Peter François Cellier"Peter Cellier", FilmWeb"Peter Cellier", Cinefile (born 12 July 1928) Strandvall, Mark. "Our Major Peter Cellier nowadays and as a young man", Facebook, 26 December 2024"Peter Cellier", AllMovie is an English retired actor who has appeared on film, stage and television. He is known for his role as Sir Frank Gordon in Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister in the 1980s as well as for his appearances as the Major in Keeping Up Appearances in the early 1990s.

Early life Cellier was born on 12 July 1928,"Peter F Cellier: Arrivall/Departure Record", United States, September 10, 1958 in Hendon, Middlesex, into a family of actors including his father Frank, his mother Phyllis Shannaw and his half-sister Antoinette. His grandfather was the Gilbert and Sullivan conductor François Cellier.

Career Theatre Cellier started his career at the Leatherhead Theatre in 1953. His theatre work has included seasons at Stratford-on-Avon, The Old Vic and the Chichester Festival Theatre, and he was a founder-member of the National Theatre. Shakespeare plays in which Cellier has appeared include Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Othello, Love's Labour's Lost, Measure for Measure, As You Like It, King John, Julius Caesar, Cymbeline and Henry V, as the Dauphin. Other roles include Pinchard in Georges Feydeau's An Absolute Turkey, Tommy Devon in Aunt Edwina, The Dean of Archeo in Body and Soul, Eric Shelding in The Case in Question, Danforth in The Crucible, Duke Francis in The Dark Horse, Dr Finache in Jacques Charon's National Theatre production of Feydeau's A Flea in her Ear, Charles Blutham in Juno and the Paycock, Dr Herdal in The Master Builder, Sir John Tremaine in Me And My Girl, The Chaplain in Mother Courage, Christopher in A Private Matter, Captain Brazen in The Recruiting Officer (replacing Laurence Olivier), Polonius in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Higgins in Ross, Miguel Estete in The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Desmond in The Winslow Boy.Programme note for Globe Theatre production of An Absolute Turkey, 1994"Peter Cellier", Theatricalia. Retrieved 17 July 2025

Television

On television, Cellier has appeared in a wide range of programmes since 1955, including detective series such as Softly, Softly and Bergerac, adventure series such as Doctor Who, historical dramas such as The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Upstairs, Downstairs and The Duchess of Duke Street. He made appearances on the John Mortimer written series Rumpole of the Bailey (two guest roles, the second as a defence department official in "Rumpole and the Official Secret") and Paradise Postponed (three episodes as solicitor Mr Rattling). He also appeared in the sitcoms It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Yes Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister (1981–87) and Keeping Up Appearances, as Major Wilton-Smythe (1990–91), among others. In the two Minister series, he played Sir Frank Gordon, the Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury, urbanely contending with Nigel Hawthorne's Sir Humphrey Appleby for supremacy within the civil service. He played Andrews in the 1982 serial Time-Flight, Roy Difford in the Casualty episode "The Silence of Friends" and the judge in BBC Four's Canoe Man (2010), which recounted the John Darwin disappearance case.

Films

Cellier's film work includes Morgan! (1966), as Second Counsel; Young Winston (1972), as Captain 35th Sikhs; Luther (1974), as the Prior; Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! (1973), as the Attorney General; Man About the House (1974), as Morris Pluthero; Man Friday (1975), as Carey; Barry Lyndon (1975), as Sir Richard; Sister Dora (1977), as Actor; Jabberwocky (1977), as First merchant; Crossed Swords (1977), as Mean Man; Holocaust 2000 (1977), as Sheckley; The Pumaman (1980), as Martin; Breaking Glass (1980), as Garage Customer; Chariots of Fire (1981), as the head waiter at The Savoy; And the Ship Sails On (1983), as Sir Reginald J. Dongby; The Last Days of Pompeii (1984), as Calenus; A Room with a View (1985), as Sir Harry Otway, a landlord; Clockwise (1986), as Headmaster; Out of Order (1987), as Home Secretary; Personal Services (1987), as Mr Marples; Howards End (1992), as Colonel Fussell; Bhaji on the Beach (1993), as Ambrose Waddington; The Remains of the Day (1993), as Sir Leonard Bax; Stanley's Dragon (1994), as Mr Johnson; Mrs Dalloway (1997), as Lord Lezham, and Ladies in Lavender (2004), as BBC Announcer.

