Charles Stapley

Charles Henry Stapley (23 July 1925 – 8 January 2011) was an English actor, best known for playing Ted Hope in the television soap opera Crossroads. He also appeared in various theatrical roles, in The Benny Hill Show, and in a television version of The Adventures of Robin Hood in which he took 26 different roles.

Early life Charles Stapley was born in Ilford, Essex, the son of a business executive father who worked for the Blue Circle cement company in London. He was educated at Ilford County High School and Brighton and Hove Grammar School after the family moved to Portslade, East Sussex. He then worked in the film distribution division of the Rank Organisation. He had two further marriages, both of which ended in divorce. She eventually left her husband Mark Mills, and moved to London to be with Stapley. Six years later, her three children joined them after Mark Mills was jailed for fraud, and Stapley became their stepfather. The eldest, then 15, was Heather Mills, who would later call him "evil" and a "snooty actor". Stapley commented that "Heather is simply a very confused woman for whom reality and fantasy have become blurred". They "repeatedly clashed in print".