Peter Blake (born John Beattie Dempsey; 8 December 1948 – 21 July 2018) was a Scottish actor and singer. Probably best known as the character Kirk St Moritz in the BBC sitcom Dear John, by John Sullivan, his other high-profile moments came through his playing of a 'Fonz'-type character in Pepsi-Cola commercials which led to a hit record in 1977 "Lipsmackin' Rock 'n' Rollin", Andy Evol the disc-jockey in Agony with Maureen Lipman for LWT and in an episode of Taggart ("Do or Die") as Sgt. Bill Kent. He also had a long association with The Rocky Horror Show playing Frank-N-Furter over a thousand times between 1975 and 1994.The Rocky Horror Show : King's Road Theatre (Chelsea, London) Programme 1975; Comedy Theatre (London) Programme 1979; Theatre Tour Programme 1992 and 1994.
Early life Peter Blake was born John Beattie Dempsey on 8 December 1948 in Selkirk, Scotland. He was always referred to by his parents as Ian, a Scottish Gaelic term for John. He began his career as an aspiring pop star before turning to acting; his first professional appearance was at the Edinburgh International Festival, in Frank Dunlop's 'Pop Theatre''' production of The Winter's Tale, at the Assembly Hall, in 1966.
Theatre Peter Blake trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and joined the Citizens' Theatre Company, performing in a production of Twelfth Night, and Michael Blakemore's original production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui which opened in September 1967 at the Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow and, in August 1968, performed at The Lyceum, Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh Festival. After graduating in 1969, he worked briefly as a stage manager in several Soho strip clubs before he joined the international cast of Victor Spinetti's Amsterdam production of Hair, in 1970, and subsequently played the role of Berger in the show's national tour of The Netherlands.
Returning to the UK there followed a string of London's West End rock musicals, with roles in Hair at the Shaftesbury Theatre; as Pharaoh in the original productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Albery Theatre, as Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Palace Theatre; as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at the King's Road Theatre;The Rocky Horror Show, King's Road Theatre (Chelsea, London) Programme 1975 - 1976. as Peter in the revue What's a Nice Country like US doing in a State like This? at the May Fair Theatre;Musical hoofers: "What’s a Nice Country like US doing in a State like This?" with Peter Blake, Billy Boyle, Neil McCaul, Jacquie Toye and Leueen Willoughby, The Stage, London, England. Thursday 10 June 1976. and reprising his role of Frank-N-Furter at the Comedy Theatre.The Rocky Horror Show, Comedy Theatre (London) Programme 1979.
Blake also performed at the Chichester Festival Theatre, work included Julius Caesar, Murder in the Cathedral and In Order of Appearance; out of London theatre work included Nestor in Irma La Douce at the Sheffield Crucible; Count Dracula in Charles McKeown's play Dracula at the Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead; Marat in The Promise at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley;"The Promise at Churchill, Bromley, from 25 March 1980, The Stage, London, Thursday 13 March 1980. and on tour in Jack Rosenthal's Smash!; Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends, Ray Cooney's Funny Money, and The Rocky Horror Show returning to his old role of 'Frank-N-Furter'Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show, Theatre Tour Programme 1992 and 1994. Publisher: John Good Holbrook, 1992 and 1994. in 1992 and 1994; he also starred in several pantomimes, including as Captain Hook in Peter Pan, as King Rat in Dick Whittington and as Abanazer in Aladdin.
Television and film
Peter Blake's best-known role was the flamboyant and boastful Kirk St Moritz, resplendent in white suit, big collars and golden medallion, in the British sitcom Dear John (1986–87). He appeared in other British television series including as Tony Miller, a member of CI5 in the hard-hitting police drama The Professionals (1978). As Michael Vincent in Penmarric (1979), Andy Evol in Agony (1979–1981), Dr Courant in Praying Mantis (1982), Carl Pierce in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986), Aubrey Owen in Dogfood Dan & the Carmarthen Cowboy (1988), David in Split Ends (1989), as Harvey in Fiddlers Three (1991) and as Ken Tate in EastEnders (2010).
