Alfred Charles Piff (31 August 1930 – 8 January 2025), better known by his stage name Charles Kay, was an English actor.
Early life and education Kay was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, the son of Frances (née Petty) and Charles Beckingham Piff.
Originally educated at Warwick School, Kay went on to study medicine, then decided to train for the stage. He went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and in 1957, after graduation, joined the Radio Drama Company by winning the Carleton Hobbs Bursary.Carleton Hobbs Bursary winners at BBC.co.uk, accessed 23 January 2018 He went on to join the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. He created the roles of Jimmy in Arnold Wesker's Roots (1959) and Charles V in John Osborne's Luther (1961). He was also in Wesker's The Kitchen, The Changeling (1961), and Twelfth Night (1962).
Theatre Kay joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963 and appeared in Stratford and at the Aldwych, London. He remained until 1966, during which time he portrayed a wide variety of roles, including Octavius Caesar in Julius Caesar, Clarence in The Wars of The Roses, Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice, Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors, Osric in the David Warner Hamlet, Dobchinsky in The Government Inspector and Moloch in Robert Bolt's The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew. He then joined the National Theatre where he played Celia in the all-male production of As You Like It (1967) and appeared in Peter Nichols's The National Health (1969).
Film and television In film, his highest profile role was as Count Orsini-Rosenberg in the Academy Award winning Amadeus. He also appeared in Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, and the 2002 version of The Importance of Being Earnest.
His numerous appearances on television include Crown Court, Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill in which he played Montagu Phippen Porch, Fall of Eagles in which he played Tsar Nicholas II, I, Claudius, The Devil's Crown, To Serve Them All My Days, By the Sword Divided, Fortunes of War, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Citadel, Edge of Darkness, The Darling Buds of May, Jonathan Creek, Law and Disorder, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Holby City, Midsomer Murders and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes story "The Creeping Man".
In 2002, he guest starred in the Doctor Who audio drama Excelis Rising.
Kay died on 8 January 2025, at the age of 94.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1958 Bachelor of Hearts Tom Clark 1960 Piccadilly Third Stop Toddy 1962 The Wild and the Willing Edgar Tibbs 1966 The Deadly Affair Lightborn (in "Edward II"), Uncredited1975 Hennessy Westminster Guide 1980 Nijinsky Argentine Ambassador 1980–1981Lady KillersHenry Curtis-BennettIn four television episodes1984 Amadeus Count Orsini-Rosenberg 1986 School for Vandals Neil 1989 Henry V Archbishop of Canterbury 1994 Willie's War Captain Bassett 1998 Goodnight Mister Tom Mr. Greenway 1999 Beautiful People George Thornton 2002 The Importance of Being Earnest Gribsby
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