Brian Murphy (actor)

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Brian Murphy
Cropped Photo of Brian Murphy.jpg
Born
Brian Trevor John Murphy

(1932-09-25)25 September 1932
Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England
Died2 February 2025(2025-02-02) (aged 92)
Kent, England
OccupationComic actor
Years active1960–2025
Known for
Spouses
  • Carol Gibson
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1957,divorced)​
  • ​
    (m. 1995)​
Children2

Brian Trevor John Murphy (25 September 1932 – 2 February 2025) was an English comic actor. He was best known as the henpecked husband George Roper in the popular sitcom Man About the House and its spin-off series George and Mildred . He also played Alvin Smedley in Last of the Summer Wine . Other notable roles included Stan the shopkeeper in the 1990s children's series Wizadora , and Maurice in the comedy drama series The Booze Cruise .

Contents

Early life

Murphy was born in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, on 25 September 1932. [1] He was the son of grocer's assistant Gerald Murphy and his wife Mabel, both of whom later became restaurateurs.[ citation needed ] His two brothers Ken and Eric died during active service in the Second World War. [2] He was called up to do his national service at RAF Northwood, where he met future The Good Life actor Richard Briers. Upon leaving the RAF the two aspiring actors both performed in productions by the Dramatic Society at the Borough Polytechnic Institute (now London South Bank University).

Career

Early career

Murphy was a member of the Theatre Workshop (alongside future TV co-star Yootha Joyce), and a jobbing actor in the 1960s and early 1970s, combining his theatre work with guest appearances in television shows such as The Avengers , Z-Cars , Callan and Dixon of Dock Green , before being cast in the role which would make him a household name.

Man About the House and George and Mildred

Murphy first came to prominence in the ITV television sitcom Man About the House , [3] playing George Roper, whose wife, Mildred, played by Yootha Joyce, was a domineering social climber – a sharp contrast to the character of George, a lazy landlord whose desire was for an easy and quiet life. The pairing was an instant hit. [4] A contributing factor to the actors' immediate chemistry was that they had been friends for many years. Aside from their Theatre Workshop years, Murphy also featured opposite Joyce in Sparrows Can't Sing (1963).

When Man About The House ended in 1976, a spin-off was created for Murphy and Joyce, titled George and Mildred . This ran for five series until 1979. In 1978 he released the single "Jogging" (b/w "The Great Gnome Robbery"), recorded in the persona of George, on the Pye label. Murphy later said, "Out of the blue I was requested to record 'Jogging' in the manner of George, and naturally could not refuse. I had been told I had an excellent singing voice and in fact did some training, but sadly I lacked confidence and missed opportunities – one of my biggest regrets." [5] Murphy reprised his role in feature films of both sitcoms. Joyce died in 1980, and the planned final series of George and Mildred was cancelled.

After George and Mildred

In 1981 another television sitcom, The Incredible Mr. Tanner, was created specifically for Murphy with him in the title role and featuring regular Man About The House and George and Mildred co-star Roy Kinnear. But the show failed to gain popularity. He moved to the BBC in 1982 for the driving school TV sitcom L for Lester , but this was also a ratings failure and was cancelled after just six episodes.[ citation needed ]

Murphy was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1998.[ citation needed ]

Last of the Summer Wine and others

Murphy continued to appear regularly on television, most notably as "Alvin Smedley" in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010, [4] and also with roles in On Your Way, Riley (1985) as Arthur Lucan,[ citation needed ] Lame Ducks (as a private investigator); The Bill (as a drunken tramp dressed as an elf at Christmas); comedy series Pond Life , an animation series, as Len Pond, the father of protagonist Dolly Pond (Sarah Ann Kennedy), One Foot in the Grave starring Richard Wilson (playing a character called Mr Foskett); [6] Brookside ; and as a shopkeeper called Stan in the pre-school children's TV series Wizadora .

In 2010, Murphy appeared in an episode of Hustle called "The Thieving Mistake". He later made appearances in comedy shows The Catherine Tate Show , This Is Jinsy and Benidorm . Murphy can also be seen in all three episodes of the ITV comedy The Booze Cruise , playing Maurice. He also appeared as Frank Dobson in The Cafe from 2011 and 2013, and also in the Channel 4 comedy Man Down as music teacher Frank Field-Williams in the 2013 Christmas special.

