Peter Sallis
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1921-02-01
Day of Death
2017-06-02 (96 years old)
Place of Birth
Twickenham, England, UK
Peter Sallis
Biography
Peter Sallis, OBE (February 1, 1921 – June 2, 2017) was an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles required him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.
Peter John Sallis was born on 1 February 1921 in Twickenham, Middlesex (now in Greater London). He was the only child of bank manager Harry Sallis (1889–1964) and Dorothy Amea Frances (née Barnard; 1891–1975).
His first big television role came in 1958 where he played the role of Samuel Pepys in the BBC serial The Diary of Samuel Pepys.
Sallis was best known for his role as the main character Norman Clegg in the long-running British TV comedy Last of the Summer Wine, set in a Yorkshire town. He was the longest serving cast member, appearing in all 295 episodes, and by the end of the show's run was the only one surviving from the programme's first episode in 1973. He also appeared in all 13 of the episodes of the prequel series First of the Summer Wine as Norman Clegg's father. He was also famous for providing the voice of Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films, again using a northern accent. Sallis also starred alongside Richard Pearson, Michael Horden and David Jason in Cosgrove Hall's The Wind in the Willows (1984-1990) as the voice of Rat/Ratty.
In 1975 he appeared in the BBC Wales, TV play The Snowdropper as Spicer, a snowdropper that where's Overalls/Dungarees. In 1976 he played Mr. Gudgin/Arnold Gudgin in the children's series The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976–78). The character Gudgin Sallis played in the series was a estate agent who did not want to see the hall fall into the wrong hands.
Sallis also appeared in the TV series Yanks Go Home (1976-1977) where he played Randell Todd in four episodes of the series. Around the same period, he starred alongside Northern comic actor David Roper in the ITV sitcom Leave it to Charlie (1978-1980) as Charlie's pessimistic boss. The programme ran for a total of 26 episodes over four series, ending in 1980. He also played the part of the ghost-hunter Milton Guest in the children's paranormal drama TV series The Clifton House Mystery (1978).
Sallis was married to Elaine Usher in 1957 until they eventually divorced in 1965. Sallis and Usher eventually reconciled and decided to come living together until 1999. Sallis continued to remain close to Usher until eventually she died on 1 January 2014 at the age of 81. They both had one son named Crispian Sallis who was born on 24 June 1959 who later became a British art director and set decorator. Sallis and Usher also had two grandchildren from Crispian. Sallis also lived with three small cats in a small cottage.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Peter Sallis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Acting
Access All Areas - The Making of Wallace and Gromit
as Wallace (archive footage)
(2024)
Wallace & Gromit The Classic Collection
as Wallace
(2023)
Comedy Classics: Keeping Up Appearances
as Cleggy (archive footage, uncredited)
(2022)
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
as Self (archive)
(2015)
A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman
as Self - Voice of Wallace
(2012)
The Lark Ascending
as Self (uncredited)
(2012)
Second Time Around: The Troughton Years
as Reccoat (archive footage)
(2010)
(2009)
Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection
as Wallace (Voice)
(2009)
Orson Welles Over Europe
as Himself
(2009)
Living with Macular Disease
as Peter Sallis/Narrator Voice
(2008)
A Matter of Loaf and Death
as Wallace (voice)
(2008)
A Matter of Loaf and Death: How They Donut
as Wallace (archive footage)
(2006)
(2006)
Displacements
as himself
(2006)
The Making of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
as Wallace (archive footage)
(2006)
Gromit's Tail-Waggin' DVD
as Wallace (voice)
(2005)
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
as Wallace / Hutch (voice)
(2005)
Colour Me Kubrick
as Patient
(2004)
Belonging
as Nathan
(2003)
Easy
as Man (uncredited)
(2003)
Thora Hird Tribute
as Self
(2002)
The Soccamatic
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Tellyscope
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Snowmantron
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Bully Proof Vest
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
Shopper 13
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
A Christmas Cardomatic
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Turbo Diner
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Autochef
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The Snoozatron
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
The 525 Crackervac
as Wallace (voice)
(2002)
Wallace & Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions: Behind the Scenes
as Wallace (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2001)
Hotel!
as Radio Voice of Little Ashford Flying Club (Uncredited)
(2001)
The Incredible Adventures of Wallace & Gromit
as Wallace (Voice)
(1999)
The Amazing World of Wallace & Gromit
as Wallace (Voice) (Archive Footage)
(1998)
Everyday Readers
as Narrator (voice)
(1996)
A Close Shave
as Wallace (voice)
(1996)
(1995)
Character Building
as Wallace (voice)
(1993)
The Wrong Trousers
as Wallace (voice)
(1993)
The Crane
as Man (uncredited)
(1993)
Inside the Wrong Trousers
as Wallace (archive footage, uncredited)
(1992)
The Christmas Collection
as Rat (voice)
(1990)
A Grand Day Out
as Wallace (voice)
(1990)
More Children's Holiday Favourites
as Rat (voice)
(1989)
More Children's Summer Stories
as Rat (voice)
(1989)
The Wind in the Willows: A Tale of Two Toads
as Rat (voice)
(1989)
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1
as Rat (voice)
(1989)
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2
as Rat (voice)
(1988)
Children's Favourites - Volume 1
as Rat (voice)
(1986)
The Wind in the Willows: Winter Tales
as Rat (voice)
(1986)
A Dangerous Kind of Love
as Mr. Walker
(1986)
(1985)
Rocky Hollow
as Narrator (voice)
(1984)
The Wind in the Willows
as Rat (voice)
(1984)
Strangers and Brothers
as Leonard March
(1984)
Royal Variety Performance 1984
as Clegg
(1983)
Getting Sam Home
as Clegg
(1982)
Witness for the Prosecution
as Carter
(1982)
The Funny Side of Christmas
as Clegg
(1981)
The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner
as Shushin
(1979)
She Loves Me
as Ladislav Sipos
(1979)
You're Not Watching Me, Mummy
as Leslie
(1978)
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?
