# Ben Caplan (actor)
**Ben Caplan** (born 1974) is an English actor, director, and writer known for playing Corporal Walter "Smokey" Gordon in the HBO miniseries *Band of Brothers* and Sergeant Peter Noakes in the BBC series *Call the Midwife*. His full birth name is Benjamin Marc Caplan, and he was born in [Hammersmith](https://www.edgepedia.org/hammersmith), London.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Hammersmith, London, England; birth name Benjamin Marc Caplan[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/bio/) |
| Training | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) |
| Signature TV roles | Cpl. Walter "Smokey" Gordon in *Band of Brothers* (2001); PC/Sgt Peter Noakes in *Call the Midwife*, 2012–2017, 32 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) |
| Notable theater | Mike Leigh's *Two Thousand Years* at the National Theatre; *Sunny Afternoon* in the West End; *The Merchant of Venice* and *Macbeth* at Shakespeare's Globe[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) • [3](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/) |
| Film credits | *Leap Year*, *RocknRolla*, *The Commuter*, *Caveat*, *Pretty Red Dress*, *Golda*, *Jay Kelly*[4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/) |
| Directing | Short films *The Monkey's Paw* (2022) and *Intelligence*; the theater piece *As Long As We Are Breathing* at the Arcola[5](https://www.independenttalent.com/directors/ben-caplan/) • [6](https://www.theproductionexchange.com/creatives/ben-caplan) |
## Early life and training
Caplan attended Aldenham School from 1987 to 1990, and his acting career began there in a 1989 school production of [Bertolt Brecht](https://www.edgepedia.org/bertolt-brecht)'s *The Caucasian Chalk Circle*.[7](https://www.oldaldenhamian.org/StaticFiles/AldenhamITW_0000008556.pdf) After leaving Aldenham he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) His first television role was in ITV's *Where the Heart Is*.[7](https://www.oldaldenhamian.org/StaticFiles/AldenhamITW_0000008556.pdf)
## Television
Caplan's early television work included *A Touch of Frost*, *Soldier Soldier*, *Inspector Morse*, and *The Perfect Blue*, followed by the HBO Second World War miniseries *Band of Brothers*, in which he played Corporal Walter "Smokey" Gordon.[3](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) He played [Kevin Maxwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-maxwell) in the 2007 drama *Maxwell* and appeared in *The Passion* (BBC/HBO), *Whitechapel* (Series III), *The Runaway* (Sky), [Jed Mercurio](https://www.edgepedia.org/jed-mercurio)'s *The Candidate*, and *Judge John Deed*.[4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/)
**Call the Midwife.** From 2012 to 2017 Caplan played Peter Noakes, a police constable who later becomes a sergeant, across 32 episodes of the BBC period drama *Call the Midwife*, appearing alongside [Helen George](https://www.edgepedia.org/helen-george) and [Miranda Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/miranda-hart).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) • [7](https://www.oldaldenhamian.org/StaticFiles/AldenhamITW_0000008556.pdf) The character appears from the first series onward, and Caplan also returned for the show's holiday specials.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ben-caplan/)
His later television credits include [Steve McQueen](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-mcqueen)'s *Small Axe* (2020, as Mr Stedman), *Silent Witness* (as Peter Harcourt, 2020), *Midsomer Murders* (as Murray Eccbeer, 2018), *Maigret* (as Isaac Goldberg, 2017), *X Company* (CBC, 2017), *The Coroner*, *New Blood*, *The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies* (ITV, 2014), and the CBBC series *Lagging*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) • [4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/) In 2024 he appeared as Allan Yeoman in an episode of the sixth series of *C.B. Strike*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/)
## Film
Caplan's film appearances include [Guy Ritchie](https://www.edgepedia.org/guy-ritchie)'s *RocknRolla* (2008, as an estate agent), Anand Tucker's *Leap Year* (2010, as a realtor), [Jaume Collet-Serra](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaume-collet-serra)'s *The Commuter* (2018, as Frank), the horror film *Caveat* (2020, as Moe Barrett), Dionne Edwards's *Pretty Red Dress* (2022, as Jim), Guy Nattiv's *Golda*, and [Noah Baumbach](https://www.edgepedia.org/noah-baumbach)'s *Jay Kelly* (2025).[4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/)
## Theatre
Caplan has worked extensively on the British stage, including at the Royal Court and the [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) He played Josh in [Mike Leigh](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-leigh)'s *Two Thousand Years* at the National Theatre's Cottesloe auditorium from September 2005 to January 2006.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/) He appeared in *Sunny Afternoon*, the Kinks musical that won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, at the Hampstead Theatre and in the West End.[4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/)
At [Shakespeare's Globe](https://www.edgepedia.org/shakespeares-globe) he played Arragon, the Duke, and Solanio in *The Merchant of Venice* (2022, directed by Abigail Graham) and Witch, Doctor, and Murderer in *Macbeth* (2023).[3](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/) • [9](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Caplan/) Other stage work includes *A Sherlock Carol* at the Marylebone Theatre (2022, later taking over the role of [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sherlock-holmes)), *The Knowledge* at the Charing Cross Theatre (2017, as Ted), *The Winter's Tale* for the RSC, *Describe The Night* at the Hampstead Theatre, *Abigail's Party* at the Theatre Royal Bath and on tour, *Seven Jewish Children* at the Royal Court directed by Dominic Cooke, and *Dr. Korczak's Example* at the Unicorn Theatre.[3](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/) • [9](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Caplan/) • [4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/) More recent engagements include *Faygele* at the Marylebone Theatre (2025) and *Murder in the Cathedral* at the Orange Tree Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath, directed by Tom Littler.[4](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/)
His radio work includes *The Archers*, *Before the Fact*, and *Kicking the Air*.[3](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/)
## Directing and writing
Alongside acting, Caplan works as a theater director and filmmaker. His short films as director include *The Monkey's Paw* (2022), co-written with Annie Grace from the [W. W. Jacobs](https://www.edgepedia.org/w-w-jacobs) story and screened at the BAFTA-qualifying Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, and *Intelligence*, written by Olivia Mace, which won Best Dark Comedy Short at the Independent Shorts Awards; his shorts *Embraceable You* and *Silence* also won festival awards.[5](https://www.independenttalent.com/directors/ben-caplan/) On stage he directed Diane Samuels's *As Long As We Are Breathing* at the Arcola Theatre in London, an immersive, multi-sensory storytelling piece that received four-star reviews, and *Running Free* by the same writer at JW3.[6](https://www.theproductionexchange.com/creatives/ben-caplan) He is also a returning director at several of the UK's top drama schools.[6](https://www.theproductionexchange.com/creatives/ben-caplan)
## References
1. [Ben Caplan – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/bio/)
2. [Ben Caplan (I) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0135196/)
3. [Ben Caplan – Biography, Shakespeare's Globe](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/ben-caplan/)
4. [Ben Caplan – DPA Management](https://dpamanagement.com/actor/ben-caplan/)
5. [Ben Caplan – Independent Talent (Directors)](https://www.independenttalent.com/directors/ben-caplan/)
6. [Ben Caplan – The Production Exchange](https://www.theproductionexchange.com/creatives/ben-caplan)
7. [30 OAs and the Arts, The Old Aldenhamian](https://www.oldaldenhamian.org/StaticFiles/AldenhamITW_0000008556.pdf)
8. [Ben Caplan – TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ben-caplan/)
9. [Ben Caplan (Actor) – BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Ben-Caplan/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license