Peter Blythe

Peter Blythe (14 September 1934 – 27 June 2004) was an English character actor, probably best known as Samuel "Soapy Sam" Ballard in Rumpole of the Bailey.

Early life Born in Yorkshire, Blythe studied drama on scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art after serving in the Royal Air Force. He began his professional career as a repertory player with the Living Theatre Company, the Nottingham Playhouse and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his West End debut in 1965.

Selected theatre credits Blythe was frequently associated with the director Peter Hall and the playwright Alan Ayckbourn.

The Creeper (St. Martin's Theatre, 1965): Maurice Early Morning (English Stage Company/Royal Court, 1969): Lord Mennings So What About Love? (Criterion Theatre, 1969): Robert Absurd Person Singular (Criterion Theatre, 1974): Sidney The Clandestine Marriage (Savoy Theatre, 1975): Sir John Melvil The Return of A. J. Raffles (Royal Shakespeare Company/Aldwych Theatre, 1975): Lord Alfred Douglas The Chairman (Globe Theatre, 1976): Peter Frame (Clarence Derwent Award) Sextet (Criterion Theatre, 1976): Roger Caught in the Act (Garrick Theatre, 1981): Bill Taylor The Hard Shoulder (Aldwych Theatre, 1983): David Number One (The Queen's, 1984): Bernard Pravda (National Theatre/Olivier Theatre, 1985): Michael Quince, MP The Government Inspector (National Theatre/Olivier Theatre, 1985): Artemy Zemlyanika Futurists (National Theatre/Cottesloe Theatre, 1986): Lenin/Romanov Woman in Mind (Vaudeville Theatre, 1986): Bill The Living Room (Royalty Theatre Company, 1987): Michael Dennis Julius Caesar (Compass Theatre Company, UK national tour, 1990): Cassius The Hothouse (Chichester Festival Theatre; The Comedy, 1995): Lobb Hedda Gabler (Chichester Festival Theatre, 1996): Judge Brack Peter Hall Company at the Old Vic, 1997: Waste (Sir Charles Cantilupe, MP), The Provok'd Wife (Lord Rake), King Lear (Duke of Albany) Flight (National Theatre/Olivier Theatre, 1998): Commander in Chief of the White Army Hay Fever (Savoy Theatre, 1999): David Bliss Hamlet (Royal National Theatre, US national tour and some UK performances, 2001): Polonius/The Grave-digger The Royal Family (Theatre Royal Haymarket, 2001): Gilbert Marshall Mrs. Warren's Profession (Strand Theatre, 2002): Mr. Praed Humble Boy (Gielgud Theatre, 2002): Jim Henry V (National Theatre/Olivier Theatre, 2003): Duke of Exeter

Film and television Blythe worked in films only rarely and usually in minor roles; his most substantial part was also in his last film appearance, The Luzhin Defence (2000). Other film credits include two films for Hammer Film Productions, A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967) and Frankenstein Created Woman (also 1967); his most successful film was Carrington (1995).

By contrast, Blythe appeared in several dozen television series, miniseries and films, most notably as Samuel Ballard, QC in Rumpole of the Bailey (1983–92). He guest-starred in episodes of The Avengers (1966 A Sense of History episode and 1967 The Positive Negative Man episode, UFO (episodes "Destruction" and "The Psychobombs"), Callan, Van der Valk, New Scotland Yard, Special Branch, Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Inspector Morse, Maigret, The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, Between the Lines, Pie in the Sky, Goodnight Sweetheart, Dalziel and Pascoe and Foyle's War (aired posthumously), among many others. His miniseries appearances included The Barchester Chronicles, After the War and The Alan Clark Diaries. He narrated the 1970 TV comedy special Cucumber Castle starring the Bee Gees.

Authorship One of Blythe's plays, Tom, Dick and Harry, was produced at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough in 1972 directed by Alan Ayckbourn. He also wrote two poetry chapbooks, Spring and The Light.

Personal life Blythe lived for eight years with Harriet Walter; the couple were planning to marry at the time of his death. He had a daughter from an earlier marriage.