as St. Claire
(1978)
Full Circle
as Jeffrey Branscombe
(1978)
The Clifton House Mystery
as Milton Guest
(1978)
628-E8
as Mirbeau
(1978)
Across a Crowded Room
as Cyril Smallpiece
(1978)
(1977)
The Price of Coal, Part 1: Meet the People
as Minor Role (uncredited)
(1977)
The Price of Coal, Part 2: Back to Reality
as Worker (uncredited)
(1977)
The Obelisk
as Ernest
(1976)
The Incredible Sarah
as Thierry
(1976)
The Ghosts of Motley Hall
as Mr. Gudgin/Old Gudgin
(1976)
The Winter Warrior
as Deor
(1976)
The Daedalus Equations
as Major Venables
(1975)
The Snowdropper
as Spicer
(1975)
The Secret Agent
as Chief Inspector Heat
(1974)
Who Killed Lamb?
as Lloyd
(1974)
Back of Beyond
as Man (uncredited)
(1974)
The Capone Investment
as Wheatfield
(1974)
Graceless Go I
as Mr. Wainwright
(1974)
(1974)
The Prison
as Benitet
(1974)
Frankenstein: The True Story
as Priest
(1973)
Frankenstein
as Man
(1973)
Lady Killer
as Man
(1973)
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
as Banker #2 (uncredited)
(1973)
Beyond Our Means
as Onslow
(1973)
Song at Twilight
as Austin Melcroft
(1972)
The Moonstone
as Mr. Buff
(1972)
The Reprieve
as Cossack Horseman
(1971)
Bel Ami
as Norbert de Varenne
(1971)
The Road Builder
as Rev. Rupert Palafox
(1971)
The Bristol Entertainment
as Water Seller / Coachman / Ameryk / Mayor / Captain Kimber / King Henry Voice
(1971)
The Railwayman's New Clothes
as Lumley
(1970)
Taste the Blood of Dracula
as Samuel Paxton
(1970)
Sweeney Todd
as Brogden / Mundel / Hopkins
(1970)
Scream and Scream Again
as Schweitz
(1970)
Wuthering Heights
as Mr. Shielders
(1970)
My Lover, My Son
as Sir Sidney Brent
(1970)
The Hallelujah Handshake
as Minor Role (uncredited)
(1970)
The Reckoning
as Keresley
(1970)
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
as Ernest Charles, KC
(1970)
Menace
as Narrator (voice)
(1969)
The Big Flame
as Man (uncredited)
(1969)
The Ladies: Joan
as Mr. Street
(1969)
Cream – Farewell Concert
as Guest
(1968)
Inadmissible Evidence
as Hudson
(1968)
Wind Versus Polygamy
as Man (uncredited)
(1968)
The Drummer and the Bloke
as Eric
(1968)
Charlie Bubbles
as Solicitor
(1967)
Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors
as Penley
(1966)
The Bible: In the Beginning...
as Minor Role (uncredited)
(1965)
Rapture
as Armand
(1964)
Clash by Night
as Victor
(1964)
The Third Secret
as Lawrence Jacks
(1964)
(1964)
Drama '64/Studio '64: A Wicked World
as Ronald Green
(1963)
The Mouse on the Moon
as Russian Delegate
(1963)
The V.I.P.s
as Doctor
(1963)
Drama '63: A Well Dressed Man
as Philip Mallard
(1962)
Heart to Heart
as Frank Godsell
(1962)
The Trial
as Uncle Max (uncredited)
(1962)
I Thank a Fool
as Sleazy Doctor
(1961)
No Love for Johnnie
as M.P.
(1961)
The Curse of the Werewolf
as Don Enrique
(1961)
A Call on Kuprin: Part 2
as Hesketh-Payne
(1961)
The Zoo Story
as Peter
(1961)
Candida
as Rev. Alexander Mill
(1960)
The Millionairess
as Minor Role (uncredited)
(1960)
The Poet
as Giulio
(1960)
Doctor in Love
as Lovestruck Patient
(1960)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
as Man in Suit (uncredited)
(1960)
Twentieth Century Theatre: Colombe
as Robinet
(1960)
The Adventures of Alice
as Tweedledee
(1959)
The Doctor's Dilemma
as Secretary at Picture Gallery
(1959)
The Scapegoat
as Customs Official
(1959)
Brand
as Doctor & Provost
(1958)
A Night to Remember
as Minor Role (uncredited)
(1958)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
as Snug
(1958)
Cinderella
as Baron Aristide de Pennilac
(1956)
Anastasia
as Grischa (uncredited)
(1956)
Kitty Clive
as John Hall
(1956)
The Inveterate Gambler
as The Burglar
(1956)
Safe and Sound
as Squishy Taylor
(1955)
Quay South
as Corporal Foster
(1955)
The Concert
as Daniel Kevin (as Pete Sallis)
(1955)
The Pickpocket
as Chippy Criggs
(1955)
Moby Dick Rehearsed
as A Stage Manger /Flask
(1955)
Fcb TV Show No.1
as Squishy Taylor
(1954)
Nineteen Eighty-Four
as Man (uncredited)
(1954)
Stranger from Venus
as Soldier
(1954)
Child's Play
as Bill - grocery merchant
(1951)
Mr. Denning Drives North
as Man (uncredited)
Crew
(2018)
Early Man
In Memory Of
(2000)
Chicken Run
Thanks
(1979)
She Loves Me
Vocals