William Edward Charles Wootton Abney (born 7th January 1921 in Upminster, Essex; died 9th August 1997 in Lambeth, London) appeared on Coronation Street in two roles: firstly in April 1977 as Reverend Copley of St. Luke's Church who refused to baptise Tracy Langton; and he returned to the programme in July 1980 as driving instructor Jim Lorimer, giving lessons to Renee Roberts.
Educated at Cranleigh School in Surrey, he trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
His other television credits included roles in Spy-Catcher, International Detective, Object Z and its sequel Object Z Returns, Crossroads, Heritage, Advent of Steam, Pardon My Genie, The Chinese Puzzle, Cribb and Brookside.
Film roles included Martin Luther, The Steel Bayonet, The Night We Dropped a Clanger, North Sea Hijack and Curse of the Pink Panther.
On stage, he appeared in productions of The What D'Ye Call It, Shakespeare Birthday Festival, The Tempest, Treasure Island, The Apple Cart, Romeo and Juliet, Release, Saint Joan, Hamlet, The Rehearsal, The Mousetrap, Three Sisters, Savages, The Little Foxes and Sienna Red.
