Brian Murphy (actor)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:17:52 AM Wikipedia source
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.
Infobox
Born
Brian Trevor John Murphy(1932-09-25)25 September 1932Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England
Died
2 February 2025(2025-02-02) (aged 92)Kent, England
Occupation
Comic actor
Years active
1960–2025
Known for
mw- George Roper in the television series Man About the House and George and MildredAlvin Smedley in the television series Last of the Summer Wine
Spouses
mw- Carol Gibson (m. 1957, divorced) Linda Regan (m. 1995)
Children
2
Tables
· Filmography › Film
1964
Love and Maud Carver
Role(s)
Guardsman
1981
Black Jack
Role(s)
Archibald
1997
Day Release
2000
The Mumbo Jumbo
Role(s)
Mr. Tipple
| 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 | |
| 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 | ||
| 2011 | Grave Tales | Arthur | |
| The Estate | Geoff | ||
| 2012 | Blitz and Bananas | Clarence Spratt | |
| Run For Your Wife | Allotment Man | Cameo |
· Filmography › Television
1960
Probation Officer
Role(s)
Max Fletcher
Notes
Episode: "#2.1"
1961
1963
ITV Television Playhouse
Role(s)
Man with Alsatian
Notes
Episode: "The Wedding Dress"
1964
Six
Role(s)
Mr. Gowing
Notes
Episode: "The Diary of a Nobody: The Domestic Jottings of a City Clerk"
1965
A World of Comedy
Role(s)
Motorist
Notes
2 episodes
Blackmail
Role(s)
Talbut
Notes
Episode: "Cobb"
1966
Notes
Episode: "S.S. Bounty"
Blackmail
Role(s)
Fletcher
Notes
Episode: "Vacant Possession"
1967
The White Rabbit
Role(s)
Perkins
Notes
Episode: "The Beginning"
Baker's Half-Dozen
Role(s)
Various
Notes
5 episodes
1968
Resurrection
Role(s)
Kriltsov
Notes
2 episodes
1970
1972
1973
1973–1976
Role(s)
Man About the House
Notes
George Roper
1974
South Riding
Role(s)
Mr Hubbard
Notes
Episode: "In Sickness and in Health"
1976–1979
Role(s)
George and Mildred
Notes
George Roper
1981
Theatre Box
Role(s)
Hubert Dibble
Notes
Episode: "Reasons to Be Cheerful"
1982
1984–1985
Role(s)
Lame Ducks
Notes
Ansell
1986
Reasons to Be Cheerful
Role(s)
King
Notes
Episode: "Charlie Chuckles"
Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On
Role(s)
Amnesia
Notes
TV film
1995
Paul Merton's Life of Comedy
Role(s)
Grandad's friend
Notes
2 episodes
1996
1996–2000
Role(s)
Pond Life
Notes
Len Pond
1997
Western Lights: Laugh Until You Die
Role(s)
Ricky Chapple
Notes
TV film
1999
2001
Notes
Voice; Episode: "Knife & Wife"
2003–2010
Role(s)
Last of the Summer Wine
Notes
Alvin Smedley
2004
2005–2006
Role(s)
The Catherine Tate Show
Notes
Neville
2010
2011
2011–2013
Role(s)
The Cafe
Notes
Jack Dobson
2013
2014
It's an Unknown World
Role(s)
George Timemile
Notes
Unknown episodes
2018
Claude
Role(s)
Mr. Lovelybuns
Notes
Voice; Episode: "Gone Sock"
2019
2020–2021
Role(s)
Mighty 6
Notes
Old Man L.
2022
50 Years Of Laughs: Last Of The Summer Wine
Role(s)
Himself
Notes
Documentary
2023
Man About The House: 50 Years Of Laughter
Role(s)
Himself
Notes
Documentary
| 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" |
| Resurrection | Kriltsov | 2 episodes | |
| 1969 | Sez Les | Various | 12 episodes |
| 1970 | The Misfit | The drunk | Episode: "On Protest" |
| 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" |
References
- "Brian Murphy"https://web.archive.org/web/20171114033541/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f7a5fe3
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/feb/04/brian-murphy-obituary
- Grimsby Evening Telegraphhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/grimsby-evening-telegraph-brian-murphy-a/139319236/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/aug/15/naughty-rather-than-dirty-50-years-of-man-about-the-house-the-sitcom-that-introduced-sex-to-british-tv
- British Comedy Guidehttps://www.comedy.co.uk/people/brian_murphy/features/brian-murphy-on-george-mildred/
- 'Mr Foskett' Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 September 2007http://uk-tv-guide.com/programme-details/UKTV+Gold/23+September+2007/23:10/One+Foot+in+the+Grave/Sitcom
- Devonfirehttps://www.devonfirebooks.com/product/larrydann-memoir
- The Guardianhttps://theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/feb/04/brian-murphy-actor-george-and-mildred-dies
- 'Allo 'Allo star dies BBC News. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 24 August 2010.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2171839.stm
- "Martin Murphy"https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/author/martin-murphy/
- BBChttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxeg4q0rddo
- "6.1. Doctor Who: The Home Guard"https://web.archive.org/web/20250101044458/https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-home-guard-2060
- Barmy Productionshttps://www.barmyproductions.com/cast