Colin Tapley
Colin Tapley | |
|---|---|
Studio shot of Tapley in 1933, possibly the image used by Tapley in the Paramount Pictures 'Search for Beauty' contest | |
| Born | Colin Edward Livingstone Tapley 7 May 1909 Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Died | 1 December 1995 (aged 86) Coates, Gloucestershire, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1933–1983 |
| Spouse | Patricia Hambro |
| Relatives | Harold Tapley (father) |
Colin Edward Livingstone Tapley (7 May 1909 – 1 December 1995) was a New Zealand actor in both American and British films. Born in New Zealand, he served in the Royal Air Force and an expedition to Antarctica before winning a Paramount Pictures talent contest and moving to Hollywood. He acted in a number of films before moving to Britain during the Second World War as a flight controller with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He returned briefly to New Zealand before returning once again to Britain to renew his acting career. His most famous role is as William Glanville in The Dam Busters (1955), but he spent much of his later career typecast as a police inspector, a role he played in several films and TV series before retiring to Gloucestershire.