Peter Halliday, a renowned television actor, spent five decades making a significant impact on the British screen. Born to an auctioneer and estate agent, he was schooled in Shropshire, where he would lay the foundation for his future endeavors.
However, Halliday's early career took an unexpected turn when he failed his exam as an apprentice auctioneer. He briefly worked for Rolls-Royce before serving in the British Army during World War II. Based in Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt, Halliday served until 1947, gaining valuable life experience and discipline.
After the war, Halliday pursued his passion for acting, graduating from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1949. He soon became a member of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, which would later evolve into the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company.
Halliday's breakthrough role came in the BBC's groundbreaking science-fiction drama A for Andromeda in 1961, cementing his status as a leading television actor. He further solidified his cult following with several appearances in the iconic Doctor Who series, including providing voiceovers for two serials and donning heavy makeup to portray the alien Pletrac in Robert Holmes' clever parody, Carnival of Monsters: Episode One, in 1973.
