# Brian Murphy (actor)

Brian Trevor John Murphy (25 September 1932 – 1 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.

## Early life

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).

## 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. He also starred in Littlewood's film Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) alongside his Theatre Workshop peers including 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.

### Man About the House and George and Mildred

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.
When Man About The House ended in 1976, a spin-off was created for Murphy and Joyce, titled George and Mildred. Like its predecessor, George and Mildred was also a massive success and ran for five series until 1979. In 1978 Murphy released the single "Jogging" (b/w "The Great Gnome Robbery"), recorded in the persona of George, on the Pye label. He 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. Joyce died in 1980, and the planned sixth and 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 only lasted for one series. Murphy also starred in the Eric Sykes films The Plank (1979) and It's Your Move (1982). Murphy moved to the BBC in 1982 for the driving school TV sitcom L for Lester alongside Amanda Barrie but the series was cancelled after just six episodes. He then had a main role in the BBC sitcom Lame Ducks (1984–1985) as a private investigator, and gave an acclaimed performance as Arthur Lucan in the television play On Your Way, Riley (1985).
Roles into the 1990s included a shopkeeper called Stan in the pre-school children's TV series Wizadora, One Foot in the Grave Brookside, The Bill (as a drunken tramp dressed as an elf at Christmas), and animated series Pond Life.
Murphy was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1998.

### Last of the Summer Wine and others

Murphy continued to appear regularly on television, most notably as hang glider "Alvin Smedley" in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 until the show's end in 2010. Alvin became one of the show's main trio of characters alongside Peter Sallis and Frank Thornton, and latterly with Russ Abbot and Burt Kwouk.
Murphy can also be seen in all three episodes of the ITV comedy The Booze Cruise, playing Maurice and appeared as Neville in four episodes of The Catherine Tate Show between 2005 and 2006. In 2010, Murphy appeared in an episode of Hustle called "The Thieving Mistake", and featured in the Christmas episode of Benidorm as Noreen's (Elsie Kelly) new boyfriend, Clive. Murphy continued to make appearances in comedy shows such as White Van Man, This Is Jinsy and Plebs. He also appeared as Jack 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. 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.

## Personal life and death

Murphy was married to Hi-de-Hi! actress Linda Regan. Regan was his second wife and the couple married in 1995; they lived in Kent. Murphy had two adult children, Trevor and Kevin, from his previous marriage to Carol Gibson, who he married in 1957 and divorced in the 1980s.
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. Martin's previous writing credits include Jury (Park Theatre / Zoom), Victim (Pleasance Courtyard / King's Head Theatre), Worlds (VAULT Festival), Rockstar (Lyric Hammersmith), Villain (Soho Theatre / Underbelly) and Manor (Soho Theatre).
Murphy died on 1 February 2025 following a short battle with cancer. He was 92.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | Sparrows Can't Sing | Jack | |
| 1964 | Love and Maud Carver | Guardsman | |
| 1965 | San Ferry Ann | British Tourist at Garage | |
| 1969 | The Activist | Member of Steering Committee | |
| 1971 | The Devils | Adam | |
| 1971 | 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 | |
| 1981 | Black Jack | Archibald | |
| 1982 | It's Your Move | Chauffeur | |
| 1997 | Day Release | | |
| 2000 | The Mumbo Jumbo | Mr. Tipple | |
| 2003 | The Booze Cruise | Maurice Stringer | |
| 2005 | Room 36 | George Roberts | |
| 2005 | The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure Hunt | Maurice Stringer | |
| 2006 | The Booze Cruise III: The Scattering | Maurice Stringer | |
| 2011 | Grave Tales | Arthur | |
| 2011 | The Estate | Geoff | |
| 2012 | Blitz and Bananas | Clarence Spratt | |
| 2012 | Run For Your Wife | Allotment Man | Cameo |

## Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | Probation Officer | Max Fletcher | Episode: "#2.1" |
| 1961 | The Avengers | Haslam | Episode: "The Springers" |
| 1961 | The Interrogator | Corporal Doggart | TV film |
| 1962 | Z-Cars | Wallace Brackett | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | ITV Television Playhouse | Man with Alsatian | Episode: "The Wedding Dress" |
| 1963 | 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 |
| 1965 | A World of Comedy | Motorist | 2 episodes |
| 1965 | Blackmail | Talbut | Episode: "Cobb" |
| 1966 | Hope and Keen | | Episode: "S.S. Bounty" |
| 1966 | Drama 61-67 | Nick | Episode: "Drama '66: A Hero of Modern Industry" |
| 1966 | Blackmail | Fletcher | Episode: "Vacant Possession" |
| 1967 | The White Rabbit | Perkins | Episode: "The Beginning" |
| 1967 | Baker's Half-Dozen | Various | 5 episodes |
| 1968 | Love Story | Party guest | Episode: "S for Sugar, A for Apple, M for Missing" |
| 1968 | Resurrection | Kriltsov | 2 episodes |
| 1969 | Sez Les | Various | 12 episodes |
| 1970 | The Misfit | The drunk | Episode: "On Protest" |
| 1970 | ITV Playhouse | Driver | Episode: "A Sound from the Sea" |
| 1972 | The Moonstone | Septimus Luker | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | Callan | Reeves | Episode: "None of Your Business" |
| 1972 | Alcock and Gander | Pluthero | Episode: "Soho Is Too Small" |
| 1972 | 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 |
| 1981 | 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" |
| 1986 | 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 |
| 1995 | Next of Kin | Salesman | Episode: "Expansion" |
| 1995 | Paul Merton's Life of Comedy | Grandad's friend | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Delta Wave | Mr. Seffel | Episode: "Dodgy Jammers: Part 2" |
| 1996 | 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" |
| 1997 | Western Lights: Laugh Until You Die | Ricky Chapple | TV film |
| 1997 | Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... | Father | Episode: "Visiting Day" |
| 1997 | 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 |
| 1999 | Hilltop Hospital | Dr. Atticus | Voice; Episode: "Gracey Greyshell's Last Day" |
| 1999 | Casualty | Walter Burnley | Episode: "To Have and to Hold" |
| 1999 | 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 |
| 2010 | Hustle | Larry | Episode: "The Thieving Mistake" |
| 2010 | Paul O'Grady Live | Alvin | Episode: #1.6 |
| 2010 | Benidorm | Clive Mitchell | Episode: "Christmas Special" |
| 2011 | White Van Man | Albert | Episode: "Beginnings and Ends" |
| 2011 | This Is Jinsy | Melty Harris | Episode: "Kelpman" |
| 2011–2013 | The Cafe | Jack Dobson | 9 episodes |
| 2013 | Plebs | Victor | Episode: "Bananae" |
| 2013 | Man Down | Mr Frank Field-Williams | Episode: "Christmas Special" |
| 2014 | It's an Unknown World | George Timemile | Unknown episodes |
| 2014 | 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 |
| 2022 | 30 Years Of Laughs: Last Of The Summer Wine | Himself | Documentary |
| 2023 | Man About The House: 50 Years Of Laughter | Himself | Documentary |

## Theatre and radio

* Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Christopher Bond), Theatre Royal Stratford East, Title role (Sweeney Todd), 1973
* On Your Way, Riley (Alan Plater), The Queen's Theatre, Arthur Lucan (Old Mother Riley), February–March 1983
* When We Are Married (J. B. Priestley), Whitehall Theatre, Herbert Soppitt, 1986
* Roll on Friday (Roger Hall), Watford Palace Theatre, Jim, October 1989
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.
Murphy appeared for three episodes - along with his wife, Linda Regan - playing the role of Mayor, Lord Palmer, in podcast sitcom Barmy Dale.