Peter Corey facts for kids

Peter Corey (born in 1946 – died April 10, 2019) was a talented British writer, actor, and comedian. He was best known for writing the popular Coping With series of children's books. Peter Corey also wrote many scripts for TV shows and acted in various dramas and soap operas.

Early Life and Acting Start

Peter Corey was born Peter Frederick George Cook in Walsall, England, in 1946. His dad, Arthur Cook, was a gardener, and his mom, Grace, worked for the local police.

When he was at the Edward Shelley School in Walsall, Peter took part in a school play. This experience made him want to become an actor. He then studied acting at the Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art from 1962 to 1965.

After college, his first job was with the Unicorn Children's Theatre. He toured around northern England and Scotland with them. Later, he worked at the New Arts Theatre club in London. He changed his professional name to Peter Corey because there was already a famous comedian named Peter Cook. He even legally changed his name later on!

Peter worked in several different theaters. He then became a director for young people's theater at The Connaught Theatre in Worthing. This is where he started writing plays. He then took a similar job at the Redgrave Theatre in Farnham, where he worked for eight years.

In 1981, Peter Corey played the famous comedian Tony Hancock in a TV play he wrote himself for BBC2. He also spent several years working with young people at a TV workshop in Nottingham. This led him to write TV scripts and books, including TV versions of his "Coping With..." book series, which won several awards.

Peter Corey's Writing Work

Peter Corey started writing in the early 1970s. He wrote over 40 stage plays. One of these was a musical version of Spike Milligan's Badjelly the Witch.

He wrote at least 30 books. His most famous books were the Coping With... series, which were published from 1989 to 2002. These books were designed to be helpful and funny, giving tips on how to "Cope" with different topics.

Some of his other books include The A-Z of Absolutely Everything and The Life and Times of Cristóbal Colón; Columbus Exposed. He also wrote a book for the American market called "Running for the Bus." Peter also created projects for learndirect, like "Where did the river go?", which helps both adults and children with reading and math.

Peter Corey's Coping With Books were turned into TV shows. There was a special called "Coping with Grown-Ups" in 1994, and "Coping with Christmas" in 1995. A six-part series followed, covering topics like holidays, school, and relatives.

He wrote about 200 hours of television, mostly for children. This included comedies like Your Mother Wouldn't Like It, Palace Hill, The Comedy Crowd, and Cue Gary.

Peter Corey's Acting Roles

Peter Corey was also an actor. He appeared in many dramas and soap operas on British television. He worked with famous comedians like Frank Skinner, Steve Coogan, Jack Dee, and Richard Blackwood.

On the TV show Brookside, he played "Freddie Spence" for two years. He was also in EastEnders for six months, playing a character called "Vic the Crusher." Peter Corey also played Mr. Prout in an early episode of One Foot in the Grave. His other acting roles included London's Burning, Hornblower, Harry's Mad, Sooty Heights, The Bill, and No Sweat.

Later Career and Activities

In his later years, Peter Corey continued to act and write. He also traveled around the world, giving talks about his work. He led workshops on writing and acting. He also performed as a stand-up comedian. In 2009, he wrote a book called The Pearl for Qatar's National Day celebrations.

Personal Life and Passing

Peter Corey was married and divorced twice. He had five children. He passed away in Westgate-on-Sea on April 10, 2019, at the age of 72, after being unwell for some time.

Awards and Recognition

Peter Corey's Coping With... book series was very successful. It led to eight TV shows and helped him win several important awards:

• Four BAFTAs
• The Prix Jeunesse
• A Writers Guild award
• A Bronze Apple

Books by Peter Corey

• Coping With Parents (1989, ISBN: 0-590-76140-4)
• Coping With Teachers (1991, ISBN: 0-590-76485-3)
• Coping With Girls/Boys (co-written with Kara May) (1992, ISBN: 0-590-55044-6)
• Coping With School (1993, ISBN: 0-590-55279-1)
• Coping With The Family (1994, ISBN: 0-590-55524-3)
• Coping With Pets (1995, ISBN: 0-590-55838-2)
• Coping With Friends (1996, ISBN: 0-590-13183-4)
• Coping With Love (1997, ISBN: 0-590-13446-9)
• Coping With Exams and Tests (1998, ISBN: 0-590-19683-9)
• Coping With The 21st Century (1999, ISBN: 0-590-11192-2)
• Coping With Christmas (1999, ISBN: 0-439-01187-6)
• Coping With Cash (2000, ISBN: 0-439-01015-2)
• Coping With 1999 (a diary)