Oliver Tobias
Oliver Tobias Freitag (born 6 August 1947) is a Swiss-British actor and stage director. He is known for portraying George Berger in the West End production of the musical Hair, and to television audience for playing the title character in the 1970s ITV series Arthur of the Britons,
Also recorded as Oliver Tobias Freitag
Oliver Tobias

Eric Koch for Anefo · Nationaal Archief · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Oliver Tobias
- Birth Name
- Oliver Tobias Freitag
- Born
- 6 August 1947
- Birthplace
- Zürich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
- Education
- East 15 Acting School
- Nationality
- Switzerland
- Occupation
- actor · musician
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Documentary connections
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q124930 · wikipedia · Oliver Tobias
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The documentary record
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Institutions cited
Bibliothèque nationale de France · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Complete reading chain (JSON)In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Oliver Tobias • Birth Name — Oliver Tobias Freitag • Born — 6 August 1947 • Birthplace — Zürich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland • Years Active — 1968–present • Children — 2 • Education — East 15 Acting School • Website — www.olivertobias.co.uk (Archive from 2018)
Documentary record
Oliver Tobias (born 6 August 1947) is recorded as an actor, “Musicaldarsteller”, musician and narrator. The birth of Oliver Tobias is recorded on 6 August 1947 in Zurich.
Early life
Early life
Born in Zürich, Switzerland, he is the son of the Austrian-Swiss actor Robert Freitag and the German actress Maria Becker. He came to the United Kingdom at the age of eight and trained at East 15 Acting School, London.
Career
Career
In 1968, Tobias appeared in the original London production of Hair, playing the prime rebel role of Berger. The following year, he starred in, directed, and choreographed the rock opera in Amsterdam and, in 1970, directed a production in Tel Aviv. Tobias's first role was in the feature film Romance of a Horsethief, co-starring with Yul Brynner, Serge Gainsbourg and Eli Wallach. He then co-starred with Charlotte Rampling in the Jacobean tragedy Tis Pity She's a Whore, a film directed by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi. He became popular as Arthur in the TV series Arthur of the Britons (1972). Peter Weir then directed him in the TV series Luke's Kingdom. Many other successful films followed, including The Stud in 1978 in which he co-starred with Joan Collins. In 1981, he starred in the British television series Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure, where he played the character Noll Bridger, a Colonial North American. Tobias also starred in Smuggler (1981) a children's drama series, set in Cornwall in 1801. Tobias also appeared as the Devil in the promotional video for Ultravox's 1982 hit "Hymn". Tobias became a frontrunner for the role of James Bond in Octopussy (1983) when Roger Moore intended to retire from the role, but Moore ultimately returned to the role. In 1991, Tobias starred alongside Charles Gray in the sci-fi movie "Firestar – First Contact" for Ice International Films. In 1996, Tobias played Rebecque, an aide to the Prince of Orange (Paul Bettany), in Sharpe's Waterloo. In 1998, he played Bassa Selim in Mozart in Turkey. In 2000, he starred in the West End musical La Cava. Three years later, he portrayed Percival Brown in the 50th-anniversary production of The Boy Friend and the next year toured in the rock musical Footloose. In 2005, he finished shooting the film An Airfield in England. He has been acting in a variety of roles for German and Swiss TV and has recently reprised the role of Bassa Selim in Mozart's Seraglio at the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari, Italy. Tobias is famous for his voiceover work and was the narrator on the opening track of DJ Shadow's 2006 album The Outsider.
Documentary record
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek records Zurich and London as places of activity.
Personal life
Personal life
In 2001, he married Arabella Zamoyska, with whom he has two sons.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1972–1973 — Arthur of the Britons — King Arthur — 24 episodes • 1974 — Luke's Kingdom — Luke Firbeck — 13 episodes • 1975 — Thriller — Alan Smerdon — Episode: "Won't Write Home Mom - I'm Dead" • 1977 — Jesus of Nazareth — Joel — TV Mini-Series • 1980 — Smuggler — Jack Vincent — 13 episodes • 1985 — Robin of Sherwood — Bertrand de Nivelle — Episode: "Lord of the Trees" • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes — Captain Jack Crocker — Episode: "The Abbey Grange" • 1986 — Mountain Men: A Dangerous Kind of Love — Melchior Anderegg — TV movie • Adventurer — Jack Vincent — 12 episodes • 1988 — Boon — Jonathan Hillary — 2 episodes • 1989 — Der Schattenspieler — Unknown • 1990 — Cluedo — Count Henri de Beauchamp — Episode: "Countdown" • The Paper Man — Ian Harris — 3 episodes • 1992–1993 — Flash - Der Fotoreporter — "Flash" — 6 episodes • 1992 — Glückliche Reise — Leibwächter Mathias — Episode: "Sri Lanka" • 1993 — Donauprinzessin — Rick Reimers — 12 episodes • Das Traumschiff — Stefan Reinking — Episode: "Hongkong" • 1994 — Broken Lullaby — Count Borodin — TV movie • Eurocops — Crook — Episode: "Drei Mädchen" • 1995 — The Knock II — Alan Montfort — 6 episodes • 1997 — Sharpe's Waterloo — Colonel Rebecque — TV movie • Real Women — Callun • 2000 — Klinik unter Palmen — Dr. Rudolfo Garcia — 3 episodes • 2001 — Der Bestseller — Miguel Gonzales — TV movie • 2002 — Holby City — Jim Frost — Episode: "Every Cloud..." • 2005 — Unter weißen Segeln — Yussuf Arazi — Episode: "Abschiedsvorstellung" • 2006 — Mord in bester Gesellschaft — Comissario Santa Cruz — Episode: "Mord in bester Gesellschaft" • 2006 — Abschiedsmorgen — Father • 2008 — Hunkeler macht Sachen — Thomas Garzoni — TV movie
Identity
Identity
Oliver Tobias is recorded as actor and musician.
![Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Repetities voor musical "Hair" in Amsterdam. Hoofdrolspeler Oliver Tobias (links voor) met Charlene Collins (USA) die ook voor choreografie zorgt Datum: 14 december 1969 Locatie: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Trefwoorden: musicals, repetities Persoonsnaam: Collins, Charlene, Tobias, Oliver Fotograaf: Koch, Er](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Repetities_voor_musical_Hair_in_Amsterdam._Hoofdrolspeler_Oliver_Tobias_%28links%2C_Bestanddeelnr_923-0774.jpg/800px-Repetities_voor_musical_Hair_in_Amsterdam._Hoofdrolspeler_Oliver_Tobias_%28links%2C_Bestanddeelnr_923-0774.jpg)
Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Repetities voor musical "Hair" in Amsterdam. Hoofdrolspeler Oliver Tobias (links voor) met Charlene Collins (USA) die ook voor choreografie zorgt Datum: 14 december 1969 Locatie: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Trefwoorden: musicals, repetities Persoonsnaam: Collins, Charlene, Tobias, Oliver Fotograaf: Koch, Er
Eric Koch for Anefo
Film
• 1968 — Hair — Role — The Musical • 1969 — Arthur? Arthur! — Peter "Bobo" Jackson • 1970 — Romance of a Horsethief — Zanvill Kradnik • 1971 — Tis Pity She's a Whore — Giovanni • 1974 — The God King — General Miara • 1975 — Arthur of the Britons — King Arthur • 1978 — The Stud — Tony Blake • 1979 — Arabian Adventure — Prince Hasan • A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square — "Foxy" • 1983 — The Wicked Lady — Kit Locksby • 1985 — Mata Hari — Captain Georges Ladoux • 1986 — Operation Nam — Richard Wagner • 1987 — Johann Strauss: The King Without a Crown — Johann Strauss • 1988 — The Choice — Unknown • 1991 — L'ultima meta — Cliff Gaylor • Firestar: First Contact — Captain Bremner • 1993 — Nexus — Tarn • 1995 — Vendetta — Colonel de Piemonte • Savage Hearts — Country Gent • 1996 — Past Into Present — Himself • 1997 — Breeders — Police Lieutenant Moore • Diana & Me — Himself • 1998 — The Brylcreem Boys — Hans Jorg Wolff • Candy — The Man • Mozart in Turkey — Bassa Selim • 1999 — Grizzly Falls — Genet • Darkness Falls — The Money Dealer • Alec to the Rescue! — Professor James Richards • 2001 — Journey of a Lifetime, Europe and the Middle East — Narrator • 2003 — Half-Empty — Lead • Don't Look Back! — Tom Johnson • 2004 — Method — Teddy • 2005 — An Airfield in England — Writer / Director • 2015 — Dad's Army — Wilhelm Canaris • The Honourable Rebel — Himself • 2016 — Open My Eyes — Gunter Meinertzhagen • 2017 — When the Devil Rides Out — "Doc" Antler • 2020 — Conjuring: The Book of the Dead — Dr. Klien
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Oliver Tobias, revision 1372655184 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Editorial Staff. 20 Questions with Oliver Tobias. WhatsOnStage.com, Inc. 4 February 2002.
- 2.Tobias, Oliver. Stage. Oliver Tobias – The Official Website. 7 January 2011.
- 3.Time Warner Company. Romance of a Horsethief (1971). Turner Classic Movies.
- 4.Luke's Kingdom. Australian Women's Weekly. 24. 22 May 1974.
- 5.Octopussy. catalog.afi.com.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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