Blake guested on such television shows as The Squirrels, Out, Z-Cars, Minder, Shoestring, Shine on Harvey Moon, Bergerac, After Henry, Alas Smith and Jones, Ever Decreasing Circles, Just Good Friends, Boon, The New Statesman, Woof!, The High Life, The Bill, and Casualty, among others. His film appearances include Intimate Games (1976), Murder on Line One (1989), Cash in Hand (1998), Heroes and Villains (2006), The Power of Three (2011) and Run For Your Wife (2012).
Selected filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1972 - 1978Z-CarsBarwell/ Chas Fairchild/ Colin Steen3 episodes1976The BrothersScotsmanEpisode: "The Knock on the Door"Intimate GamesJohnFilmThe SquirrelsPostmanEpisode: "Men of Straw"1977ITV PlayhouseClub managerEpisode: "The Proofing Season"1978AngelsEric DowdenEpisode: "Fraternity"OutPretty Billy Binns2 episodesPlay for TodayPopstarEpisode: "The After Dinner Joke"The ProfessionalsTony MillarEpisode: "Everest Was Also Conquered"1979PenmaricMichael Vincent8 episodes1979 - 1981AgonyAndy Evol14 episodes1980MinderBarryEpisode: "Monday Night Fever"ShoestringMike FrewinEpisode: "The Mayfly Dance"1981BBC2 PlayhouseRegistrarEpisode: "Days"Funny ManMontyEpisode: "Side by Side"1982Educating MarmaladeWeasel PrattEpisode: "Cringe Hill"Murphy's MobJock Ferguson4 episodesPraying MantisDr. CourantTV movieShine on Harvey MoonMajor SaxbyEpisode: "The Party Line"1983BergeracFontaineEpisode: "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie"Crown CourtThe Hon. Mark WhartonEpisode: "Personal Credit" (3 parts)1984FreudDarkschewitschEpisode: "The Hypnotist"Just Good FriendsLaurence2 episodes1984 - 1998Alas Smith and JonesJames Bond4 episodes1985Full HouseGilesEpisode: "The Waiting Game"MovingPeter Bending 2 episodes1986A Very Peculiar PracticeCarl PierceEpisode: "We Love, That's Why We're Here"Ever Decreasing CirclesRex TymanEpisode: "One Night Stand"Fresh FieldsPool AttendantEpisode: "Happy Returns"Victoria Wood: As Seen on TVCraig1 episode1986 - 1987Dear JohnKirk14 episodes1987BoonBarry DrinkwaterEpisode: "A Ride on the Wild Side"1988After HenryNickEpisode: "The Older Man"Dogfood Dan & the Carmarthen CowboyAubrey Owen6 episodes1989Murder on Line OneMarc RussellFilmSplit EndsDavid6 episodesWilliam TellCrispinEpisode: "Goldilocks"1990The New StatesmanKerry GroutEpisode: "Who Shot Alan B'Stard?"1991City LightsMinister4 episodesFiddler's ThreeHarvey14 episodes1992Runaway BayMr. MarshallEpisode: "Taking the Rap"Woof!Dave BarryEpisode: "Dad's Birthday"1993BrooksideFather John Monroe3 episodes1995Coronation StreetNick Gerrity2 episodesCrown ProsecutorJohn Harper1 episodeThe High LifeGuy WerschEpisode: "Dug"1998The BillGreg BeattieEpisode: "Christmas Star"The Broker's ManDanny DurbridgeEpisode: "Swansong"Cash in HandAgent John ManiacFilmThe JumpDI Frank Laughton1 episode1999Jonathan CreekOtto DanziggerEpisode: "The Eyes of Tiresias"2000Dark RealmDetectiveEpisode: "She's the One"2001Family AffairsEric1 episodeLexxOliverEpisode: "Xevivor"2002 Barbara GeoffEpisode: "Crime"2003Sir Gadabout: The Worst Knight in the LandLord MoltraceEpisode: "Sir Badabout"2004CasualtyMichael MonroeEpisode: "Dreams and Disappointments"The CourtroomSimon HarperEpisode: "Owzat!"DoctorsIan McLeishEpisode: "Greens and Blues"2005The Mysti ShowSaber1 episodeTaggartSergeant Bill KentEpisode: "Do or Die"2006Heroes and VillainsJulianFilm2010EastEndersKen Tate4 episodes2011The Power of Three HenriFilm2012Run For Your WifeMan reading newspaperFilm
Discography In 1977, Peter Blake reached number 40 in the UK Singles Chart with the song Lipsmackin' Rock 'n' Rollin, performing it on the BBC Television music show Top of the Pops on 29 September 1977; and subsequently released a single called Boogie Breakout'' in 1979.
