Trevor Peacock

Trevor Edward Peacock (19 May 1931 – 8 March 2021) was an English actor and songwriter. He made his name as a theatre actor, including for his roles in Shakespeare, working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and Royal Exchange Manchester. He later became known for playing Jim Trott in the BBC comedy series The Vicar of Dibley.

Among his songs, "Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" was a US number one hit for Herman's Hermits in 1965.

Early life Trevor Edward Peacock was born on 19 May 1931 in Tottenham, London, the son of Victor and Alexandra (née Matthews) Peacock. His father was a Baptist lay preacher.

Peacock had starring roles in several plays in the BBC Television Shakespeare series, including the title role in Titus Andronicus, Feste in Twelfth Night, Lord Talbot in Henry VI, Part 1 and Jack Cade in Henry VI, Part 2. In 1962, he played Willy, in The Barber of Stamford Hill. In 1964, he appeared with The Beatles in the television special Around the Beatles, playing Peter Quince in the Pyramus and Thisbe scene (Act V, Scene 1) from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

He played the father of Father Christmas in the 2007 film Fred Claus, co-starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. In July 2009, he also had a bit part in the TV drama Hotel Babylon. Peacock appeared as "Captain Zero" in the BBC TV series Last of The Summer Wine (1990) and as Maurey in The Sins (2000). In 2012, he played George in Quartet, a British comedy-drama film based on the play of the same title. In 2002 he filmed an episode of Dinotopia in Budapest, playing the mysterious sage Lok in "Night of the Wartosa". In 2010, he appeared in The Old Guys and a radio adaptation of I, Claudius.

Songwriting As a songwriter he wrote the 1960s pop hit "Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter", which, recorded by Herman's Hermits, was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1965, having been number one in Canada the month before. Other hit songs to his credit include "Mystery Girl" (recorded by Jess Conrad), "Made You" (Adam Faith), "Gossip Calypso" (Bernard Cribbins), "Stick Around" (Billy Fury), "That's What Love Will Do" and "Nature's Time For Love" (both recorded by Joe Brown).

Peacock wrote the lyrics for several hit singles by The Vernons Girls. The songs he wrote for the group include "Be Nice To Him Mama", "You Know What I Mean", "Funny All Over" and "He'll Never Come Back". He contributed the lyrics for the musical show Passion Flower Hotel (music by John Barry), and for a musical based on the newspaper cartoon strip Andy Capp (music by Alan Price). Before his acting career took off, Peacock compered Drumbeat for the BBC, also writing scripts for Oh Boy! and Six-Five Special.

Theatre career Peacock acted in the theatre throughout his career and was particularly associated with the Royal Exchange, Manchester. In addition to performing in many productions since the theatre opened in 1976, he also wrote a number of shows for the company. These include:

Leaping Ginger. World premiere directed by Braham Murray with Christopher Neil (1977) Cinderella. World Premiere directed by Anthony Bowles and Michele Hardy with Wendy Morgan and Gabrielle Drake (1979) Andy Capp written with Alan Price. World premiere directed by Braham Murray (1982) Class K with Judy Loe, Colin Prockter and Rosalind Knight (1985) Jack and the Giant (world premiere directed by Mervyn Willis with Jason Watkins, 1986)

In the 1970s he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing comic roles such as Silence and Feste, as well as more serious parts. Henry Horatio Hobson, Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighouse at the Royal Exchange, Manchester directed by Braham Murray (2003) Giles Cory, The Crucible by Arthur Miller directed by Dominic Cooke at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (2006)

Personal life and death Peacock was married twice. His first marriage was to Iris Jones in 1957, which ended in divorce. His second wife was actress Tilly Tremayne, whom he married in 1979. Peacock lived in the village of East Coker, Somerset and was a supporter of Yeovil Town.

Peacock was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2009. His last role was in the 2015 Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief Special.

Tributes In 2025, Peacock appeared on a British postage stamp issued as part of a special set by Royal Mail, which commemorated the series The Vicar of Dibley.