19 Facts About Colin Tapley

Colin Edward Livingstone Tapley was a New Zealand actor in both American and British films.

Colin Tapley acted in a number of films before moving to Britain during the Second World War as a flight controller with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Colin Tapley returned briefly to New Zealand before returning to Britain to renew his acting career.

Colin Tapley was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch from 1918 to 1926, and took part in the first of Richard Byrd's expeditions to Antarctica before moving to the United Kingdom and joining the Royal Air Force.

Colin Tapley was rewarded with a contract with Paramount as a bit part actor and appeared uncredited in several films.

Colin Tapley had the debonair good looks, voice and talent of a star, but he found his niche in playing character roles, and appeared in American and British films for more than 30 years without any real desire for movie stardom.

Colin Tapley wrote home enthusiastically to one of his brothers about his small part in The Scarlet Empress, describing the long black beard and wonderful uniform that transformed him into the captain of the queen's bodyguard.

Colin Tapley continued to work in some of the biggest movies of the 1930s, starring the likes of Cary Grant, Loretta Young, Ronald Colman and Gary Cooper.

MacMurray and Colin Tapley remained great friends up until MacMurray's death in 1991.

Colin Tapley was a keen horseman and an avid polo player; playing at the Riveria Polo Club, and on his ranch in the San Fernando Valley where his friends and neighbours would spend time, one of whom being Ginger Rogers.

In January 1942 Colin Tapley returned to Britain on the Brimanger to help the war after enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Colin Tapley found employment as a flight instructor due to his past experience in the Royal Air Force and was later transferred to Britain as a flight controller.

Legendary American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer Cecil B DeMille personally gave him a role in his new film, Samson and Delilah, which Tapley accepted, playing the part of a prince.

Colin Tapley was typecast and would play a police officer in many of his later films.

Colin Tapley's acting career ended in 1983, at the age of 74, and he retired to Coates, Gloucestershire with his wife, Patsy.

Colin Tapley lived in New Romney, Kent working for the first time in a regular job not as a Thespian.

Colin Tapley was employed by the CEGB in 1964 as a meter reader in the control room at Dungeness 'A' nuclear power station.

Colin Tapley remained in Coates until his death in December 1995, aged 86.

Colin Tapley was buried in Wanaka, New Zealand, next to his first son Martin, who had died at the age of 3 of leukaemia in 1947.