootle Saddles (1984) as Percy James

There Comes a Time (1985) as stonemason

The Practice (1986) as Stanley O'Dowd

King and Castle, "Exodus" (1986) as Ernest Midgeley

Miss Marple: Sleeping Murder (TV movie, 1987) as Jackie Afflick

Rumpole of the Bailey, "Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow" (1987) as Norman

Truckers (1987), as Stubs

City Lights, "Moonlighting" (1987) as Dicky Rainbow

Hollywood Sports (1988) as Roger Marshall

Casualty, "Desperate Odds" (1988) as Archie Higg; "Value for Monday" (1994) as Les Hocknall

The Return of the Antelope, "Home Again" (1988) as Foreman

Bergerac, "Natural Enemies" (1989) as Ted Swinton

Uncle Jack, "Oil" (1990) as Colonel Groves

Making News, "Line of Fire" (1990) as Mac Thorpe

The Bill, "It's a Small World" (1991) as PC Len Dorton; "Sequence of Events" (2006) as Jimmy Hastings

Lovejoy, "Somewhere – Over the Rainbow?" (1994) as John Ikin

Out of the Blue, "Last Bus To Nowhere" (1995) as Mr. Flood

Medics, "Second Chance" (1995) as Roy Banks

Wales Playhouse, "Archangel Night Out" (1995) as Vern

99-1, "A Game of Two Halves" (1995) as Ordell

Respect (TV movie, 1996) as Stan Peters

A Touch of Frost , "True Confessions" (1997) as Charlie Fairclough

Goodnight Sweetheart, "The Leaving of Liverpool" (1997) as Landlord

Kavanagh QC, "Time of Need" (1999) as Maurice Fitzalan

Brookside (1999–2002) as Ray Hilton

Last of the Summer Wine, "The Love Mobile" (1997) and "All That Glitters Is Not Elvis" (2008) as Lance

Waking the Dead, "Shadowplay" (2004) as Neville Harding

Doctors, "Too Darn Hot" (2004) as Brian Holland and "Invisible Touch" (2007) as Frank Leakey

The Royal, "Dr Who?" (2007) as Albert Trent

Hustle, "Getting Even" (2007) as Colin

The Royal Today, Episode 1.15 (2008) as William Brazier