Brian Murphy

He also had a prolific career on stage.

• Name — Brian Murphy • Birth Name — Brian Trevor John Murphy • Born — 25 September 1932 • Birthplace — Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England • Died — 2 February 2025 • Place of death — Kent, England • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1956–2025 • Known for — * George Roper in the television series Man About the House and George and Mildred • Alvin Smedley in the television series Last of the Summer Wine • Children — 2 Brian Trevor John Murphy (25 September 1932 – 2 February 2025) was an English 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, and other notable roles included Stan the shopkeeper in the 1990s children's series Wizadora, and Maurice in the comedy drama series The Booze Cruise. He also had a prolific career on stage.

Murphy was born in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, on 25 September 1932. He was the son of grocer's assistant Gerald Murphy and his wife Mabel, both of whom later became restaurateurs. His two brothers Ken and Eric died during active service in the Second World War. 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).

Murphy was a member of the Theatre Workshop 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. He also starred in Littlewood's film Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) alongside his Theatre Workshop peers including Yootha Joyce, Barbara Windsor, Stephen Lewis, Bob Grant and Roy Kinnear. Other film roles at this time included San Ferry Ann (1965; also starring Windsor), The Activist (1969), The Devils (1971) and The Boy Friend (1971). By the early 1970s, Murphy was considering giving up acting in order to become an insurance salesman, however he was cast in an episode of the sitcom Alcock and Gander (1972) which was written by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke. The pair were impressed by Murphy's performance and offered him a role in their then-forthcoming sitcom Man About the House which would make him a household name.

Murphy first came to prominence in the ITV television sitcom Man About the House, 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. 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." Murphy reprised his role in feature films of both sitcoms. Owing to their success, Murphy and Joyce starred in the London Palladium's pantomime in 1976. From 1977 to 1978, they reprised their roles as George and Mildred in a stage version of the show, which toured the UK in various theatres, including a summer season at Bournemouth's Pier Theatre. In 1979, Murphy and Joyce toured Australia and New Zealand in the stage show. Joyce and Murphy became concerned over typecasting, and they agreed with the producers that the then-forthcoming sixth series of George and Mildred would be its last. However, Joyce died in 1980, and the planned final series of George and Mildred was cancelled. Murphy was at Joyce's bedside when she died.

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. However, the show failed to gain popularity. He moved to the BBC in 1982 for the driving school TV sitcom L for Lester opposite Amanda Barrie, but this was also a ratings failure and was cancelled after just six episodes. In 1982, he appeared in the Eric Sykes comedy short film It's Your Move; Murphy had previously had a role in Sykes' film of The Plank in 1979. From 1984 to 1985, Murphy had a main role in the BBC sitcom Lame Ducks, in which he played a private investigator. In 1985, he reprised his acclaimed role of Arthur Lucan from the stage, in a television film On Your Way Riley, alongside Maureen Lipman. From October 1987 to July 1991, Murphy played Ernest Bond in BBC Radio 4's drama series Citizens. From 1993 to 1997, Murphy played shopkeeper Stan in the children's television series Wizadora. Murphy was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1998.

Murphy continued to appear regularly on television, most notably as "Alvin Smedley" in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010, and also with roles in 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); and Brookside; 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. 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. In 2022 and 2023, he appeared in several Channel 5 documentaries discussing his work on Man About the House, George and Mildred and Last of the Summer Wine. In 2023, Murphy wrote the introduction to the autobiography of his Oh, What a Lovely War! co-star Larry Dann. Murphy appeared for three episodes - along with his wife, Linda Regan - playing the role of Mayor, Lord Palmer, in podcast sitcom Barmy Dale. 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.