Stage Cast Recordings include : Hair - The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (Original Amsterdam Cast) - LP.Date of release: 1970.Written by Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni and James Rado. London production of the musical, "What's a Nice Country like U.S. Doing in a State like This?"Date of release: 1976.Music by Cary Hoffman. Words by Ira Gasman. Hard Times: The Musical (Original London Cast Recording Highlights) - EP.Date of release: 1 June 2000.Book, music and lyrics by Christopher Tookey and Hugh Thomas (from the novel by Charles Dickens).
Theatre credits Production Year Role Venue The Winter's Tale 1966 Various characters Edinburgh Festival Twelfth Night 1967 Officer Glasgow Citizens' Theatre The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Grocer / Gangster Glasgow Citizens' Theatre Company The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui 1968 2nd Chicago Grocer Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh Festival Hair 1969–70 Berger Amsterdam / National Tour of Holland Hair 1970–73 Berger / Claude / Woof Shaftesbury Theatre, West End Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 1973 Judah Albery Theatre, West End Why Not Stay For Breakfast? Hippie National Tour Irma La Douce Nestor Le Fripe Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Jesus Christ Superstar 1974 Pontius Pilate Palace Theatre, West End The Rocky Horror Show 1975–76 Frank-N-Furter King's Road Theatre, Chelsea What's A Nice Country Like U.S.Doing in A State Like This? 1976 Peter Mayfair Theatre, West End Make Me A World Lucifer Chichester Theatre In Order of Appearance 1977 Various characters Chichester Festival Julius Caesar Flavius / Decius Brutus / Titinius Chichester Festival Murder in the Cathedral 4th Temptor Chichester Cathedral Dracula 1978 Count Dracula Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead The Rocky Horror Show 1979 Frank-N-Furter Comedy Theatre, West End The Promise 1980 Marat Churchill Theatre, Bromley SMASH! 1981 Don Black National Tour Run for Your Wife 1982 De Sergeant Troughton Shaftesbury Theatre, West End Dear Anyone 1983 Danny Cambridge Theatre, West End See How They Run 1984 The Intruder Shaftesbury Theatre, West End Goldilocks & the Three Bears 1986 Heinkel Canada Run for Your Wife De Sergeant Troughton Criterion Theatre, West End It Runs in the Family 1987 Dr. Mike Connolly Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford Absent Friends 1988 Paul National Tour Dick Whittington King Rat Richmond Theatre, London Aladdin 1990 Abanazer Palace Theatre, Manchester The Rocky Horror Show 1991–92 Frank-N-Furter National Tour Alfie 1992 Various characters National Tour Love Off the Shelf 1993 Hero / Hamilton Scarborough in the Round Dick Whittington King Rat The Forum, Hatfield Penny for the Guy 1994 Burglar Fawkes Churchill Theatre, Bromley, Kent The Rocky Horror Show Frank-N-Furter Summer Season Bournemouth & Blackpool The Snow Queen Igor Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford Absent Friends 1996–97 Paul National Tour Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1997 Herman the Henchman Orchard Theatre, Dartford Gym and Tonic 1999 Ken Theatre Royal, Windsor Say Who You Are Stuart Wheeler The Mill, Sonning Hard Times 2000 Mr E.W.B Childers Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End Bridges and Harmonies Alex Bridewell Theatre, London Dick Whittington 2001 King Rat Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury Money To Burn 2003 Lord Oliver Justin The Venue, West End Oscar - The Musical 2004 Oscar Wilde Shaw Theatre, London Peter Pan 2005 Captain Hook Hippodrome, Birmingham Funny Money 2006 Vic Johnson National Tour Peter Pan Captain Hook Hippodrome, Bristol Peter Pan 2007 Captain Hook Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Personal life He married for the second time in 1998, this marriage was later dissolved in 2011. Latterly he resided in France, where he died on 21 July 2018.
References
External links
Obituary - Peter Blake, The Herald