Peter Arne (born Peter Randolph Michael Albrecht, 29 September 1918 – 1 August 1983) was a British character actor best known for various performances in British film and television. He made more than 50 film appearances including roles in Ice Cold in Alex, The Moonraker, and Conspiracy of Hearts. He made numerous appearances on television and stage. He had supporting roles in the television series The Avengers, Danger Man, as well as villains in Blake Edwards' Pink Panther series, in a career that spanned 40 years.In August 1983, Arne was murdered. His body was found, beaten to death, inside his Knightsbridge apartment.
Peter Arne had been cast to play the part of "Range" in the "Doctor Who" episode "Frontios" in 1983. He had just returned from a costume fitting when he was bludgeoned to death in his apartment with a log from the fireplace. The role was later filled by William Lucas. The prime suspect in Arne's murder was a schoolteacher from Italy who had been living rough in a local park, for whom Arne had been providing food, and who drowned a few days later in an apparent suicide. Police suspect the murderer came to Arne's home for whatever reason, and became incensed either when Arne made a pass at him, or refused his request for accommodation. A man fitting the suspect's description was also spotted by a neighbor sitting on the entry stairs of Arne's building shortly before Arne returned home from the aforementioned fitting at the BBC, eating from what appeared to be a jar of honey, a half-eaten jar of which was found in Arne's flat. The alleged killer's body was found washed up near Wandsworth bridge 3 days later, his bloodstained clothes found upstream at Putney. The coroner concluded that the man killed Arne and then committed suicide whilst in a disturbed state of mind.