Acting
Peter Sallis
EN cinema · 154 credits
Born
1 February 1921
Died
2 June 2017 (aged 96)
Birthplace
Twickenham, England, UK
Also known as Peter John Sallis · Pete Sallis · Pītā Sarisu · Pedro Sallis · Pierre Sallis · Pietro Sallis
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
Filmography
Access All Areas - The Making of Wallace and Gromit
2024
Access All Areas - The Making of Wallace and Gromit
as Wallace (archive footage)
Comedy Classic: Keeping Up Appearances
as Cleggy (archive footage, uncredited)
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
as Self (archive)
Early Man
In Memory Of
Wallace & Gromit - Hearts of Clay
as Wallace / Gromit
A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman
as Self - Voice of Wallace
The Lark Ascending
as Self (uncredited)
Second Time Around: The Troughton Years
as Reccoat (archive footage)
Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention
as Wallace (voice)
Living with Macular Disease
2009
Living with Macular Disease
as Peter Sallis/Narrator Voice
A Matter of Loaf and Death
as Wallace (voice)
Gromit's Tail-Waggin' DVD
as Wallace (voice)
Displacements
as himself
The Making of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
as Wallace (archive footage)
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
as Wallace / Hutch (voice)
Colour Me Kubrick
as Patient
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
2005
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
as Norman Clegg (archive footage) (uncredited)
Belonging
as Nathan
Easy
as Man (uncredited)
Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions
as Wallace (voice)
Wallace & Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions: Behind the Scenes
as Wallace (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hotel!
as Radio Voice of Little Ashford Flying Club (Uncredited)
The Incredible Adventures of Wallace & Gromit
as Wallace (Voice)
Great Comedy Moments
as Norman Clegg (archive footage)
Chicken Run
Thanks
The Amazing World of Wallace & Gromit
as Wallace (Voice) (Archive Footage)
Everyday Readers
1998
Everyday Readers
as Narrator (voice)
A Close Shave
as Wallace (voice)
Character Building
1995
Character Building
as Wallace (voice)
The Wrong Trousers
as Wallace (voice)
The Crane
as Man (uncredited)
Inside the Wrong Trousers
as Wallace (archive footage, uncredited)
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
1993
Korda: I Don't Grow on Trees: Part One
as Self - Interviewee
A Grand Day Out
as Wallace (voice)
More Children's Holiday Favourites
1990
More Children's Holiday Favourites
as Rat (voice)
The Wind in the Willows: A Tale of Two Toads
as Rat (voice)
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1
1989
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 1
as Rat (voice)
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2
1989
Lollipop Children's Favourites - Volume 2
as Rat (voice)
Children's Favourites - Volume 1
1988
Children's Favourites - Volume 1
as Rat (voice)
The Wind in the Willows: Winter Tales
as Rat (voice)
Rocky Hollow
as Narrator (voice)
Last of the Summer Wine: Getting Sam Home
as Norman Clegg
The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner
1981
The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner
as Shushin, Vocals
She Loves Me
as Ladislav Sipos, Vocals
Full Circle
as Mr. Branscombe
Across a Crowded Room
1978
Across a Crowded Room
as Cyril Smallpiece
628-E8
as Mirbeau
The Obelisk
as Ernest
The Price of Coal, Part 1: Meet the People
as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Price of Coal, Part 2: Back to Reality
as Worker (uncredited)
The Daedalus Equations
as Major Venables
The Incredible Sarah
as Thierry
The Secret Agent
1975
The Secret Agent
as Chief Inspector Heat
The Capone Investment
as Wheatfield
Back of Beyond
as Man (uncredited)
Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest
as Man (uncredited)
Graceless Go I
1974
Graceless Go I
as Mr. Wainwright
Who Killed Lamb?
as Lloyd
The Prison
as Benitet
Beyond Our Means
as Onslow
Lady Killer
as Man
Song at Twilight
as Austin Melcroft
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
as Banker #2 (uncredited)
Frankenstein
as Man (uncredited)
The Reprieve
1972
The Reprieve
as Cossack Horseman
The Road Builder
as Rev. Rupert Palafox
The Bristol Entertainment
1971
The Bristol Entertainment
as Water Seller / Coachman / Ameryk / Mayor / Captain Kimber / King Henry Voice
Bel Ami
1971
Bel Ami
as Norbert de Varenne
Taste the Blood of Dracula
as Samuel Paxton
Sweeney Todd
as Brogden / Mundel / Hopkins
My Lover, My Son
as Sir Sidney Brent
Scream and Scream Again
as Schweitz
Wuthering Heights
as Mr. Shielders
Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary
as Ernest Charles, KC
Menace
1970
Menace
as Narrator (voice)
The Hallelujah Handshake
as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Reckoning
as Keresley
The Big Flame
as Man (uncredited)
Maigret at Bay
as (uncredited)
Charlie Bubbles
as Solicitor
Wind Versus Polygamy
as Man (uncredited)
Inadmissible Evidence
as Hudson
The Bible: In the Beginning...
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Rapture
as Armand
Clash by Night
as Victor
The Third Secret
as Lawrence Jacks
A Wicked World
as Ronald Green
The V.I.P.s
as Doctor
Drama '63: A Well Dressed Man
as Philip Mallard
Into the Dark
1963
Into the Dark
as Alfred Purdie
The Mouse on the Moon
as Russian Delegate
I Thank a Fool
as Sleazy Doctor
Heart to Heart
as Frank Godsell
The Zoo Story
as Peter
Candida
1961
Candida
as Rev. Alexander Mill
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
as Man (uncredited)
A Taste of Honey
as Man (uncredited)
The Curse of the Werewolf
as Don Enrique
Doctor in Love
as Mr. Luke (uncredited)
The Millionairess
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
as Man in Suit (uncredited)
Brand
as Doctor & Provost
The Scapegoat
as Customs Official
The Doctor's Dilemma
as Secretary at Picture Gallery
A Night to Remember
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Cinderella
as Baron Aristide de Pennilac
Kitty Clive
1956
Kitty Clive
as John Hall
Anastasia
as Grischa (uncredited)
Safe and Sound
1956
Safe and Sound
as Squishy Taylor
Quay South
as Corporal Foster
Moby Dick—Rehearsed
as A Stage Manger /Flask
The Concert
as Daniel Kevin (as Pete Sallis)
The Pickpocket
1955
The Pickpocket
as Chippy Criggs
Fcb TV Show No.1
1955
Fcb TV Show No.1
as Squishy Taylor
Child's Play
as Bill - grocery merchant
Nineteen Eighty-Four
as Man (uncredited)
Stranger from Venus
as Soldier (uncredited)
Mr. Denning Drives North
as Man (uncredited)
The Loves of Joanna Godden
as Man (uncredited)