Murphy married Carol Gibson in 1957; they had two children, Trevor and Kevin, and fostered many others. In 1995 he married Hi-de-Hi! actress Linda Regan. They lived in Kent. 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. Murphy died of cancer at his home in Kent, on 2 February 2025, at the age of 92.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1960 — Probation Officer — Max Fletcher — Episode: "#2.1" • 1961 — The Avengers — Haslam — Episode: "The Springers" • The Interrogator — Corporal Doggart — TV film • 1962 — Z-Cars — Wallace Brackett — 2 episodes • 1963 — ITV Television Playhouse — Man with Alsatian — Episode: "The Wedding Dress" • The Plane Makers — Sorbo — Episode: "Costigan's Rocket" • 1964 — Six — Mr. Gowing — Episode: "The Diary of a Nobody: The Domestic Jottings of a City Clerk" • 1965 — Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life — Various — 24 episodes • A World of Comedy — Motorist — 2 episodes • Blackmail — Talbut — Episode: "Cobb" • 1966 — Hope and Keen — Episode: "S.S. Bounty" • Drama 61-67 — Nick — Episode: "Drama '66: A Hero of Modern Industry" • Blackmail — Fletcher — Episode: "Vacant Possession" • 1967 — The White Rabbit — Perkins — Episode: "The Beginning" • Baker's Half-Dozen — Various — 5 episodes • 1968 — Love Story — Party guest — Episode: "S for Sugar, A for Apple, M for Missing" • Goodbye Again — Various — Episode: #1.1 • Resurrection — Kriltsov — 2 episodes • 1969 — Sez Les — Various — 12 episodes • 1970 — The Misfit — The drunk — Episode: "On Protest" • Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width — Park Keeper — Episode: "Miracles to Measure" • ITV Playhouse — Driver — Episode: "A Sound from the Sea" • 1972 — The Moonstone — Septimus Luker — 3 episodes • Callan — Reeves — Episode: "None of Your Business" • Alcock and Gander — Pluthero — Episode: "Soho Is Too Small" • Dixon of Dock Green — Percy Sinclair — Episode: "Ada" • 1973 — The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club — Detective — Episode: "Mr. Oliver" • 1973–1976 — Man About the House — George Roper — All 39 episodes • 1974 — South Riding — Mr Hubbard — Episode: "In Sickness and in Health" • 1976–1979 — George and Mildred — George Roper — All 38 episodes • 1981 — The Incredible Mr Tanner — Ernest Tanner — All 6 episodes • Theatre Box — Hubert Dibble — Episode: "Reasons to Be Cheerful" • 1982 — L for Lester — Lester Small — All 6 episodes • 1984–1985 — Lame Ducks — Ansell — 11 episodes • 1985 — On Your Way, Riley — Arthur Lucan Old Mother Riley — TV film • 1986 — Reasons to Be Cheerful — King — Episode: "Charlie Chuckles" • Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On — Amnesia — TV film • 1987 — All in Good Faith — Greg Sproat — Episode: "The Patience of Job" • 1992 — Boon — Buster — Episode: "Shot in the Dark" • 1993–1997 — Wizadora — Stan — Recurring series 1-4, Main series 5-7 • 1994 — One Foot in the Grave — Mr. Foskett — Episode: "The Man Who Blew Away" • 1995 — Brookside — George Manners — 5 episodes • Next of Kin — Salesman — Episode: "Expansion" • Paul Merton's Life of Comedy — Grandad's friend — 2 episodes • 1996 — Delta Wave — Mr. Seffel — Episode: "Dodgy Jammers: Part 2" • Mike and Angelo — Mervyn K. Mertz — Episode: "An Actor's Life for Me" • 1996–2000 — Pond Life — Len Pond — 11 episodes • 1997 — The Famous Five — Mr. Wooh — Episode: "Five Are Together Again" • Western Lights: Laugh Until You Die — Ricky Chapple — TV film • Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... — Father — Episode: "Visiting Day" • Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... — Uncle Arthur — Episode: "Being of Sound Mind" • 1998 — Jonathan Creek — Ken Speed — Episode: "Mother Redcap" • 1999 — Mrs Merton and Malcolm — Mr Capstick — All 6 episodes • Hilltop Hospital — Dr. Atticus — Voice • Casualty — Walter Burnley — Episode: "To Have and to Hold" • The Bill — Danny the Elf — Episode: "When the Snow Lay Round About" • 2000 — Sunburn — Sid Dawson — Episode: #2.2 • 2001 — Comedy Lab — Voice; Episode: "Knife & Wife" • 2003–2010 — Last of the Summer Wine — Alvin Smedley — 73 episodes • 2004 — Monkey Trousers — Various — TV film • 2005–2006 — The Catherine Tate Show — Neville — 5 episodes • 2010 — The Slammer — Alan — Episode: #1.12 • Hustle — Larry — Episode: "The Thieving Mistake" • Paul O'Grady Live — Alvin — Episode: #1.6 • Benidorm — Clive Mitchell — Episode: "Christmas Special" • 2011 — White Van Man — Albert — Episode: "Beginnings and Ends" • This Is Jinsy — Melty Harris — Episode: "Kelpman" • 2011–2013 — The Cafe — Jack Dobson — 9 episodes • 2013 — 'Plebs' — Victor — Episode: "Bananae" • Man Down — Mr Frank Field-Williams — Episode: "Christmas Special" • 2014 — It's an Unknown World — George Timemile — Unknown episodes • Holby City — Charlie Evans — Episode: "The Art of Losing" • 2016 — Casualty — Frank Haines — Episode: "Hopelessly Addicted" • 2018 — Claude — Mr. Lovelybuns — Voice; Episode: "Gone Sock" • 2019 — Holby City — Buster Kitchener — Episode: "The Wrong Horse" • 2020–2021 — Mighty 6 — Old Man L. — Voice; 2 episodes • 2025 — Mr. Bigstuff — Sweet Old Man — Episode: #2.2 (final role, broadcast posthumously)

