Birthday: January 15, 1921
Birth Place: Dulwich, London, England, UK
Birth Name: Frank Thornton Ball

Starring Roles
Grace & Favour (1992) - Captain Stephen Peacock
Jane (1982) - Commander L
Are You Being Served (1973) - Captain Stephen Peacock
Last of the Summer Wine (1973) - Truly Truelove (1997- )
Hancock's Half Hour (1956) - Various People

Guest Starring Roles

Doctors - Gerard Mears - A Soldier's Lot (2003)
The Goodies - Waiter - Farm Fresh Food AKA Health Farm (1971)
The Champions - Clerk - The Night People (1969)
Comedy Playhouse - Mortimer - Our Man in Moscow (1962)
Comedy Playhouse - Official - The Channel Swimmer (1962)
The Avengers - Sir William Bonner - Death on the Slipway (1961)
Danger Man - Pepe - Hired Assassin (1961)
Danger Man - Airport Official - Find and Return (1961)

Early Career: Made propaganda broadcasts for the RAF during WWII, during which time he met his future wife, actress Beryl Evans. Played such roles as Lysander and Laertes while in the Donald Wolfit Shakespearean Company. Numerous television roles prior to AYBS, including "It's a Square World," "The World of Beachcomber," and "Square On."

AYBS Years: Also performed in the AYBS Blackpool stage production and "Last of the Summer Wine." Other Credits: Over 50 films, including "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "A Flea in Her Ear," "Carry On Screaming," "Crooks and Coronets," and "The Three Musketeers." Numerous theatre credits, namely Shakespearean and comedic.

STEPHEN PEACOCK, who's clocked up more than twenty years with Grace Brothers, is employed as floorwalker, ensuring that customers find what they're looking for. Donning his customary executive carnation, he struts around the floor with an air of pomposity; while derided by other members of staff, particularly Mrs Slocombe.

A reformed gambler, he claims he sold his war medals to finance his habit, but as there's doubt regarding his war service, his claims have to be taken with a pinch of salt.

After beginning his Grace Brothers career sweeping the stockroom, Peacock, who plays table tennis for the firm, worked in Toys and Games, Soft Furnishings and Fabrics, all the time nurturing his snooty arrogant manner.

Although he's been married fourteen years, Captain Peacock doesn't class it as wedded bliss.
Not only did he have a fling with Miss Bagnold from Accounts and got stuck in the lift with
Miss Johnson of Novelty Candles, but he's been known to flirt with Mrs Slocombe, leer at Miss Brahms and the voluptuous secretaries, and frequent the seedy Blue Cinema Club.

When asked to play Captain Peacock, Frank Thornton knew immediately
the part would suit him down to the ground. David Croft's a very perceptive caster, explains Frank, when he offers a job you know it will be right for you - you don't even need to read the script. Like most of the cast, I'd worked for David before - on Hugh and I - so he knew my work and the sort of things I could do.'
Frank believes his height and face were ideal for the type of character he's grown used to playing. ~I call them the ~smell under the nose" parts,' he smiles. ~I've played that sort of character often. As
Miss Brahms says, he was a pompous twit" but fun to play.'
Even today, thirteen years and many roles later, Frank is still recognized as Captain Peacock. ~I took my wife, Beryl, to the theatre the other night,' he says. ~We got there early and were standing around in the foyer when this American, in his forties, came up to me and started talking about Are You Being Served?, and asked most politely if he could have his photo taken with me.
~The success of the show, particularly in the States, is unbelievable. I still get regular fan mail, with many people referring to Peacock as the ~great

English gentleman" - which is absurd because he was anything but.'
Frank is fully aware there's a down-side to being associated with such a popular show. 'Typecasting is an inevitable consequence of being identified with one character for so long,' he admits. 'I played a whole range of characters before Are You Being Served~ starting with Michael Bentine's ft's a Square World as well as shows like The World of Beachcomber and Scott on...
Although I was definitely a light entertainment actor for the BBC, Granada, for whom I work exact a few times, saw me as a straight actor, which meant plenty of variety in my work. But when Are You Being Served? became a success I realized immediately that I'd always be identified with the
character, and consequently most other TV work faded away.
With only one series of the show being recorded a year, Frank had to find other
work to supplement his income and returned to the theatre; but he has no regrets about accepting the part of Peacock. 'There have been
advantages and disadvantages: all the other TV work may have disappeared, but there have been spin-offs, like being invited to Australia to head the cast of a theatre tour purely because of my link with the show.'

But recent events have shown that Frank, now 77, has finally moved away from the shadow of Captain Peacock. After accepting a lunch invitation from TV producer Alan J. W Bell, he was offered a lead role in the perennial favourite Last of the Summer Wine. ~Ban Wilde couldn't make the last series, but I never dreamt for one moment that I'd be asked to replace him; I thought I was going to be offered a one-episode guest role. It was scary at first because it was offered late in the day, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.'