Toke Townley

John Antony "Toke" Townley (6 November 1912 – 27 September 1984) was an English actor. his father was a vicar. His first name, "John", was changed to "Toke" shortly after his birth. After he left school he worked as a clerk in a factory, acting in his spare time. He did not become a professional actor until his early 30s, first appearing at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He appeared in many BBC television programmes during the early pioneering days at Alexandra Palace.

He went on to appear in many film and television roles over the years, including The Avengers. He was also an accomplished flautist and played the instrument on screen.

Many of his roles were country bumpkins, so it was an appropriate move when Townley joined Emmerdale Farm as Annie Sugden's father, Sam Pearson, complete with cloth cap and collarless shirt, when the serial began in 1972. Although Sam was said to have been born in the 1890s, Townley was actually only seven years older than Sheila Mercier, who played his daughter. He appeared in over 800 episodes of Emmerdale Farm. Loved and admired by the rest of the cast, Townley was said to be a private person, living alone at a Leeds hotel, near where the programme was filmed. He died of a heart attack whilst still in the soap so his character was killed off shortly afterwards.

Partial filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1951 Lady Godiva Rides Again Lucille's husband 1952 Treasure Hunt William Burke 1952 Time Gentlemen, Please! Potman 1952 Meet Me Tonight Stage Manager - Red Peppers 1952 My Wife's Lodger Soldier 1953 Cosh Boy Mr. 'Smith' uncredited 1953 Turn the Key Softly Prison Warder uncredited 1953 The Broken Horseshoe Fred Barker, Hall Porter 1953 Innocents in Paris Airport Porter uncredited 1953 Meet Mr. Lucifer Trumpet Player 1954 The Million Pound Note Revivalist uncredited 1954 The Runaway Bus Henry Waterman 1954 Fast and Loose Alfred 1954 Bang! You're Dead Jimmy Knuckle 1954 The Men of Sherwood Forest Father David 1955 Doctor at Sea Jenkins 1955 John and Julie Booking Clerk 1955 The Quatermass Xperiment The Chemist uncredited 1955 The Blue Peter Pub Barman uncredited 1956 Now and Forever Garage Hand uncredited 1956 Three Men in a Boat Meek Man (Maze) 1957 Carry On Admiral Steward 1957 The Admirable Crichton Lovegrove 1957 Barnacle Bill Timmins 1958 Innocent Sinners Bates uncredited 1958 Law and Disorder Sidney Rumpthorne 1958 A Cry from the Streets Mr. Daniels 1959 Look Back in Anger Spectacled Man 1959 Libel Associate 1960 The World of Suzie Wong Waiter uncredited 1961 The Missing Note Mr. Parker 1962 H.M.S. Defiant Silly Billy 1962 The Fast Lady Angry Motorist 1963 Doctor in Distress Clerk of Works uncredited 1963 The Chalk Garden Shop Clerk 1970 Scars of Dracula Elderly Waggoner

Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 London Playhouse Jimmy Episode: "Adeline Girard" 1956 ITV Television Playhouse Albert Ward Episode: "The Man in the Dock" 1958 The Firm of Girdlestone Gilray 2 episodes 1959 Charlesworth Algar Episode: "The Drainpipe" 1959 Probation Officer Mr. Sadler 1 episode 1959 A Mask for Alexis Paul Weeks 4 episodes 1959 The Four Just Men Seers Episode: "National Treasure" 1960 ITV Sunday Night Drama Stukely Episode: "The Devil Makes Sunday" 1960-1961 Deadline Midnight Leonard Topey / Nelson 3 episodes 1961 The Avengers Bernard Bourg Episode: "One for the Mortuary" 1961 A Chance of Thunder Frank White 3 episodes 1964 The Avengers Joseph Gourlay Episode: "The White Elephant" 1965 Hereward the Wake Priest 2 episodes 1967 United! Albert Black 3 episodes 1967 The Rat Catchers Shebenen 2 episodes 1967 Market in Honey Lane Alf Gershon 4 episodes 1968 The Champions Peanut Vendor Episode: "To Trap a Rat" 1969 Out of the Unknown Martin Episode: "Target Generation" 1969 ITV Playhouse Pierce Episode: "You've Made Your Bed: Now Lie in It" 1969 The Wednesday Play Mr. Phillips Episode: "The Last Train Through Harecastle Tunnel" 1969 Department S George Parsons Episode: "The Shift That Never Was" 1969 Not in Front of the Children First Removal Man Episode: "Pastures New" 1969 Take Three Girls Perkins Episode: "Try Loving" 1970 For the Love of Ada Man in Cemetery Episode: "The Widower" 1970 Ben Travers' Farces Luke Meate Episode: "Turkey Time" 1971 The Flaxton Boys Henry Selby 3 episodes 1971 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Lost Property Assistant Episode: "The Case of Laker, Absconded" 1972-1984 Emmerdale Farm Sam Pearson 789 episodes