In 2023, Murphy wrote the introduction to the autobiography of his Oh, What a Lovely War! co-star Larry Dann. [7] He continued to work until the end of his life, and was set to appear in a film with his wife that would have begun shooting in June 2025. [8]

Personal life and death

Murphy was married to Hi-de-Hi! actress Linda Regan. [9] Regan was his second wife and the couple married in 1995; they lived in Kent. [2] Murphy had two children, Trevor and Kevin, from his previous marriage to Carol Gibson. [2]

His grandson is Martin Murphy, a writer, director, and performer, whose recent writing credits include The Ghost of White Hart Lane (2024), along with Midas (2023) and Jonny Feathers the Rock & Roll Pigeon (2022) both at the Park Theatre. [10]

Murphy died of cancer at his home in Kent, on 2 February 2025, at the age of 92. [2] [8] [11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963 Sparrows Can't Sing Jack
1964Love and Maud CarverGuardsman
1965 San Ferry Ann British Tourist at Garage
1969 The Activist Member of Steering Committee
1971 The Devils Adam
The Boy Friend Peter
1972 The Ragman's Daughter Tony's Father
1974 Man About the House George Roper
1976 I'm Not Feeling Myself Tonight Caretaker
1979 The Plank Truck Driver
1980 George and Mildred George Roper
1981Black JackArchibald
1982 It's Your Move Chauffeur
1997Day Release
2000The Mumbo JumboMr. Tipple
2003 The Booze Cruise Maurice Stringer
2005Room 36George Roberts
2005 The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure Hunt Maurice Stringer
2006 The Booze Cruise III: The Scattering
2011 Grave Tales Arthur
The EstateGeoff
2012Blitz and BananasClarence Spratt
Run For Your Wife Allotment ManCameo

