Peter Hawkins

For the association footballer, see Peter Hawkins (footballer).
Peter Hawkins

Peter Hawkins in 1996
Born Peter John Hawkins
(1924-04-03)3 April 1924
London, England
Died 8 July 2006(2006-07-08) (aged 82)
London, England
Occupation Voice actor
Years active 1949–1995

Peter John Hawkins (3 April 1924 – 8 July 2006) was an English actor and voice artist. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s Hawkins was one of the most sought-after voiceovers for television and radio, being a regular face and voice around the Soho-based circuit of commercial production studios, and working regularly with actors including Patrick Allen, Edward Judd, David Tate and David Jason.

Early life

A policeman's son, Peter John Hawkins was born in Brixton, south London. He made his first stage appearance as a member of the chorus in a musical sketch at school in Clapham. At 14 he wrote, with three friends, a revue entitled The Five Bs. He ran with the Herne Hill Harriers.[1] Hawkins joined the Royal Navy, and survived, though shrapnel pierced his clothing when HMS Limbourne sank after being torpedoed. While recovering he took part in plays, which resulted in his being taken into Combined Operations Entertainments.[1]

Career

Hawkins worked at the East Riding Theatre, and then did a two-year course at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first West End appearance was at the Comedy Theatre. Hawkins' long association with British children's television began in 1952 when he voiced both Bill and Ben, the Flower Pot Men. In 1955–1956, he voiced Big Ears and Mr. Plod in The Adventures Of Noddy. He also provided all the voices for the animated series Captain Pugwash, The Family Ness, The Adventures of Tintin, The Adventures of Sir Prancelot, and Bleep and Booster, the last of which was a regular feature of the long-running children's magazine series Blue Peter in the 1960s and early 70s. He was also the narrator for SuperTed and Jimbo and the Jet-Set.

He voiced several characters on Doctor Who in the show's early years, especially the Daleks and the Cybermen. He was also the original voice of Zippy on Rainbow during the first year of its run (1972). Coincidentally his replacement on Rainbow, Roy Skelton, also voiced the Daleks. Hawkins and Skelton also voiced the Cybermen in The Tenth Planet.

Hawkins was the original voice for the character of Frankie Mouse in the fourth radio episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, originally broadcast in March 1978.

He also provided the voice of Money, a walking, talking pound sign on the UK adverts for the Access credit card, during the 1980s and 1990s.

Hobbies and collections

Hawkins was the owner of a fine art collection, including works by Monet, Pissarro and Alfred Sisley, Graham Sutherland, Jacob Epstein and Elisabeth Frink.[1] He also owned a collection of Japanese sword guards and was very keen on Japanese delicacy.

Health issues

In 1992 Hawkins developed a brain tumour which, although successfully treated, left him with short-term memory problems and his retirement from the profession.[2] Due to this he was unable to contribute to any DVD release of Doctor Who outside of archive footage.

Death

He died in London, aged 82, on 8 July 2006, coincidentally the same day that the 2006 season finale of Doctor Who, "Doomsday", the first to feature Daleks and Cybermen confronting each other, was transmitted. He had married Rosemary Miller, an actress, in 1956, with whom he had a son, Silas, who is also an actor and voice artist.[1]

Nicholas Briggs, who has voiced the Daleks on television since the revival of Doctor Who in 2005, paid tribute to him in Doctor Who Magazine, praising him as the best Dalek voice artist, saying "...all of us who've provided Dalek voices over the last 40 years owe him a massive debt. None of us have been as good as Peter, but he supplied our inspiration. He was truly the Emperor of the Daleks."[3]

In 2013 the BBC produced a docudrama depicting the creation and early days of Doctor Who, called An Adventure in Space and Time, screened as part of the programme's fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Hawkins was a small role, played by Nicholas Briggs.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1964 Goldwhiskers James Burk

Goldwhiskers

Goldwhiskers' girlfriends

voice only
1965 Dr. Who and the Daleks Daleks voice only, uncredited
1966 Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. Daleks voice only, uncredited
1969 Tintin and the Temple of the Sun Captain Haddock English version, voice only, uncredited
1973 Assassin Passport Officer
1976 Feelings Unknown
1979 Quincy's Quest Unknown voice only
1989 Asterix and the Big Fight Getafix English version, voice only,
1995 The Four Corners of Nowhere Therapist

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1949 The Good Companions Albert Tuggeridge TV Movie
Old English Reporter TV Movie
1950-

1956

Whirligig Mr. Turnip

Alexander Scrope

Petrio

Season 1: (18 episodes)

Season 2: (18 episodes)

Season 3: (18 episodes)

Season 4: (19 episodes)

Season 5: (18 episodes)

1951 Stranger from Space Petrio Season 2: (17 episodes)
Aladdin Lord High Chamberlain TV Movie
1951-

1953

Saturday Special Porterhouse

Various characters

Season 1: (19 episodes)

