Kenneth Colley, who has died aged 87, after suffering from Covid and pneumonia, was a character actor widely admired by both the press and public for his screen roles over 60 years, from the Imperial officer Admiral Piett in two of the original Star Wars films and Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to historical figures such as Nelson and Napoleon, and two Adolfs, Hitler and Eichmann.
He described his parts as “mad and bad”, while critics variously commented that the sad-eyed actor had “a defeated look if ever there was one” and he could “make your spine tingle with pleasure”.
