I have to start by writing about a particular pub in Mayfair which I used to frequent quite a few years ago when I worked in an Office in Grosvenor Street just around the corner from The Iron Duke on Street.

This has come back into my mind because I am attending a business forum meeting next week at this very pub.

Now to Peter Bull – the subject of this article. He was the only famous actor who I ever saw in my years down there working and it was in this Pub that I stopped for a quick half on my way home and he was sitting there chatting to his friends. Even then in that relaxed pose, he seemed larger than life and quite theatrical as you would expect

Peter Bull pictured above as the German Captain in ‘The African Queen’

Peter Bull has had a long career as an actor, notably in plays such as Luther and Waiting for Godot. He has also made several forays into theatrical management as well as appearing many films including an early visit to Hollywood.

He had become a friend of Robert Morley after they appeared in stage productions in the West Country together before the War and when Robert got a part in ‘Marie Antoinette’ in Hollywood which was a big budget film released in 1938. Peter went along to Hollywood and got himself a small role which he claimed was cut when the film was released – I am not sure that it was

He had a very distinguished career in the Royal Navy and became Captain of his own ship and saw action

He survived though and came back into Civvy Street and back into the Theatre putting on his own productions

By his own admission, these were not always successful but he did have some very good shows which went on tour throughout the UK.

He is seen above in a much later film with Fiona Fullerton as Alice in 1972 – he was quite scary as the Queen of Hearts – as this still from the film shows.

He periodically appeared in films – well quite regularly really – but his focus and interest lay more with the Theatre, I think.

He had a long fascination with Teddy Bears and had a collection of around 250 at his London home but he said that they were not all in the living room – quite a lot of them lived in the hallway.

I always liked Peter Bull – he seemed to be a real character and something of a ‘one-off’

His appearance as the Queen of Hearts I found quite disconcerting and frightening