Peter Blythe

(1934-2004) Actor and playwright. A British character actor, though best known as Samuel "Soapy Sam" Ballard on the TV series Rumpole of the Bailey. Born in Yorkshire, and studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He began his professional career as a repertory player with the Living Theatre Company, the Nottingham Playhouse, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his West End debut in 1965. Blythe was frequently associated with the director Peter Hall and the playwright Alan Ayckbourn. Wrote Tom, Dick, and Harry, which was produced at Theatre in the Round in 1972. He came to South Africa in late 1978 to star in the Toerien-Firth productions Shut Your Eyes and Think of England (Intimate Theatre, 1978/ 1979) and Sextet (André Huguenet Theatre, 1979).