Person
Frank Thornton
Born 15 January 1921 Died 16 March 2013, aged 92 Dulwich, London, England, UK TMDB ↗
Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 1921 - 16 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? (1972-1985) and its sequel Grace & Favour and as Herbert "Truly" Truelove in Last of the Summer Wine.
FR·01
The numbers
10age in their first credit on record (1931)
89years on screen and counting
8credits in 1970, their busiest year
102dated credits on record
FR·02
Movie credits
Age: 99 We Love Are You Being Served?
2020
Age: 91 Run For Your Wife
2012as Man on Bus
Age: 80 Gosford Park
2001as Mr. Burkett
Age: 74 The Old Curiosity Shop
1995
Age: 69 The BFG
1990as Mr. Tibbs (voice)
Age: 63 Royal Variety Performance 1984
1984
Age: 59 The Taming of the Shrew
1980as Gremio
Age: 56 Ride of the Valkyrie
1977
Age: 56 Are You Being Served? The Movie
1977as Captain Stephen Peacock
Age: 55 The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones
1976as Whitlow
Age: 55 Spanish Fly
1976as Dr. Johnson
No poster
Age: 54 The Boundary
1975
Age: 54 Side by Side
1975as Inspector Crumb
Age: 53 Keep It Up, Jack!
1974as Mr. Clarke
Age: 52 The Three Musketeers
1973as Man in Small Carriage (uncredited)
Age: 52 Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World
1973as Estate Agent
No poster
Age: 52 That Sinking Feeling
1973as Arthur
Age: 52 No Sex Please - We're British
1973as Glass Shop Manager
Age: 52 Steptoe & Son Ride Again
1973as Mr. Russell
Age: 51 Our Miss Fred
1972as British Colonel
Age: 51 That's Your Funeral
1972as Town Clerk
Age: 51 Bless This House
1972as Mr. Jones
Age: 50 Up the Chastity Belt
1972as Master of Ceremonies
Age: 49 The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970as Tom Stoddart
Age: 49 The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
1970as Porter
Age: 49 All the Way Up
1970as Mr Driver
Age: 49 Some Will, Some Won't
1970as Purvis
Age: 48 The Magic Christian
1969as Police Inspector
Age: 48 The Bed Sitting Room
1969as The BBC
Age: 48 Crooks and Coronets
1969as Cyril
Age: 48 The Assassination Bureau
1969as Elevator victim (uncredited)
Age: 47 Till Death Us Do Part
1969as Valuation Officer
Age: 47 A Flea in Her Ear
1968as Charles, the Butler
Age: 47 The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
1968as Factory Manager
Age: 47 If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent Them
1968as The Undertaker
Age: 47 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia!
1968as Registrar
Age: 47 Red, White, and Zero
1968
Age: 45 Lucy in London
1966as Passport Officer
Age: 45 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966as Slave Driver
Age: 45 Carry On Screaming!
1966as Mr. Jones
Age: 44 Danny the Dragon
1966No poster
Age: 44 Dannicaforilithermidor
1966as Sergeant Bull
Age: 44 The Wild Affair
1965as Wine Shop Manager
Age: 44 The Early Bird
1965as Drunken Doctor
Age: 44 The Big Job
1965as Bank Official
Age: 44 Gonks Go Beat
1965as Mr. A&R
Age: 43 The Tomb of Ligeia
1964as Peperel
Age: 43 The Comedy Man
1964as Producer
Age: 41 It's Trad, Dad!
1962as TV Director
Age: 41 Operation Stogie
1962as Hotel receptionist (uncredited)
No poster
Age: 40 Doomsday at Eleven
1962as BBC Announcer
Age: 40 Victim
1961as George - Henry's Assistant (uncredited)
Age: 40 The Impersonator
1961as Police Sargeant
Age: 36 Battle of the V-1
1958as British Scientist (uncredited)
Age: 35 Cloak Without Dagger
1956as False James Markley
Age: 35 Johnny, You're Wanted
1956as Police Inspector
Age: 34 Portrait of Alison
1955as Police Photographer
Age: 33 The Silent Witness
1954as The Barman (uncredited)
Age: 33 Radio Cab Murder
1954as Inspector Finch
Age: 10 Cracked Nuts
1931as Revolutionary
FR·03
TV credits
Age: 70 Grace & Favour
1992as Capt Stephen Peacock RASC (Ex)
Age: 68 Great Expectations
1989as Mr Trabb
Age: 65 Casualty
1986as Edward Gutheridge
Age: 61 The Kenny Everett Television Show
1982as Various
Age: 58 Blankety Blank
1979
Age: 55 The New Avengers
1976as Roland
Age: 53 Fall of Eagles
1974as Prince Albert
Age: 51 Last of the Summer Wine
1973as Truly
Age: 51 Crown Court
1972as Professor McIver
Age: 51 Sykes
1972as Dr. Taplow
Age: 51 Are You Being Served?
1972as Captain Peacock
Age: 49 The Goodies
1970as Waiter
Age: 49 The Goodies
1970as Master of Ceremonies
No poster
Age: 49 Ben Travers Farces
1970as Claude Hickett MP
Age: 49 From a Bird's Eye View
1970as Spinks
No poster
Age: 48 The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm
1969as King Kong
Age: 47 The Champions
1968as Clerk
No poster
Age: 47 The World of Beachcomber
1968as Various Roles
Age: 46 Not in Front of the Children
1967as Mr Wilkinson
Age: 44 The Man in Room 17
1965as Chief Inspector Bascombe
No poster
Age: 43 HMS Paradise
1964as Commander Fairweather
Age: 40 Steptoe and Son
1962as Seller
Age: 40 Steptoe and Son
1962as Barman
Age: 40 It's a Square World
1961
Age: 39 The Avengers
1961
Age: 39 The Cheaters
1960as Long
Age: 39 Coronation Street
1960as Danny Roach
No poster
Age: 39 The Dickie Henderson Show
1960
Age: 39 Danger Man
1960as Police Captain
Age: 39 Danger Man
1960as Pepe
Age: 38 The Four Just Men
1959as Clerk
Age: 38 The Four Just Men
1959as Coroner
Age: 38 The Four Just Men
1959as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Age: 37 The Adventures of William Tell
1958as Tax Collector
Age: 37 The Adventures of William Tell
1958as Heinburgher
Age: 35 Armchair Theatre
1956as Station Sergeant
Age: 35 Armchair Theatre
1956as Arthur - The Groom's Father
Age: 35 Hancock's Half Hour
1956
Age: 34 Dixon of Dock Green
1955as PC Cox
Age: 34 The Sooty Show
1955as Mr Wolfe
Age: 34 The Sooty Show
1955as Dr. Hugh
Age: 28 Sunday Night Theatre
1950as Sailor