Peter Bowles was born on October 16 1936 in Upper Boddington, Northamptonshire. His father, Herbert Bowles, was a valet to Drogo Montagu, son of the Earl of Sandwich. His mother, Sarah, was nanny to Lady Jeanne Campbell, Lord Beaverbrook’s granddaughter. In 1940 the family moved to Nottingham, where Herbert Bowles took a job with Rolls-Royce. Peter Bowles attended High Pavement grammar school, where he took part in school plays. He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He began his career with the Old Vic Company.
Peter Bowles made his television debut in an episode of The Last Chronicle of Barset in 1959. In the Sixties he was a regular on the series Magnolia Street and Emergency-Ward 10. He appeared in different roles in several episodes of The Avengers. He also guest starred on the shows Doctor Knock, It Happened Like This, Drama 61-67, The Protectors, The Great War, ITV Play of the Week, Danger Man, Crane, No Hiding Place, The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, Jury Room, Six of the Best, Famous Gossips, Out of the Unknown, Sunday Night, Redcap, The Informer, The Baron, The Saint, Armchair Theatre, Adam Adamant Lives!, The Troubleshooters, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Prisoner, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, Champion House, Love Story, Sherlock Holmes, Department S, W. Somerset Maugham, Softly Softly, Take Three Girls, Ryan International, The Main Chance, and Happy Ever After. He appeared in the mini-series The Gold Robbers.
Peter Bowles made his movie debut in The Extra Day in 1956. In the Sixties he appeared in the movies Live Now--Pay Later (1962), The Informers (1963), Three Hats of Lisa (1965), Dead Man's Chest (1965), Blowup (1966), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), The Assassination Bureau (1969), The Laughter Brigade (1969), Taste of Excitement (1969), and Eyewitness (1970).
In the Seventies Mr. Bowles appeared in the TV mini-series Napoleon and Love, Murder Must Advertise, and Pennies from Heaven. He was a regular on the shows Brett, Good Girl, The Crezz, Only When I Laugh, and Rumpole of the Bailey. It was in 1979 that To the Manor Born debuted. Peter Bowles played Richard DeVere, a noveau riche millionaire who buys the manor of Audrey fforbes-Hamilton (Penolope Keith). The show proved to be wildly successful, running for three series, with a Christmas special aired in 2007. Peter Bowles guest starred on the shows Hadleigh, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, The Persuaders!, ITV Saturday Night Theatre, The Shadow of the Tower, Alexander the Greatest, Harriet's Back in Town, The Protectors, The Adventures of Black Beauty, Crown Court, Cheri, Arthur of the Britons, Omnibus, Special Branch, Public Eye, Thriller, Survivor, Comedy Playhouse, Churchill's People, Space: 1999, I Claudius, A Roof Over My Head, Rising Damp, BBC Play of the Month, The Sunday Drama, Bless Me Father, Tales of the Unexpected, Turtle's Progress, and Nanny Knows Best. He appeared in the movies A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972), Endless Night (1972), The Offence (1973), The Legend of Hell House (1973), For the Love of Benji (1977), and The Disappearance (1977).
In the Eighties Peter Bowles continued to appear in To the Manor Born, Only When I Laugh, and Rumpole of the Bailey. He was a regular on the shows Vice Versa, The Bounder, The Irish R.M., Lytton's Diary, Executive Stress, and Perfect Scoundrels. He guest starred on Storyboard. He appeared in the movie Try This One for Size (1989). In the Nineties he continued to appear on Perfect Scoundrels and Rumpole of the Bailey. He guest starred on Screen One and Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased). He appeared in the movies The Steal (1995) and One of the Hollywood Ten (2000).
In the Naughts Peter Bowles appeared in the movies Colour Me Kubrick: A True...ish Story (2005), Freebird (2008), and The Bank Job (2008). He guest starred on the shows Holby City Jericho, and Poirot. In the Teens he appeared in the movies Love's Kitchen (2011), Lilting (2014), Peterman (2014), Meet Pursuit Delange: The Movie (2015), We Are Tourists (2017), and Together (2018). He guest starred on the shows The Sarah Jane Adventures, Citizen Khan, and The Life of Rock with Brian Pern, Murder. He was a regular on the show Victoria. His last appearance was in the movie Off the Rails (2021).
Peter Bowles was a remarkable actor of considerable talent. In his guest appearances on The Avengers the characters he played were dramatically different. He particularly stood out as Thyssen, the diabolical mastermind who claims to have created a time machine in "Escape in Time." In the movie Blowup he gave a good performance as Ron, photographer Thomas's agent. Of course, chances are good that the will always be remembered as Richard DeVere on To Manor Born, the millionaire supermarket chain owner. It was a role that he excelled in. Chances are good that he will also be remembered as the somewhat irresponsible Sir Guthrie Featherstone, who often found himself at odds with barrister Rumple on Rumpole of the Bailey. Peter Bowles could play everything from villains to heroes, and could play comedy as well as drama. He was an incredible actor.
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