Kenneth Colley
Kenneth Colley (7 December 1937 — 30 June 2025) was an English actor. A long-time character actor, he came to wider prominence through his role as Admiral Piett in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Colley was born in Manchester. He played Jesus (very briefly indeed) in Life of Brian (1979), having also appeared in the earlier Python-related production Ripping Yarns episode "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" alongside Michael Palin. As a Shakespearean actor, he played the Duke of Vienna in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of Measure for Measure (also 1979). Colley also held an important role in the Clint Eastwood film Firefox, as a Soviet Colonel tasked with the protection of the Firefox and its secrets. Colley portrayed SS-Standartenführer Paul Blobel in the World War II drama War and Remembrance. His character was charged with hiding the evidence of the Holocaust, and putting dead victims through "Economic Processing". According to comments Terry Gilliam (who directed him in Jabberwocky and co-starred with him in Life of Brian) made in the DVD audio commentaries for both films, Colley is a terrible stutterer in real life. When he had a role in a film, however, he could recite the lines perfectly. Stuttering is a character trait, however, in his role as the "Accordion Man" in the BBC television drama Pennies from Heaven (1978). He has also recently starred in BBC's HolbyBlue as a drunk and violent father, grandfather and father-in-law. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenneth Colley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Kenneth Colley films playing now in Athens
Kenneth Colley filmography
Scar Tissue
as Weaver
LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out
as Admiral Piett (voice)
Greetings
Producer, Director, Writer · as Ken
Like Father Like Son
as RawsthorneHold Back the Night
as Uncle Bob
Shadow Run
as Larcombe
Brassed Off
as Greasley
Robert Rylands' Last Journey
as Archdale
Solomon & Sheba
as Nathan
Unnatural Causes
as Inspector Gerry Reckless
La Vie de Bohème
as Street Sweeper
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
as John Ireland
Prisoner of Honor
as Capt. Dreyfus
I Hired a Contract Killer
as The Killer
Kremlin Farewell
as Sergej
The Plot to Kill Hitler
as Wilhelm Keitel
The Last Island
as Nick
A Master of the Marionettes
as Inspector Tennyson
The Rainbow
as Mr. Brunt
A Summer Story
as Jim
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Who is Kenneth Colley?+
Kenneth Colley was a British character actor recognized for his extensive work in television and film, including his prominent role as Admiral Piett in the Star Wars franchise.
What is Kenneth Colley known for?+
He is recognized for portraying Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as his brief but memorable role as Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian.
Which films did Kenneth Colley appear in?+
Beyond his major science fiction work, he appeared in films such as Brassed Off, The Devils, The Music Lovers, and I Hired a Contract Killer.
