Peter Sallis

Peter Sallis (96)

1921-02-01 - 2017-06-02 | Twickenham, England, UK

Peter Sallis, OBE (February 1, 1921 – June 2, 2017) was an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles required him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner. Peter John Sallis was born on 1 February 1921 in Twickenham, Middlesex (now in Greater London). He was the only child of bank manager Harry Sallis (1889–1964) and Dorothy Amea Frances (née Barnard; 1891–1975). His first big television role came in 1958 where he played the role of Samuel Pepys in the BBC serial The Diary of Samuel Pepys. Sallis was best known for his role as the main character Norman Clegg in the long-running British TV comedy Last of the Summer Wine, set in a Yorkshire town. He was the longest serving cast member, appearing in all 295 episodes, and by the end of the show's run was the only one surviving from the programme's first episode in 1973. He also appeared in all 13 of the episodes of the prequel series First of the Summer Wine as Norman Clegg's father. He was also famous for providing the voice of Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films, again using a northern accent. Sallis also starred alongside Richard Pearson, Michael Horden and David Jason in Cosgrove Hall's The Wind in the Willows (1984-1990) as the voice of Rat/Ratty. In 1975 he appeared in the BBC Wales, TV play The Snowdropper as Spicer, a snowdropper that where's Overalls/Dungarees. In 1976 he played Mr. Gudgin/Arnold Gudgin in the children's series The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976–78). The character Gudgin Sallis played in the series was a estate agent who did not want to see the hall fall into the wrong hands. Sallis also appeared in the TV series Yanks Go Home (1976-1977) where he played Randell Todd in four episodes of the series. Around the same period, he starred alongside Northern comic actor David Roper in the ITV sitcom Leave it to Charlie (1978-1980) as Charlie's pessimistic boss. The programme ran for a total of 26 episodes over four series, ending in 1980. He also played the part of the ghost-hunter Milton Guest in the children's paranormal drama TV series The Clifton House Mystery (1978). Sallis was married to Elaine Usher in 1957 until they eventually divorced in 1965. Sallis and Usher eventually reconciled and decided to come living together until 1999. Sallis continued to remain close to Usher until eventually she died on 1 January 2014 at the age of 81. They both had one son named Crispian Sallis who was born on 24 June 1959 who later became a British art director and set decorator. Sallis and Usher also had two grandchildren from Crispian. Sallis also lived with three small cats in a small cottage. Description above from the Wikipedia article Peter Sallis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

On Movies

  • A Matter of Loaf and Death
  • Colour Me Kubrick
  • Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
  • Belonging
  • Easy
  • Thora Hird Tribute
  • Shopper 13
  • The Autochef
  • A Christmas Cardomatic
  • The Tellyscope
  • The Snowmantron
  • The Bully Proof Vest
  • The 525 Crackervac
  • The Turbo Diner
  • The Snoozatron
  • The Soccamatic
  • Hotel!
  • Everyday Readers
  • A Close Shave
  • The Wrong Trousers
  • A Grand Day Out
  • The Wind in the Willows: A Tale of Two Toads
  • The Wind in the Willows: Winter Tales
  • A Dangerous Kind of Love
  • Rocky Hollow
  • The Wind in the Willows
  • Strangers and Brothers
  • Getting Sam Home
  • The Funny Side of Christmas
  • Witness for the Prosecution
  • The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner
  • She Loves Me
  • You're Not Watching Me, Mummy
  • The Clifton House Mystery
  • Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?
  • Across a Crowded Room
  • Full Circle
  • The Price of Coal, Part 2: Back to Reality
  • The Price of Coal, Part 1: Meet the People
  • The Winter Warrior
  • The Incredible Sarah
  • The Daedalus Equations
  • The Ghosts of Motley Hall
  • The Secret Agent
  • Back of Beyond
  • Graceless Go I
  • Frankenstein: The True Story
  • Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest
  • The Capone Investment
  • The Prison
  • Who Killed Lamb?
  • Hitler: The Last Ten Days
  • Song at Twilight
  • Lady Killer
  • Frankenstein
  • The Moonstone
  • Bel Ami
  • The Railwayman's New Clothes
  • The Road Builder
  • The Hallelujah Handshake
  • Wuthering Heights
  • My Lover, My Son
  • Taste the Blood of Dracula
  • Sweeney Todd
  • Scream and Scream Again
  • The Reckoning
  • Menace
  • The Big Flame
  • Cream – Farewell Concert
  • Wind Versus Polygamy
  • Inadmissible Evidence
  • Charlie Bubbles
  • The Drummer and the Bloke
  • The Bible: In the Beginning...
  • Rapture
  • Clash by Night
  • Drama '64/Studio '64: A Wicked World
  • The Third Secret
  • The V.I.P.s
  • Drama '63: A Well Dressed Man
  • The Mouse on the Moon
  • Heart to Heart
  • I Thank a Fool
  • The Trial
  • Candida
  • A Call on Kuprin: Part 2
  • The Curse of the Werewolf
  • No Love for Johnnie
  • The Zoo Story
  • The Adventures of Alice
  • Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
  • The Millionairess
  • Doctor in Love
  • Brand
  • The Scapegoat
  • The Doctor's Dilemma
  • Cinderella
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • A Night to Remember
  • Anastasia
  • Kitty Clive
  • The Inveterate Gambler
  • Safe and Sound
  • The Pickpocket
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four
  • Child's Play
  • Stranger from Venus
  • Mr. Denning Drives North

NextFilm 2025