Peter Dean
Encyclopedia
Peter Dean is a British
actor
, most notable for his role as Pete Beale
in the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
.
witnessed him rehearsing Shakespeare in Petticoat Lane Market
and advised him to take drama classes. At 16, he studied under Joan Littlewood
and has been an actor since he was 18.
Dean's breakthrough performance was playing criminal 'Jack Lynn' in Law And Order
(1978). He went on to play 'Jeff Bateman' in Coronation Street
(1980); Sergeant Jack Wilding in Woodentop
(prequel to ITV
police drama The Bill
; 1983); Minder
(1979); Up Pompeii!
(1971), Doctor Who
(1977); Shoestring
(1979); Hammer House of Horror
(1980) and The Chinese Detective
(1981).
Film credits include: Sherlock Holmes
; Sweet William (1980); Murder by Decree
(1979); and playing a bouncer
in The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
(1980).
At the invitation of Julia Smith
he was offered the role of Pete Beale in the fledgling BBC soap opera, EastEnders, after the actor who originally auditioned for the role (Leslie Grantham
) was selected as Den Watts
instead. He played the cockney
fruit and veg trader from the show's inception in February 1985 until his departure in May 1993. In reality, however, Dean's contract was terminated following irreconcilable differences with the show's producers. Since his departure he has publicly slammed the producers for culling his character, doing an exposé with The Sun
newspaper, where he revealed some of the show's secrets and his opinions about former co-stars. Subsequently, Pete Beale was killed in an off-screen death in episodes that aired in December 1993. Co-star June Brown
(who plays Dot Cotton in the show) allegedly quit the show in protest following Dean's sacking in 1993, but returned in 1997. Brown and Dean attempted to set up a production company together, but it did not come to fruition.
Since leaving EastEnders, Dean's television credits have been few, although he has made guest appearances on Channel 4
sketch show Bo' Selecta!
, Banzai and Little Britain
. He appeared in the Five television show Harry and Cosh
in 2002 and regularly appears in pantomime
s. He has toured in the play Entertaining Mr Sloane
.
when he was growing up. He went to primary school in Holloway and technical school at King’s Cross, where he learnt plumbing and bricklaying. He started drama lessons at 14 when his grandmother, the music hall artist Lilly Randall, realised that he was dyslexic. As a boy, Dean worked on a fruit and veg stall in Chapel Market
in North London.
He has been married twice. His first marriage ended after three years and one daughter, Leah. He met his second wife, Jean, when he was 29 and she was 15; she was babysitting for a mutual acquaintance. Dean is divorced and lives in Wood Green
, North London.
Dean is a practising Buddhist
. This is the reason why he was always seen drinking from a pewter tankard
in EastEnders, because he does not drink beer and would only drink lemonade
. He also races greyhound
s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, most notable for his role as Pete Beale
Pete Beale
Peter "Pete" Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Peter Dean. He made his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was created by Tony Holland, one of the creators of EasEnders; he was based on a member of...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
.
Career
Dean decided on a career in acting after actress Prunella ScalesPrunella Scales
Prunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
witnessed him rehearsing Shakespeare in Petticoat Lane Market
Petticoat Lane Market
Petticoat Lane Market is a fashion and clothing market located on Wentworth Street and Middlesex Street in East London.-The Modern Market:It is one of a number of traditional markets located to the east of the City of London. A few hundred yards to the north is Old Spitalfields market, which has...
and advised him to take drama classes. At 16, he studied under Joan Littlewood
Joan Littlewood
Joan Maud Littlewood was a British theatre director, noted for her work in developing the left-wing Theatre Workshop...
and has been an actor since he was 18.
Dean's breakthrough performance was playing criminal 'Jack Lynn' in Law And Order
Law and Order (UK Miniseries)
Law & Order is a series of four television plays written by G. F. Newman and directed by Les Blair...
(1978). He went on to play 'Jeff Bateman' in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
(1980); Sergeant Jack Wilding in Woodentop
Woodentop (The Bill)
"Woodentop" is an episode of the Thames Television series of one-off plays Storyboard. The programme was originally broadcast on 16 August 1983. It is also the forerunner to the long-running British police television series The Bill...
