Kenneth Colley was born on December 7 1937 in Manchester, He began his acting career in 1961. He appeared on stage at the Old Vic, The Royal Court Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. He made his television debut in 1961 in an episode of the mini-series A for Andromeda. He made his film debut in a 1964 in Seven Deadly Pills. In the Sixties, he guest starred on the shows The Plane Makers, Ghost Squad, Maupassant, The Avengers, It's Dark Outside, Coronation Street, ITV's Play of the Week, Redcap, Thorndyke, R3, No Hiding Place, Emergency-Ward 10, Armchair Theatre, The Baron, Softly Softly, Hobson's Choice, The Informer, City '68, Judge Dee, The Expert, The Wednesday Play, Omnibus, and Thirty-Minute Theatre. He appeared in the mini-series The Government Inspector and The White Rabbit. He played Mr. Moon on the children's show Look and Read. He appeared in the movies The Jokers (1967), How I Won the War (1967), The Blood Beast Terror (1968), Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), and Performance (1970).
In the Seventies, Kenneth Colley appeared in several movies directed by Ken Russell, the first of which was The Devils in 1971. During the decade he subsequently appeared in Mr.Russell's films The Music Loves (1971), The Boy Friend (1971), Mahler (1974) and Lisztomania (1975). He also appeared in the movies The Triple Echo (1972), Hitler: The Last Days (1973), Juggernaut (1974), Flame (1975), Jabberwocky (1977), Life of Brian (1979), and Star Wars Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back (1980). He was a regular on the TV show The Danedyke Mystery and appeared in the mini-series The Visitors, Jack the Ripper, Fall of Eagles,The Nine Tailors, and Pennies from Heaven. He guest starred on The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, A Family at War, New Scotland Yard, Dear Mother......Love Albert, Black and Blue, Arthur of the Britons, The Protectors, Special Branch, Z Cars, The Love School, Churchill's People, The Sweeney, BBC Play of the Month, Crown Court, Dickens of London, Horizon, Target, Ripping Yarns, Hazell, Play for Today, and The BBC Television Shakespeare.
In the Eighties, Kenneth Colley appeared in the Kenneth Russell film The Rainbow (1980). He also appeared in the movies Firefox (1982), Giro City (1982), Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1982), The Whistle Blower (1986), A Summer Story (1988), I Hired a Contract Killer (1990), and The Last Island (1990). On television he appeared on the shows The Kenneth Everett Television Show, The Play on One, Poirot, Timewatch, and Screen Two. He appeared in the mini-series I Remember Nelson, All the World's a Stage, Function Room, Mussolini: The Untold Story, John Silver's Return to Treasure Island, When Reason Sleeps, The Modern World: Ten Great Writers, and War and Remembrance.
In the Nineties, he appeared in two TV movies directed by Ken Russell, Prisoner of Honour and The Secret Life o Arnold Bax. He guest starred on the shows Inspector Morse, Minder, Between the Lines, Capital Lives, Wycliffe, Peak Practice, Heartbeat, Dangerfield, The Bill, The Last Train, Always and Everyone, and The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries. He was a regular on the show Moving Story. He appeared in the movies La vie de bohème (1992), El último viaje de Robert Rylands(1996), Brassed Off (1996), Shadow Run (1998), Hold Back the Night (1999), and Holding On (1999).
In the Naught, Kenneth Colley guest starred on the shows Midsomer Murders, Doctors, Relic Hunter, The Royal, Holby City, EastEnders, Foyle's War, New Yrick, Holby Blue, Casualty 1909, The Queen, and Casualty. He appeared in the movie Greetings (2007). In the Teens, he appeared in the TV series Vera, Misfits, Peaky Blinders, and Holby City. He appeared in the film Scar Tissue (2013). Last year he appeared in the film Dan Hawk Psychic Detective (2024).
Chances are good that Kenneth Colley will always be remembered Admiral Piett, the efficient and often cunning Imperial officer in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He was memorable in the role. Indeed, he was not supposed to return in Return of the Jedi, but his character proved popular with fans. He played Tchaikovsky's avaricious brother Modest in The Music Lovers. In the Midsomer Murders episode "Electric Vendetta" he played UFOlogist Lloyd Kirby. On Peaky Blinders he played Vicente Changretta, the head of the Changretta crime family. Throughout his career he played everything from Jesus in Life of Brian to the pirate Ben Gunn in the mini-series Return to Treasure Island. He was a talented actor who could play a wide variety of roles.
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