Graham Cole

Graham Cole

Graham Cole at the 3rd Norwich Sci-Fi Film, Comic, Toy & Collectors Fair on 1st November 2009.
Born Graham Coleman-Smith
(1952-03-16) 16 March 1952
Willesden, London, England, UK
Occupation Actor
Years active 1979–present
Spouse(s) Cherry (1989–present)
Children Matthew Coleman-Smith
Laura Coleman-Smith

Graham Cole OBE (born Graham Coleman-Smith on 16 March 1952) is an English actor.

Career

He is best known as PC Tony Stamp in the ITV police drama The Bill, a role he played for 25 years from 1984 until 2009.[1] He had previously spent 12 years in Repertory Theatre, and musicals.

He appeared in numerous episodes of Doctor Who in the early 1980s, often in uncredited roles, such as Marshman and Cyberman. He has also played Melkur in The Keeper of Traken and finally a Jacondan in The Twin Dilemma. He also made a guest appearance in the final series of Sooty and Co as a detective called Maurice in the episode "Delgrub".

He presented and narrated the police video programme Police Stop!. He appeared regularly on Noel's House Party in sketches with Andrew Paul. Cole was gunged on the show, which was arranged by his mother-in-law. He has also made a brief appearance in ITV series Law & Order: UK as a barman in one episode.

Cole in costume after appearing in a pantomime in Lichfield in 2015

Cole is a singer. In his early career Graham appeared as the Emperor of China in a record-breaking 1978/79 season of "Aladdin" at the Grand Theatre in Swansea. Other pantomime appearances have included the role of "Beast" in "Beauty & The Beast" at the Woodville Halls in Gravesend, Kent To date he has appeared in 36 pantomimes. he Played 'Scrooge' to critical acclaim at Garrick Theatre Litchfield in 2012 and Abanazer for Theater Royal Norwich 2013, 2014 He Played General Waverley In Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas 'at The Festival Theatre Edinburgh.

He then returned to the role in 2015/16 to record breaking houses at The Dominion Theatre London.

Personal life

Cole is a member of the showbusiness charity the Grand Order of Water Rats and held the title King Rat in 2009. He is President of the National Holiday Fund, which takes sick and disabled children to Disney World in Florida, has been patron to ChildLine for over 25 years, and of the Orphans' Gift Fund South East London Boroughs, Constables Branch Board, Metropolitan Police. Ambassador to the Voluntary Police Cadets, president of south east London scouting. Awarded the OBE in 2010 for his continuing work with charities.

Filmography

References

  1. "A Quick Chat with Graham Cole". United Kingdom: TV Quick. 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  2. "ITV Series 1, Episode 4". Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 28 January 2001. ITV. Repeated 23 August 2016 on Challenge TV.

Media related to Graham Cole at Wikimedia Commons

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