Brian Murphy (actor)

Brian Trevor John Murphy (born 25 September 1932) is an English actor and comedian, best known as the henpecked husband George Roper in the popular sitcom Man About the House and its spin-off series George and Mildred, and Stan the shop owner in the children's series Wizadora. He's later best known as Alvin Smedley in Last of the Summer Wine.

Brian Murphy
Born (1932-09-25) 25 September 1932
Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England
OccupationActor
Years active1960–present
Spouse(s)Carol M Gibson (1957–?) (divorced)
Linda Regan (m. 1995)
Children2

Acting career

Murphy was born in Ventnor, Isle of Wight, the son[1] of grocer's assistant Gerald Murphy and his wife Mabel, both of whom later became restaurateurs. His two brothers Ken and Eric were killed 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. On 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. Murphy was a member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop (alongside Yootha Joyce), and a jobbing actor in the 1960s and early 1970s, combining his theatre work with 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.

In Man About the House, Murphy played the lazy George Roper, whose wife, Mildred, was played by Yootha Joyce. Her domineering, social-climbing characteristic was a sharp contrast to George's desire for an easy and quiet life and the pairing was an instant hit. A contributing factor to their immediate chemistry was that they had been friends for many years. Aside from their Theatre Workshop years, Murphy also featured in Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) with Joyce and other Theatre Workshop colleagues.

When Man About The House ended in 1976, a spin-off was created for Murphy and Joyce, entitled George and Mildred. This ran for five series until 1979. In 1978 he released the single 'Jogging' (B Side 'The Great Gnome Robbery') on the Pye Records Label. Murphy reprised his role in feature films of both sitcoms. Joyce died in 1980, and George and Mildred was cancelled. Another sitcom was created for Murphy with him in the title role in The Incredible Mr. Tanner along with Man About The House and George and Mildred co-star Roy Kinnear, but the show failed to gain popularity.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1997.

Murphy continued to appear regularly on television, most notably as "Alvin Smedley" in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010, that was promoted by a cast return to Rose Theatre site and also with roles in On Your Way, Riley (1985) as Arthur Lucan,[3] 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);,[4] Brookside; and as a shopkeeper called Stan in the pre-school children's TV series Wizadora. In 2010 he appeared in an episode of Hustle called "The Thieving Mistake". He has more recently 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.

Family

Murphy's second wife is Hi-de-Hi! actress Linda Regan; they live in Kent. Murphy has two adult children, Trevor and Kevin, from his first marriage.[5] His grandson is the playwright Martin Murphy, whose play Manor was performed at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden in 2010.[6]

Theatre

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.

Selected film and television roles
YearTitleRole
1960Probation OfficerMax Fletcher
1961The Avengers Haslam
1961The InterrogatorCorporal Doggart
1962Z CarsWallace Brackett
1963Sparrows Can't SingJack
1965San Ferry AnnGarage Mechanic
1969The ActivistMember of committee
1971The DevilsAdam
1971The Boy FriendPeter
1972The Ragman's DaughterTony's Father
1973–1976Man About the HouseGeorge Roper
1974Man About the House George Roper
1976I'm Not Feeling Myself TonightCaretaker
1979The PlankTruck Driver
1976–1979George and MildredGeorge Roper
1980George and MildredGeorge Roper
1981The Incredible Mr TannerErnest Tanner
1981Black JackArchibald
1982It's Your MoveChauffer
1982L for LesterLester Small
1985On Your Way RileyArthur Lucan / Old Mother Riley
1984–1985Lame DucksAnsell
1986Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go OnAmnesia
1987All in Good FaithGreg Sproat
1992BoonBuster
1993–1997WizadoraStan
1994One Foot in the GraveMr. Foskett
1995BrooksideGeorge Manners
1996Delta WaveMr. Seffel
1996Mike and AngeloMervyn K. Mertz
1996-2001Pond LifeLen Pond
1997The Famous FiveMr. Wooh
1998Jonathan CreekKen Speed
1999Mrs Merton & MalcolmMr Capstick
1999Hilltop HospitalDr. Atticus
1999CasualtyWalter Burnley
1999The Bill Danny the Elf
2000Sunburn Sid Dawson
2000The Mumbo JumboMr. Tipple
2003The Booze CruiseMaurice
2003–2010Last of the Summer WineAlvin Smedley
2005–2006The Catherine Tate ShowNeville
2005Room 36George Roberts
2005The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure HuntMaurice
2006The Booze Cruise III: The ScatteringMaurice
2010The SlammerAlan
2010HustleLarry
2010BenidormClive Mitchell
2011White Van ManAlbert
2011This is JinsyMelty Harris
2011-2013The CafeJack Dobson
2011Grave TalesArthur
2011The EstateGeoff
2012Blitz and BananasClarence Spratt
2012Run For Your WifeAllotment Man
2013Man DownMr Field-Williams
2013Plebs Victor
2014–It's An Unknown WorldGeorge Timemile
2014Holby CityCharlie Evans
2016CasualtyFrank Haines
2018ClaudeMr. Lovelybuns
2019Holby CityBuster Kitchener
2020Mighty 6Old Man L.

References
  1. "Brian Murphy – This Is Your Life. 5th January , 1998".
  2. "FreeBMD – Search". freebmd.org.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  3. "On Your Way Riley". 2 January 1985. Retrieved 22 December 2016 – via IMDb.
  4. 'Mr Foskett' Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 September 2007
  5. 'Allo 'Allo star dies BBC News. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  6. http://feastcreative.com, Feast Creative. "Tristan Bates Theatre". tristanbatestheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
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