Cellier played W. S. Gilbert in the 1983 film The Best of Gilbert and Sullivan, in which Gilbert and Sullivan reunite to watch a performance of their greatest songs at the Royal Albert Hall.Shepherd, Marc. "Gilbert & Sullivan's Greatest Hits (Video, 1983)", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, accessed 3 June 2009

Personal life Cellier married Nonie Pashley in 1950 "Peter F Cellier" via Ancestry.com. Retrieved 13 May 2026 and was widowed on 4 April 2016."Nonie Cellier", Funeral Notices, 14 April 2016"Nonie Cellier Obituary", Legacy.com, 14 April 2016

Filmography Source: "Peter Cellier", PFD. Retrieved 29 September 2006 Year Title Role Notes 1960 Sink the Bismarck! First Lieutenant on Destroyers Uncredited 1966 Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment Second Counsel 1972 Young Winston Captain 1973 Scotch on the Rocks Graham Hart 1974 Luther Prior Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! Attorney General Man About the House Morris Pluthero 1975 Slade in Flame Salesman In Car Showroom Uncredited Man Friday Carey Barry Lyndon Sir Richard 1977 Jabberwocky 1st Merchant The Prince and the Pauper Mean Man Holocaust 2000 Sheckley 1980 The Pumaman Museum Curator Breaking Glass Garage Customer 1981 Chariots of Fire Head Waiter–Savoy 1983 And the Ship Sails On Sir Reginald J. Dongby 1985 A Room with a View Sir Harry Otway, a landlord 1986 Clockwise Headmaster #4 1987 Personal Services Mr Marples Out of Order Home Secretary 1992 Howards End Colonel Fussell 1993 Bhaji on the Beach Ambrose Waddington The Remains of the Day Sir Leonard Bax 1994 Stanley's Dragon Mr Johnson 1997 Mrs Dalloway Lord Lezham 2004 Ladies in Lavender BBC Announcer

Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1955–1956BBC Sunday Night TheatreDe Gringon/Sarcastic Bystander2 episodes1959ITV Play of the WeekNugent Darbey/Lt. Peter Ford1962BBC Sunday-Night PlayDr. ArdenEpisode: "The Big Eat"1962–1963ITV Television PlayhouseBrian/Clifford Marvel2 episodes1969BBC Play of the MonthLord BurleighEpisode: "Mary, Queen of Scots"Softly, Softly Stanley MellishEpisode: "A Quality of Gelignite"Callan Captain JenkinsEpisode: "Heir Apparent"The Gold RobbersSladeEpisode: "Dog Eat Dog"Public EyeEnright2 episodesThirty-Minute TheatreFrazer DouglasEpisode: "A Formula for Treason"ITV PlayhouseArnoldEpisode: "The Swan Won't Go in the Fridge"1970The Six Wives of Henry VIIISir Christopher HalesEpisode: "Anne Boleyn"Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)LongEpisode: "The Ghost Talks"ITV Sunday Night TheatreMajor Gerald HissockEpisode: "Lay Down Your Arms"1971Shadows of FearPeterEpisode: "Repent at Leisure"The Rivals of Sherlock HolmesLord WiltshireEpisode: "The Duchess of Wiltshire's Diamonds"1972–1973The ProtectorsAuctioneer/Jones2 episodes1972–1975Play for TodayVarious3 episodes, including Leeds United!1973ThrillerColonel WrightEpisode: "Someone at the Top of the Stairs"Orson Welles Great MysteriesHarold IrvingEpisode: "The Dinner Party"Upstairs, DownstairsHenry PritchettEpisode: "Word of Honour"1974Special Branch Sir Terence GabonEpisode: "Alien"1974–1977WarshipCaptain Calder2 episodes1976BBC2 PlayhouseClaudeEpisode: "A Martyr to the System"The Duchess of Duke StreetMr. MatherEpisode: "The Bargain"The New Avengers CarterEpisode: "Gnaws"1977–1982Crown CourtJudge Robinson2 serials1978The ProfessionalsWaltonEpisode: "Long Shot"Pennies from HeavenBank ManagerEpisode: "The Sweetest Thing"1979Danger UXBFlt. Lt. FenwickEpisode: "Seventeen Seconds to Glory1979–1987Rumpole of the BaileySir Frank Fawcett/Mr. Grayson2 episodes1980Armchair ThrillerMaitlandEpisode: "Fear of God Part 3: The Music Room"Tales of the UnexpectedWilkinsEpisode: "Depart in Peace"It Ain't Half Hot MumMajor Grant HopkirkEpisode: "That's Entertainment?"1981Yes MinisterSir Frank GordonEpisode: "The Quality of Life"1982Doctor WhoJim AndrewsSerial: Time-FlightQ.E.D.MI5 ManEpisode: "The Limehouse Connection"1984Up the Elephant and Round the CastleRupertEpisode: "Every Two Minutes"The Last Days of Pompeii CalenusMiniseries1986–1987Yes Prime MinisterSir Frank Gordon4 episodes1986Sorry!Mr. EndicottEpisode: "Natural Wastage"1988Don't Wait UpPatient Richard BalfourEpisode: "Golf"1990–1991Keeping Up AppearancesThe Major3 episodes1993Goodnight SweetheartThe SpivEpisode: "Is Your Journey Really Necessary?"1996Our Friends in the NorthJudgeEpisode: "1987"The Willows in WinterPrendergast (voice)TV movie1997Ain't Misbehavin'George Nightingale2 episodes (mini-series)2003Midsomer MurdersPeregrine SladeEpisode: "A Talent for Life"2005–2010DoctorsDavid Padkin/Stanley Hill2 episodes2007CasualtyRoy DiffordEpisode: "The Silence of Friends"

References

External links

Curriculum vitae Peter Cellier at Theatricalia