(prequel to ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
police drama The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
; 1983); Minder
Minder (TV series)
Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
(1979); Up Pompeii!
Up Pompeii!
Up Pompeii! is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the Carry On films, and the second series by Rothwell and Sid Colin. Two later specials were transmitted in 1975 and...
(1971), Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(1977); Shoestring
Shoestring
Shoestring was a BBC television show set in Bristol. It featured a private detective with his own show on Radio West, the local radio station.The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 one hour-long episodes...
(1979); Hammer House of Horror
Hammer House of Horror
In 1980, Hammer Films created a series for British television, the Hammer House of Horror, which ran for 13 episodes with 51 minutes per episode...
(1980) and The Chinese Detective
The Chinese Detective
The Chinese Detective is a British television series, transmitted by the BBC between 1981 and 1982 and created by Ian Kennedy Martin, who had previously devised The Sweeney and Juliet Bravo....
(1981).
Film credits include: Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
; Sweet William (1980); Murder by Decree
Murder by Decree
Murder by Decree is an Anglo-Canadian thriller film involving Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in the case of the serial murderer Jack the Ripper...
(1979); and playing a bouncer
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
in The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is a mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas about the British punk rock band Sex Pistols....
(1980).
At the invitation of Julia Smith
Julia Smith
Julia Smith was an English television director and producer.- Early career :London-born Smith became involved in television production when she directed the series Suspense in 1962...
he was offered the role of Pete Beale in the fledgling BBC soap opera, EastEnders, after the actor who originally auditioned for the role (Leslie Grantham
Leslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...
) was selected as Den Watts
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
instead. He played the cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
fruit and veg trader from the show's inception in February 1985 until his departure in May 1993. In reality, however, Dean's contract was terminated following irreconcilable differences with the show's producers. Since his departure he has publicly slammed the producers for culling his character, doing an exposé with The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper, where he revealed some of the show's secrets and his opinions about former co-stars. Subsequently, Pete Beale was killed in an off-screen death in episodes that aired in December 1993. Co-star June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
(who plays Dot Cotton in the show) allegedly quit the show in protest following Dean's sacking in 1993, but returned in 1997. Brown and Dean attempted to set up a production company together, but it did not come to fruition.
Since leaving EastEnders, Dean's television credits have been few, although he has made guest appearances on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
sketch show Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta! is a British sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, known for its often deeply surreal, abstract toilet humour, which lampoons popular culture. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs...
, Banzai and Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
. He appeared in the Five television show Harry and Cosh
Harry and Cosh
Harry and Cosh was a British children's television series directed by Daniel Peacock shown on Shake!.It starred Harry Capehorn, Coshti Dowden, Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty and Gemma Baker. It told the story of two teenagers, their relationship problems and dysfunctional families. It ran for 46 episodes...
in 2002 and regularly appears in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s. He has toured in the play Entertaining Mr Sloane
Entertaining Mr Sloane
Entertaining Mr Sloane is a play by the English playwright Joe Orton. It was first produced in London at the New Arts Theatre on 6 May 1964 and transferred to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre on 29 June 1964.-Plot summary:Act 1...
.
Personal life
Born in Hoxton East London, Dean was an acquaintance of the Kray twinsKray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
when he was growing up. He went to primary school in Holloway and technical school at King’s Cross, where he learnt plumbing and bricklaying. He started drama lessons at 14 when his grandmother, the music hall artist Lilly Randall, realised that he was dyslexic. As a boy, Dean worked on a fruit and veg stall in Chapel Market
Chapel Market
Chapel Market is a daily street market in London, United Kingdom. The market is located on a street of the same name near Angel, and sells fruit, vegetables and fish, as well as bargain household goods and cheap clothes. It is open every day except Monday, operating in the mornings only on...
in North London.
He has been married twice. His first marriage ended after three years and one daughter, Leah. He met his second wife, Jean, when he was 29 and she was 15; she was babysitting for a mutual acquaintance. Dean is divorced and lives in Wood Green
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
, North London.
Dean is a practising Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. This is the reason why he was always seen drinking from a pewter tankard
Tankard
A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver, pewter, or glass, but can be made of other materials, for example wood, ceramic or leather. A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring...
in EastEnders, because he does not drink beer and would only drink lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
. He also races greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
s.