Patrick Mower – Biography, Age, Wife and Net Worth

For British television audiences, Patrick Mower is a familiar face who has spanned decades of programming — from gritty 1970s crime dramas to the long-running ITV soap opera Emmerdale. Born Patrick Archibald Shaw in Oxford on 12 September 1938, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before building a career that would make him one of the most recognisable supporting actors on British television. His portrayal of Rodney Blackstock, the often scheming but occasionally warm-hearted character in Emmerdale, has made him a household name for a generation of soap viewers.

But Mower’s career stretches far beyond that single role. He was a staple of British television in the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in series such as Callan and Special Branch. His film work includes the Hammer horror classic The Devil Rides Out (1968). While his professional life is well documented in encyclopedic sources, certain aspects of his personal life — including his finances, health, and some family details — remain less clearly established in the public record.

This article draws on verified sources to separate what is known about Patrick Mower from what remains uncertain, addressing the questions that audiences most frequently ask.

Who Is Patrick Mower?

Patrick Mower is an English actor whose career began in the mid-1960s and continues to the present day. He was born Patrick Archibald Shaw, the son of Welsh and English parentage, and was one of three siblings. Before training as an actor, he worked for several years as an engineering draughtsman.

Key insights at a glance

• Patrick Mower is best known to the public for his role as Rodney Blackstock in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.
• Encyclopedic sources provide reliable information on his name, birth date, and career roles.
• Queries about his wife, health, and net worth are not resolved by the most authoritative sources.
• The long-tail query “Patrick Mower necklace” appears to stem from an onscreen styling observation rather than a documented personal detail.
• Mower’s career is marked by two distinct phases: 1960s–1970s television and film, and a later soap opera period.

Fact table

What Are Patrick Mower’s Most Famous Movies and TV Shows?

Patrick Mower’s filmography spans more than five decades. He first gained attention in British television during the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in several acclaimed series. His most notable film credit is The Devil Rides Out (1968), a Hammer horror production directed by Terence Fisher. One source lists his character in that film as Simon Aron, though other sources simply include the film among his credits without naming the role.

His television career includes major recurring roles in Callan as James Cross, and Special Branch as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Haggerty. He also played Detective Superintendent Steve Hackett in Target and appeared in Haunted as Michael West. These roles established him as a reliable leading man in British crime and drama programming.

The role that defined a generation: Rodney Blackstock in Emmerdale

Since 2000, Mower has played Rodney Blackstock in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. The character is a recurring presence in the village, known for his sharp suits, sometimes dubious schemes, and eventual softer side. This role has given Mower a level of public recognition that his earlier work, respected though it was, had not fully achieved. For many viewers, he is first and foremost Rodney Blackstock.

Special Branch and the 1970s crime drama years

One of the key roles that established Mower in the 1970s was his performance as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Haggerty in Special Branch. The series focused on a unit of the Metropolitan Police dealing with espionage and national security. Mower’s portrayal contributed to the show’s reputation for taut, realistic storytelling. He also appeared in Target, another crime drama of the same era, playing a senior detective.

Film credits beyond the horror genre

In addition to The Devil Rides Out, Mower’s film credits include Cry of the Banshee, Carry On England, Black Beauty, and Monella. These demonstrate his versatility across genres, from horror to comedy to period drama. Carry On England is one of the later entries in the long-running British comedy series.

Who Is Patrick Mower’s Wife?

Patrick Mower has been married to Anya Pope since 1996. The marriage is a matter of public record and is confirmed by multiple sources including Wikipedia and IMDB. Anya Pope is not herself a widely publicised figure, and details of her professional life are not prominent in the available biographical material.

Family and children

According to IMDB and a 2018 interview published via PressReader, Mower and Pope have one child together: a son named Maxim, born in 1998. The same sources indicate that Mower had two children from an earlier marriage to Audrey Giles. Details about those children are not elaborated upon in the public record.

Marriage timeline

Mower married Anya Pope in 1996, after his earlier marriage to Audrey Giles ended. The marriage has remained stable and out of the tabloid spotlight, which may explain why public information about his personal life is relatively sparse.

