The actor best known for voicing characters on the TV shows “Peppa Pig” and “Thunderbirds” has died at the age of 99.
David Graham's death was confirmed by Jamie Anderson, the son of the late “Thunderbirds” creator Gerry Anderson, who died in 2012.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of the great David Graham,” Posted by Jamie on his father's official X account.
He added, “The voice of Parker, Gordon Tracy, Brains and so many others. David has always been a wonderful friend to us at Anderson Entertainment.”
“David, we will miss you very much. Our thoughts are with David's friends and family.”
In a post on his own X page, Jamie wrote:“Goodbye dear David! What sad news that the legendary David Graham has left us at the age of 99. The last Tracy brother, the voice of Parker and so many more. A fine actor, iconic voice and all-round lovely human being. He will be missed by us all.”
Jamie also uploaded a video Singing “Happy Birthday” for Graham to a packed auditorium at a Gerry Anderson concert in the UK a few weeks ago.
“Less than two months ago nearly 2,000 of Anderson's fans sang Happy Birthday to celebrate his 99th birthday,” he posted.
“It's really sad that this news came so soon after that beautiful moment.”
The official cause of Graham's death is not known at this time.
Before becoming an actor, Graham was a radar mechanic in the British Royal Air Force during World War II and later became an office clerk. He studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City and soon found work in theatre and television upon returning to England.
His career as a voice actor began after he starred in an episode of “Martin Kane, Private Investigator” directed by Gerry Anderson. Anderson then hired him to voice puppets in various productions, beginning with the character of Grandpa Twink in “Four Feather Falls.”
The British actor appeared on screen in the first two episodes of the iconic TV series “Doctor Who” before he began voicing the xenophobic mutant aliens known as the Daleks on the show.
Graham reached a new level of fame for his work voicing several characters — Gordon Tracy, the scientist Brains and Lady Penelope's chauffeur, Aloysius “Nosey” Parker — in Anderson's 1960s sci-fi adventure series “Thunderbirds.”
He would reprise his role as Parker in the remake of “Thunderbirds Are Go” throughout a five-year run from 2015 to 2020.
The actor joined the now-popular children's animated series “Peppa Pig” when it debuted in 2004, and continues to play the role of Grandpa Pig until 2021.
Graham never saw this job as beneath her and brought her theater training to her work.
He added, “Just because it's a cartoon or a puppet doesn't mean you don't take it seriously.” mirror in 2015. “I take it as seriously as working at the National (Theatre).”
About his “Doctor Who” character the Daleks, Graham told the outlet, “I created it with Peter Hawkins, another voice actor. We came up with this staccato style, then he fed it through synthesizers to make it more sinister.”
The star also revealed how his work in “Thunderbirds” helped him get a job with Sir Laurence Olivier in a production of the play “Saturday Sunday Monday” at the National Theatre in 1973.
Calling Olivier “a wonderful man”, Grahame recalled, “I auditioned for him and he said, 'Are you doing anything at the moment?' As if I was the most in-demand actor in the country! I don't know if his kids were 'Thunderbirds' fans or not …”