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1960Probation OfficerMax FletcherEpisode: "#2.1"
1961 The Avengers HaslamEpisode: "The Springers"
The Interrogator Corporal DoggartTV film
1962 Z-Cars Wallace Brackett2 episodes
1963ITV Television PlayhouseMan with AlsatianEpisode: "The Wedding Dress"
The Plane Makers SorboEpisode: "Costigan's Rocket"
1964SixMr. GowingEpisode: "The Diary of a Nobody: The Domestic Jottings of a City Clerk"
1965 Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life Various24 episodes
A World of ComedyMotorist2 episodes
BlackmailTalbutEpisode: "Cobb"
1966 Hope and Keen Episode: "S.S. Bounty"
Drama 61-67 NickEpisode: "Drama '66: A Hero of Modern Industry"
BlackmailFletcherEpisode: "Vacant Possession"
1967The White RabbitPerkinsEpisode: "The Beginning"
Baker's Half-DozenVarious5 episodes
1968 Love Story Party guestEpisode: "S for Sugar, A for Apple, M for Missing"
ResurrectionKriltsov2 episodes
1969 Sez Les Various12 episodes
1970 The Misfit The drunkEpisode: "On Protest"
ITV Playhouse DriverEpisode: "A Sound from the Sea"
1972 The Moonstone Septimus Luker3 episodes
Callan ReevesEpisode: "None of Your Business"
Alcock and Gander PlutheroEpisode: "Soho Is Too Small"
Dixon of Dock Green Percy SinclairEpisode: "Ada"
1973 The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club DetectiveEpisode: "Mr. Oliver"
1973–1976 Man About the House George Roper All 39 episodes
1974South RidingMr HubbardEpisode: "In Sickness and in Health"
1976–1979 George and Mildred George RoperAll 38 episodes
1981 The Incredible Mr Tanner Ernest TannerAll 6 episodes
Theatre BoxHubert DibbleEpisode: "Reasons to Be Cheerful"
1982 L for Lester Lester SmallAll 6 episodes
1984–1985 Lame Ducks Ansell11 episodes
1985 On Your Way, Riley Arthur Lucan / Old Mother RileyTV film
1986Reasons to Be CheerfulKingEpisode: "Charlie Chuckles"
Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go OnAmnesiaTV film
1987 All in Good Faith Greg SproatEpisode: "The Patience of Job"
1992 Boon BusterEpisode: "Shot in the Dark"
1993–1997 Wizadora StanRecurring series 1-4, Main series 5-7
1994 One Foot in the Grave Mr. FoskettEpisode: "The Man Who Blew Away"
1995 Brookside George Manners5 episodes
Next of Kin SalesmanEpisode: "Expansion"
Paul Merton's Life of ComedyGrandad's friend2 episodes
1996 Delta Wave Mr. SeffelEpisode: "Dodgy Jammers: Part 2"
Mike and Angelo Mervyn K. MertzEpisode: "An Actor's Life for Me"
1996–2000 Pond Life Len Pond11 episodes
1997 The Famous Five Mr. WoohEpisode: "Five Are Together Again"
Western Lights: Laugh Until You DieRicky ChappleTV film
Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... FatherEpisode: "Visiting Day"
Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... Uncle ArthurEpisode: "Being of Sound Mind"
1998 Jonathan Creek Ken SpeedEpisode: "Mother Redcap"
1999 Mrs Merton and Malcolm Mr CapstickAll 6 episodes
Hilltop Hospital Dr. AtticusVoice
Casualty Walter BurnleyEpisode: "To Have and to Hold"
The Bill Danny the ElfEpisode: "When the Snow Lay Round About"
2000 Sunburn Sid DawsonEpisode: #2.2
2001 Comedy Lab Voice; Episode: "Knife & Wife"
2003–2010 Last of the Summer Wine Alvin Smedley73 episodes
2004 Monkey Trousers VariousTV film
2005–2006 The Catherine Tate Show Neville5 episodes
2010 The Slammer AlanEpisode: #1.12
Hustle LarryEpisode: "The Thieving Mistake"
Paul O'Grady Live AlvinEpisode: #1.6
Benidorm Clive MitchellEpisode: "Christmas Special"
2011 White Van Man AlbertEpisode: "Beginnings and Ends"
This Is Jinsy Melty HarrisEpisode: "Kelpman"
2011–2013 The Cafe Jack Dobson9 episodes
2013 Plebs VictorEpisode: "Bananae"
Man Down Mr Frank Field-WilliamsEpisode: "Christmas Special"
2014It's an Unknown WorldGeorge TimemileUnknown episodes
Holby City Charlie EvansEpisode: "The Art of Losing"
2016 Casualty Frank HainesEpisode: "Hopelessly Addicted"
2018ClaudeMr. LovelybunsVoice; Episode: "Gone Sock"
2019 Holby City Buster KitchenerEpisode: "The Wrong Horse"
2020–2021Mighty 6Old Man L.Voice; 2 episodes
202250 Years Of Laughs: Last Of The Summer WineHimselfDocumentary
2023Man About The House: 50 Years Of LaughterHimselfDocumentary
2025 Mr. Bigstuff Sweet Old ManEpisode: #2.2 (final role, broadcast posthumously)

Theatre and radio

From October 1987 to July 1991, Murphy played Ernest Bond in BBC Radio 4's drama series Citizens .

Murphy also played Robert Collins in an episode of the audio series of Doctor Who by Big Finish Productions in an episode entitled "The Home Guard" in November 2019. [12]

Murphy appeared for three episodes - along with his wife, Linda Regan - playing the role of Mayor, Lord Palmer, in podcast sitcom Barmy Dale. [13]

References

  1. ↑ "Brian Murphy". bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dixon, Stephen (4 February 2025). "Brian Murphy Obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Brian Murphy as George Roper in Man about the house". Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 13 September 1976. p. 7. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  4. 1 2 Lawson, Mark (15 August 2023). "'Naughty rather than dirty': 50 years of Man About the House, the sitcom that introduced sex to British TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Brian Murphy interview". British Comedy Guide . 6 September 2021.
  6. ↑ 'Mr Foskett' Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 September 2007
  7. ↑ "Larry Dann – Oh, What A Lovely Memoir". Devonfire. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Brian Murphy, actor best known for George and Mildred, dies aged 92". The Guardian . Press Association. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  9. ↑ 'Allo 'Allo star dies BBC News. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  10. ↑ "Martin Murphy". bloomsbury.com. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "Brian Murphy: Man About the House actor dies aged 92". BBC . 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard". Big Finish Productions. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  13. ↑ "Meet the Cast of Barmy Dale". Barmy Productions. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
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