Season 2: (16 episodes)

1952 Flower Pot Men Bill

Ben

Season 1, Episode 1
1954 Billy Bean and His Funny Machine Billy Bean Unknown
1955 The Woodentops Unknown Unknown
1955

1956

A Rubovian Legend UnknownLord Chamberlain

Albert Weatherspoon

Season 1: (4 episodes)
1956 The Bird of Truth Unknown TV Movie
1957 The Machine Breakers Tom Thorpe Season 1, Episode 1: "The Oath"
The Emporer's Nightingale Unknown TV Movie
Treasure Island Narrator TV Movie
1957

1961

Captain Pugwash Captain Horatio Pugwash

Master Mate

Pirate Barnabas

Pirate Willy

Tom the Cabin Boy

Cut-Throat Jake

Season 1: (3 episodes)
1958 The Thompson Family Ron Hicks Season 2: (3 episodes)
1960 Life with the Lyons Unknown Season 1, Episode 42: "The Auction"
Small Time Unknown Season 1, Episode 3: "Cookery Tales of

Oaktree Kitchen: Part 1

The Days of Vengeance PC Harris

Narrator

Season 1: (6 episodes)
1961

1963

ITV Play of the Week Bill

Sparks

Season 7, Episode 12: "Two on the Beach"

Season 8, Episode 40: "The Seventh Wave"

1962 The Tommy Steele Show: Quincy's Quest Topper TV Movie
1963 Bleep and Booster Narrator Unknown
1963-

1968

Doctor Who Dalek voices

Cybermen Voices

Season 1: "(6 episodes)

Season 2: (12 episodes)

Season 3: (12 epispdes)

Season 4: (14 episodes)

Season 5: (8 episodes)

1965 The Big Spender Spiro Season 1, Episode 1: "The Soft Bribe"
1966 The Wednesday Play Mr. Willis Season 1, Episode 54: "A Walk in the Sea"
Softly, Softly Detective Sergeant Thorne Season 1, Episode 14: "Blind Man's Bluff"
1969 The Power Game Interpreter Season 3, Episode 8: "Standard Practice"
Hark at Barker Unknown Season 1, Episode 7: "Rustless and the Solar System"
1970 Doomwatch Computer Season 1, Episode 5: "Project Sahara"
Tomfoolery Various characters Unknown
1971 A Family at War Dimmock Season 2, Episode 9: "We Could Be a Lot Worse Off"
1972 Stories from Toytown Unknown Season 1: (2 episodes)
The Adventures of Sir Prancelot All characters Season 1: (31 episodes)
The Dick Emery Show Unknown Season 11, Episode 5
The Shadow of the Tower Voice Season 1, Episode 5: "The Serpent and the Comforter"
Rainbow Zippy Season 1: (50 episodes)
1973 Son of the Bride Mr. Cuthbertson Season 1, Episode 3: "Of Unsold Mind"
1974 Dial M for Murder Sergeant Maclean Season 1, Episode 7: "Dead Connection"
Father Brown Gibbs Season 1, Episode 1: "The Hammer of God"
1975 Sadie, Its Cold Outside Radio announcer Season 1, Episode 4
1976 Noah and Nelly in.. SkylArk Narrator Season 1: (7 episodes)
Bless this House Radio announcer Season 6, Episode 2: "Beautiful Dreamer"
1972

1973

1975

1978

Dave Allen at Large Unknown Season 2: (6 episodes)

Season 3: (6 episodes)

Season 4: (6 episodes)

1979 The Perishers Narrator

Marlon

BH

Season 1: (20 episodes)
1982-

1985

SuperTed Narrator Season 1: (11 episodes)

Season 2, Episode 12: "SuperTed Meets Father Christmas"

1984 The Family-Ness Unknown Season 1: (9 episodes)
1985 Seasview Mynah Bird Season 2, Episode 2: "The Godfather
1986 Jimbo and the Jet-Set Jimbo Season 1: (25 episodes)
1988 Windfalls Narrator

Various characters

Season 1: (26 episodes)
The Storyteller Devil Season 1, Episode 1: "The Soldier and Death"
1989 The Jim Henson Hour Devil Season 1, Episode 3: "Monster Telethon"
Theatre Night Michael Lomax Season 4, Episode 4: "Knuckle"
1989-

1990

Penny Crayon Dennis Season 1: (12 episodes)
1990 It's Fun to Learn with Spot Narrator Season 1: (13 episodes)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Obituary". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. Hawkins, Silas (October 2014). "Voices-Voices-Voices!". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (477): 66.
  3. Briggs, Nicholas (2006-09-13 cover date). "Peter Hawkins". Doctor Who Magazine. Panini Comics (373): 7. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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