Wensley Ivan William Frederick Pithey (born 20th January 1914 in Cape Town, South Africa; died 10th November 1993 in London) appeared on Coronation Street intermittently between January 1972 and May 1974 as Wilfred Perkins, the headmaster of Bessie Street School.
An actor from the age of twelve, he immigrated to England after World War II. A portly figure, he worked continuously on television and was the first actor to portray 'Friar Tuck' on British television. Guest roles followed in Dixon of Dock Green, Callan, Howards Way, Lipstick on your Collar and many other programmes. He played recurring characters in Jacks and Knaves, Call the Gun Expert, and Special Branch (alongside Fulton Mackay).
On stage, he appeared in productions of Rocket to the Moon, The Provok'd Wife, As You Like It, Tartuffe, Captain Carvallo, The Admirable Crichton, Julius Caesar, The Affair at Assino, Summer and Smoke, It's Different for Men, The Count of Clérambard, Charley's Aunt, The Wit To Woo, Gaslight, Spring and Port Wine, The Jockey Club Stakes, The Brass Hat, Twelfth Night, A Perfect Gentleman, The Cherry Orchard and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
For over a decade, he appeared in German television advertisements for Tchibo Coffee.
