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

Graham Cole
Cole at the 3rd Norwich Sci-Fi Film, Comic, Toy & Collectors Fair on 1 November 2009.
Born
Graham Coleman-Smith

(1952-03-16) 16 March 1952 (age 72)
OccupationActor
Years active1976–present
Spouse
Cherry Coleman-Smith
(m. 1983)
Children2

Early life

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Cole was born in Willesden, Middlesex in 1952 to Victor and Freda Coleman-Smith (née Coleman), the youngest of three children.

He was part of the film crew of A Clockwork Orange, although he didn't meet the stars. It was when he took part in a staff pantomime, that his colleagues persuaded him to take up a career in showbusiness.[1]

Career

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He appeared in numerous episodes of Doctor Who in the early 1980s, often in uncredited roles, such as Marshman and then a Cyberman in Earthshock. 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" and in Only Fools and Horses as a Spanish customs official. His first film appearance as a '00' agent in the James Bond film The Living Daylights in 1987. Cole then appeared in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as one of Walter Donovan's henchmen, who escort Indiana Jones to their boss's New York apartment. [2]

He is best known as PC Tony Stamp in the ITV police drama The Bill, a role he played initially as a recurring character from 1984, and then as a regular from 1988 until 2009.[3] Cole appeared in more episodes of the programme than any other actor, appearing in 1,202 episodes. He had previously spent 12 years in Repertory Theatre, and musicals.

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 guest 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 also a singer. In his early career Cole 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 Lichfield 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.

Cole starred in the gangster-horror film Evil Never Dies in 2014, as DI David Bracken, a film that also starred Katy Manning, P.H. Moriarty and former The Bill colleague Tony Scannell. Cole made appearances in Doctors (2015) and Holby City (2018), before starring in the romantic-drama film 23 Walks in 2020 with Alison Steadman.

Personal life

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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. He has been a patron of ChildLine for over 25 years and is the president of Greater London South East Scout County.

Cole supports emergency service charities with his patronage. He is a patron of the Orphans' Gift Fund South East London Boroughs of the Constables Branch Board of the Metropolitan Police and of the charity PTSD999. He is a Voluntary Police Cadets ambassador.

Cole was awarded an OBE in 2010 for his continuing work with charities. Cole is married and has two children.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1997 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel.[4]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Living Daylights Agent Uncredited
1987 Hope and Glory Audience Member Uncredited
1989 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Henchman Uncredited
1997 The Usual Children Dad
2010 Derelict Tarsus Short film
2014 Evil Never Dies DI David Bracken
2016 Zunz Melville Short film
2020 23 Walks Jimmy
2022 Broken Glass Tom Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1976 The Canal Children Mick Murphy Episode: "Poor Man's Morris"
1979 Secret Army German soldier in cafe

Guerilla (uncredited)

2 episodes
1980 Citizen Smith Uncredited Episode: "Prisoners"
1981 Kessler Hotel surveillance man
1981 Blake's 7 Federation Trooper

Gerren's Associate

2 episodes
1982 Smiley's People Agent in office (uncredited) Episode: "A Mother's Assistance"
1982 Only Fools and Horses Customers Officer Episode: "It Never Rains..."
1983 Rumpole of the Bailey Pressman (uncredited) Episode: "Rumpole and the Old Boy Net"
1984 Tucker's Luck 2nd Policeman Episode: "The Hump"
1984 Minder Party Guest (uncredited) Episode: "A Well Fashioned Fit-Up"
1980–1984 Doctor Who Various 22 episodes
1984 Fresh Fields Mr. Winter (uncredited) Episode: "Something in the Oven"
1984 The Young Ones Ghost Body (uncredited) Episode: "Cash"
1982–1984 The Gentle Touch Detective

Gay Vigilante (uncredited)

2 episodes
1986 Casualty Junior Doctor Episode: "Gas"
1982–1987 The Kenny Everett Television Show Bus Passenger 2 episodes
1988 Crossfire Terrorist (uncredited) Episode: "The Motive, Not the Deed"
1988 Hot Metal Crucible employee (uncredited) Episode: "Crown of Thorns"
1998 Sooty & Co. Maurice Episode: "Delgrub"
1992–1999 Noel's House Party Man at the Door 7 episodes
2001 Sooty Police Detective
2004 The Bill @ 21 PC Tony Stamp Television film

A two day event to celebrate the 21st anniversary of 'The Bill', including episodes, clips and specially filmed intros by past and present cast members

2007 The Dame Edna Treatment Tony Stamp Episode: #1.6
1984–2009 The Bill PC Tony Stamp 1206 episodes
2012 Doctor Who: The Lost Stories Ebbko Episode: "The Guardians of Prophecy"
2014 Law & Order: UK Terry Wilson Episode: "I Predict a Riot"
2015 Doctors Callum Jenkins Episode: "The Key"
2018 Holby City Larry O'Shea Episode: "There by the Grace of..."
2021 The Lives of Frankie Abbott Charlie 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Graham Cole Biography". 6 April 2010.
  2. ^ @GrahamcoleAct (16 August 2013). "Just to prove It was me honest" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "A Quick Chat with Graham Cole". United Kingdom: TV Quick. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  4. ^ "This Is Your Life[06/10/97] (1997)". BFI. Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
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  Media related to Graham Cole at Wikimedia Commons