Does Patrick Mower Have an Illness?

The available sources mention that in 2005, Mower was told he was going blind. This information comes from a PressReader article published in Inside Soap in June 2018. No fuller medical diagnosis or official statement beyond that single account has been identified in the supplied research.

It is worth noting that Mower has continued to work as an actor after 2005, including his ongoing role in Emmerdale. How his health has affected his work is not detailed in the available public sources.

What Is Patrick Mower’s Net Worth?

One biography-style website estimates Patrick Mower’s net worth at between 1 million and 5 million US dollars. This figure, however, comes from a single source that does not provide primary evidence or attribution. The source itself — a celebrity biography aggregator — is not considered highly authoritative for financial claims.

Because no official financial records, tax filings, or statements from Mower himself have been identified in the supplied research, this estimate should be treated as unverified. The question of his net worth is one of the areas where public information is not clearly established.

What Is the ‘Patrick Mower Necklace’?

The long-tail search query “Patrick Mower necklace” appears to originate from an observation made in a source about his return to Emmerdale. The source notes that compared with his earlier appearance, he had “greying hair and less jewellery” — a reference to his onscreen styling rather than a specific personal accessory or notable jewellery item.

No reliable source in the supplied research establishes a notable necklace-related biography detail. The query likely reflects viewers’ recollection of his character’s visual style, which often included noticeable jewellery, rather than a meaningful personal fact. This is a case where search intent may exceed what the public record can satisfy.

When Did Patrick Mower’s Career Begin and Develop?

1. 1938 — Born Patrick Archibald Shaw on 12 September in Oxford, England.
2. Before acting — Worked for several years as an engineering draughtsman.
3. 1962 — Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
4. 1964 — Began his professional acting career.
5. 1968 — Appeared in The Devil Rides Out.
6. 1970s — Established his reputation through Callan, Special Branch, and Target.
7. 2000 onward — Played Rodney Blackstock in Emmerdale, achieving his widest public recognition.
8. Later — Was the subject of a This Is Your Life episode.

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear?

What Is Patrick Mower’s Place in British Television?

Patrick Mower’s career reflects the broader shifts in British television over the past sixty years. He began in the 1960s, when single plays and anthology series still dominated, and moved into the police and spy dramas that defined 1970s programming. Series like Special Branch and Target were part of a wave of realistic crime drama that influenced later shows.

His later transition to soap opera with Emmerdale mirrors a trend in which established actors from earlier television eras find new audiences in long-running serials. Mower has sustained this role for more than two decades, which itself is a testament to his staying power. IMDB describes him as a “British leading actor” of Welsh and English parentage, a concise summary of his professional identity.

The public record, however, remains thin on his personal life and financial affairs. This is not unusual for actors of his generation, who often maintained a sharper separation between public performance and private life than contemporary celebrities do. For readers interested in the careers of other British actors of a similar generation, the biography of John Nettles offers a useful point of comparison.

What Are the Key Sources for Patrick Mower’s Biography?

“Patrick Mower (born Patrick Archibald Shaw; 12 September 1938) is an English actor. He is known for his portrayal of Rodney Blackstock in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.”

— Wikipedia

“British leading actor, born Patrick Archibald Shaw, one of three siblings of Welsh and English parentage. A 1962 graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.”

— IMDb

“After several years of working as an engineering draughtsman, he decided to become an actor and trained at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.”

— Big Red Book

These three sources, along with Rotten Tomatoes and Amazon Prime Video, form the core of the verifiable public record about Mower’s life and career.

Who Is Patrick Mower in Summary?

Patrick Mower is a veteran English actor whose career has spanned from 1960s film and television through to a long-running role in Emmerdale. He was born in 1938, trained at RADA, and worked as an engineering draughtsman before pursuing acting. He is best known for playing Rodney Blackstock, but his earlier work in series like Special Branch and films like The Devil Rides Out remains significant. His personal life — including details about his wife Anya Pope, his children, and his health — is less fully documented in public sources. Guy Burnet represents a more recent example of a soap-to-film career trajectory.

Frequently Asked Questions