Peter Blythe died on 27 June 2004 aged 69, shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1960 Barnaby Rudge George 1 episode 1962 ITV Play of the Week Lout Episode: "The Gentle Assassin"1964 Teletale Second Young Man Episode: "Catherine" Diary of a Young Man National Insurance man Episode: "Marriage"1965 Knock on Any Door Eddie Episode: "There's Always an Angle" Theatre 625 John Ebony Episode: "Unman, Wittering and Zigo"1966 Love Story Harry Granger Episode: "Barefoot and in the Kitchen" Blackmail Kenneth Rogers Episode: "Please Do Not Disturb"The Avengers Millerson Episode: "A Sense of History"1967 Mankin Episode: "The Positive Negative Man" Theatre 625 Emilio Brentani Episode: "As a Man Grows Older" Witch Hunt Cass Russell Series regular Man in a Suitcase Colin Episode: "Sweet Sue" 1968 Late Night Horror Dr. Vares Episode: "No Such Thing as a Vampire"1969 Armchair Theatre Lister Episode: "The Mandarins" ITV Playhouse Michael Amlett Episode: "Uncle Jonathan" The Root of All Evil? Guy Episode: "What's in It for Me?" Mr Digby Darling Derek Quincey Episode: "Prime of Life" Callan Horst Episode: "The Most Promising Girl of Her Year"1970 Menace Herky Episode: "Nine Bean Rows" ITV Sunday Night Theatre Stephen Episode: "The Insider"UFO Second Officer Episode: "Destruction" Lieutenant Blythe Episode: "The Psychobombs" 1971 Justice Sommerfield 2 episodes1972 Callan Trofimchuk Episode: "If He Can, So Could I" New Scotland Yard Detective Sergeant Robert Gilson 2 episodes Pathfinders Flight Sergeant Drew Episode: "For Better, for Worse"1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Dr. Stumpfegger Episode: "The Death of Adolf Hitler" Harriet's Back in Town James Armitage 4 episodes Van der Valk Max Episode: "Season for Love" Helen: A Woman of Today Stephen Recurring role Marked Personal Elliot Fraser 2 episodes1974 Napoleon and Love Duroc Mini-series Special Branch Fountain Episode: "Downwind of Angels" Dial M for Murder The Man Episode: "If You Knew Susie" Armchair Cinema Peter Episode: "Regan" 1975 Six Days of Justice James Grant Episode: "A Juicy Case" 1976 Couples John Vance Recurring role 1976-1982 Crown Court Laurence Pettifer QC Recurring role1977 The Sunday Drama Jeremy Morgan Episode: "Happy Returns" The Sound of Laughter Nicholas Barry Episode: "The Best of Friends" 1981 Holding the Fort Major Pluccenik Episode: "Under a Cloud" 1982 The Barchester Chronicles Bertie Stanhope Mini-series1983 Jury Ian Episode: "Ann" Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime Captain Bingo Hale Episode: "Finessing the King" 1983-1992 Rumpole of the Bailey Samuel Ballard QC Series regular 1984 Me and My Girl Keating Episode: "Jobs for the Girls" 1985 A.D. Procuius Mini-series 1987 Home to Roost Gordon Episode: "Crime Watch"1988 The Modern World: Ten Great Writers Vladimir Episode: "Joseph Conrad's 'The Secret Agent' Small World Custer Mini-series 1989 After the War Sir Stafford Canning Mini-series 1990 El C.I.D. Holt Episode: "Getting Even"1992 Agatha Christie's Poirot Blunt Episode: "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" Inspector Morse Kenneth Lawrence Episode: "The Death of the Self" Medics Alistair Boyd 1 episode Perfect Scoundrels Ford Episode: "Last of the Few"1993 Maigret Fernand Courcel Episode: "Maigret's Boyhood Friend" The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries Thomas Ancred Episode: "Final Curtain" Between the Lines Commander Sparrow Episode: "The Great Detective" Sitting Pretty Tom Nicholls MP Episode: "Rumours"1994 Nelson's Column Councillor Stewart Episode: "Back to Basics" Pie in the Sky Gerald Hopkinson Episode: "Undesirable Elements" Moving Story Mr. Bates Episode: "Moving Story" Love on a Branch Line Mark Fairweather Episode: "Yes Sir, That's My Baby"1995 The High Life Vincent Stoat Episode: "Drunk" Goodnight Sweetheart Gregory 2 episodes Screen Two Charles Episode: "Mrs. Hartley and the Growth Centre" 1997 Dalziel and Pascoe Superintendent Derek Backhouse Episode: "Ruling Passion" 2000 My Family Lord Whitten Episode: "Droit Seigneur Ben" 2003 Only Fools and Horses Mr. Cartwright Episode: "Sleepless in Peckham...!"2004 Foyle's War Lawrence Smythe Episode: "Enemy Fire" The Alan Clark Diaries Tom King Series regular