(incomplete) • Year — Title — Role — Venue • 1956 — Captain Brassbound's Conversion — Drinkwater — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1957 — Macbeth — Fleance — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1958 — Room in the Paradise — Villeneuve — Belgrade Theatre, Coventry • 1958 — A Christmas Carol — Mr. Fezziwig Old Joe Topper — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1959 — Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be — Teddy Morris — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1959 — The Hostage — Mr. Mulleady — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1960 — Ned Kelly — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1960 — Every Man in His Humour — Captain Bobadill — Theatre Royal Stratford East then Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt, Paris • 1960 — Sparrers Can’t Sing — Jack Budge — Theatre Royal Stratford East then Maxim Gorki Theater, East Berlin • 1961 — Progress to the Park — Mr Laughlin — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1961 — They Might Be Giants — Wilbur Peabody — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1962 — What a Crazy World — Dad — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1963 — The Merry Rooster's Panto — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1963–1964 — Oh, What a Lovely War! — Pierrot — Theatre Royal Stratford East then Wyndham's Theatre, London • 1964 — Henry IV — Bardolph — Church of Scotland Assembly Hall, Edinburgh • 1964–1965 — Oh, What a Lovely War! — Pierrot — Broadhurst Theatre, New York City • 1966 — The King’s Mare — Cranmer — UK Tour • 1967 — Just Good Friends — Adeline Genee Theatre, West Sussex • 1967 — Intrigues and Amours — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1968 — A Lily in Little India — George Bland — Newcastle Playhouse • 1968 — Summer — Lord Garlic — Fortune Theatre, London • 1972 — Finest Family in the Land — Milton Harris — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1973 — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Sweeney Todd — Theatre Royal Stratford East • 1976 — Whoops-a-Daisy — James Wormald — Theatre Royal, Norwich • 1976 and 1977 — Cinderella — Georgina Hardup — London Palladium • 1977–1978 — George and Mildred — George Roper — UK Tour • 1979 — George and Mildred — George Roper — Australia and New Zealand Tour • 1980 — Shut Your Eyes and Think of England — Arthur Pullen — UK Tour • 1981 — Thark — Ronald Gamble — UK Tour • 1981 — The Soldier’s Fortune — Sir Davy Dunce — UK Tour • 1981–1982 — Dick Whittington — Idle Jack — Wimbledon Theatre, London • 1982 — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Sweeney Todd — Forum Theatre, Billingham • 1982–1983 — On Your Way, Riley — Arthur Lucan Old Mother Riley — Theatre Royal Stratford East Queen's Theatre, London • 1983 — Birthday Suite — Tony — UK Tour • 1983 — Run for Your Wife — Stanley Gardner — Shaftesbury Theatre, London • 1983 — The Merchant of Venice — Shylock — Richmond Theatre on the Green • 1983–1984 — Dick Whittington — Theatre Royal, Brighton • 1984 — Peter Pan — Storyteller — Barbican Theatre, London • 1985–1986 — Dick Whittington — Chichester Festival Theatre • 1986 — When We Are Married — Herbert Soppitt — Whitehall Theatre, London • 1987 — Mixed Feelings — Cambridge Arts Theatre • 1988 — The Government Inspector — Ossip — UK Tour • 1989 — Roll on Friday — Jim — Watford Palace Theatre • 1990 — Spider's Web — Inspector Lord — UK Tour • 1990–1991 — Out of Order — The Waiter — Shaftesbury Theatre, London • 1991 — Wife Begins at Forty — George Harper — Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne • 1991–1993 — The Invisible Man — Thomas Marvel — Theatre Royal Stratford East then UK Tours • 1994 — The Unexpected Guest — Inspector Thomas — Theatre Royal, Windsor • 1995–1996 — Mother Goose — Old Mother Riley — Horsham Arts Centre • 1996 — Cash on Delivery — Uncle George — Whitehall Theatre, London • 1997–1998 — The Government Inspector — Almeida Theatre, London • 1999 — The Ladykillers — The Major — UK Tour • 2001 — The Sunshine Boys — Al Lewis — UK Tour • 2001 — You’re Only Young Twice — Gordon "Brooksie" Brooks — UK Tour • 2002 — One for the Pot — Jugg — Theatre Royal, Windsor • 2012 — Goodwood Murder Mystery — Goodwood House

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1980 — The Monday Play — Lion — Episode: "The Scatterbrained Scarecrow" • 1986 — Thirty-Minute Theatre — Mr. Smith — Episode: "Parent's Evening" • 1987–1991 — Citizens — Ernest Bond — Series regular • 1995 — Bomber — Unteroffizier Willi Reinecke — Drama based on the Len Deighton novel • The Sunday Play — Police Sergeant — Episode: "The Death of Alexander Scriabin" • 1996 — Saturday Playhouse — George — Episode: "The Charge of the Boys' Brigade" • 1999 — The Ghost of Number Ten — Episode: "Survival of the Least Fittest" • Saturday Playhouse — Dennis — Episode: "Lack of Moral Fibre" • 2000 — Do Go On — Ray — Episode: "Privacy" • Afternoon Play — Bert — Episode: "Hold that Dream" • Through the Looking Glass — White King — 2 episodes • 2008 — The Brightonomicon — Quentin Vambury-Greystoke — Episode: "The Fantastic Adventure Of The Foredown Man" • Inspector Hector — Episode: "The Baffling Business Of The Bevendean Bat" • 2019 — Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures — Robert Collins — Episode: "The Home Guard" • 2023 — Barmy Dale — Lord Palmer — 2 episodes