MR
Michael Robbins
Actor
Born November 14, 1930Died December 11, 1992 (62 years)
Born in London, Robbins was a bank clerk who became an actor after appearing in amateur dramatic performances in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where he and his family lived at the time. Robbins made his television debut as the cockney soldier in Roll-on Bloomin' Death. Primarily a comedy actor, he is best remembered for the role of Arthur Rudge, the persistently sarcastic husband of Olive (Anna Karen), in the popular sitcom On the Buses (1969–73). Robbins and Karen provided the secondary comic storyline to Reg Varney's comedy capers at the bus depot. Robbins also appeared in the series film spin-offs, On the Buses, Mutiny on the Buses, and Holiday on the Buses. His other comedy credits include non-recurring roles in Man About the House, Oh Brother!, The Good Life, One Foot in the Grave, The New Statesman, George and Mildred, Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M'Lord? He appeared as a rather humorously portrayed police sergeant in the TV adaptation of Brendon Chase.
As well as these comic roles, he assumed various straight roles in some of the major British television shows of the 1960s and 1970s: including Minder, The Sweeney, Z-Cars, Return of the Saint, Murder Most English, The Avengers, Dixon of Dock Green, The Bill and the 1982 Doctor Who story The Visitation.
Robbins's film credits included The Whisperers, Up The Junction, The Looking Glass War, Zeppelin and Blake Edwards' films The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Victor/Victoria'. He also had an extensive career as a radio actor, including a role in the soap opera Waggoner's Walk and the satirical 1970s show Life is What Yer Make It.
Robbins was an indefatigable worker for charity. He was active in the Grand Order of Water Rats (being elected 'Rat of the Year' in 1978) and the Catholic Stage Guild, and received a Papal Award for his services in 1987. In one of his last television appearances, in A Little Bit of Heaven Robbins recalled his childhood visits to Norfolk and spoke of his faith and love of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. Michael Robbins had a brother Jack who was a head teacher at Saint Gregory's Catholic middle school in Bedford in the 1970s and early 1980s. Michael made some guest appearances at this school throughout the years and sometimes entertained the pupils with various sketches with his brother Jack Robbins
In the mid-1970s he also directed a film: How Are You?
As well as these comic roles, he assumed various straight roles in some of the major British television shows of the 1960s and 1970s: including Minder, The Sweeney, Z-Cars, Return of the Saint, Murder Most English, The Avengers, Dixon of Dock Green, The Bill and the 1982 Doctor Who story The Visitation.
Robbins's film credits included The Whisperers, Up The Junction, The Looking Glass War, Zeppelin and Blake Edwards' films The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Victor/Victoria'. He also had an extensive career as a radio actor, including a role in the soap opera Waggoner's Walk and the satirical 1970s show Life is What Yer Make It.
Robbins was an indefatigable worker for charity. He was active in the Grand Order of Water Rats (being elected 'Rat of the Year' in 1978) and the Catholic Stage Guild, and received a Papal Award for his services in 1987. In one of his last television appearances, in A Little Bit of Heaven Robbins recalled his childhood visits to Norfolk and spoke of his faith and love of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. Michael Robbins had a brother Jack who was a head teacher at Saint Gregory's Catholic middle school in Bedford in the 1970s and early 1980s. Michael made some guest appearances at this school throughout the years and sometimes entertained the pupils with various sketches with his brother Jack Robbins
In the mid-1970s he also directed a film: How Are You?
Filmography
| 2008 | The Ties That Bind Us · as Richard Mace |
| 2007 | A New Body at Last · as Richard Mace |
| 2004 | Serial Thrillers · as Richard Mace |
| 2004 | Writing a Final Visitation · as Richard Mace |
| 2004 | Directing 'Who': Peter Moffatt · as Richard Mace |
| 1993 | Monkey Business · as Pg Tips Chimp |
| 1990 | El C.I.D. (TV Series) · as George |
| 1990 | One Foot in the Grave (TV Series) |
| 1988 | You Rang, M'Lord? (TV Series) · as Twelvetrees Senior |
| 1988 | Just Ask for Diamond · as The Fat Man |
| 1987 | The New Statesman (1987) (TV Series) · as Mad Eddie |
| 1987 | A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery (TV Series) · as Bill Rumm |
| 1985 | Screen One (TV Series) · as Thias Bede |
| 1985 | Lost in London · as Bill |
| 1985 | In Sickness and In Health (TV Series) · as Rail Worker |
| 1985 | EastEnders (TV Series) · as Councillor |
| 1985 | Dempsey and Makepeace (TV Series) · as Simmons |
| 1984 | Fairly Secret Army (TV Series) · as Sgt. Major Throttle |
| 1984 | The Bill (TV Series) |
| 1984 | Fresh Fields (TV Series) · as Mr. Pringle |
| 1982 | The Merry Wives of Windsor · as Nym |
| 1982 | The Bounder (TV Series) · as Bert |
| 1982 | Victor/Victoria · as Manager Of Victoria's Hotel |
| 1981 | The Great Muppet Caper · as Henderson |
| 1981 | The Chinese Detective (TV Series) |
| 1980 | Brendon Chase (TV Series) · as Sergeant Bunting |
| 1980 | Hi-de-Hi! (TV Series) · as Roger |
| 1979 | Minder (TV Series) · as Mcqueen |
| 1979 | Cannon and Ball (TV Series) · as Police Seargent |
| 1979 | The Saint and the Brave Goose · as Beeky |
| 1979 | Dick Turpin (TV Series) |
| 1978 | BBC Television Shakespeare (TV Series) |
| 1978 | Return of the Saint (TV Series) · as Beeky |
| 1978 | Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle (TV Series) · as Pumphrey |
| 1976 | The Pink Panther Strikes Again · as Jarvis |
| 1976 | George and Mildred (TV Series) |
| 1975 | Cooper (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1975 | The Good Life (1975) (TV Series) · as Mr. Bulstrode |
| 1975 | The Sweeney (TV Series) · as Kevin Lee |
| 1974 | Man About the House · as Doorman |
| 1974 | Moody and Pegg (TV Series) · as Len |
| 1974 | Thick as Thieves (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Holiday on the Buses · as Arthur Rudge |
| 1973 | Black and Blue (TV Series) |
| 1973 | No Sex Please - We're British · as Car Driver |
| 1972 | That's Your Funeral · as 2nd Funeral Director |
| 1972 | Mutiny on the Buses · as Arthur His Brother In Law |
| 1972 | Blinker's Spy-Spotter · as Policeman |
| 1971 | Cider with Rosie · as Uncle Charlie |
| 1971 | Justice (1971) (TV Series) · as Eddie |
| 1971 | Villain · as Barzun |
| 1971 | On the Buses · as Arthur Rudge - Stan's Brother-In-Law |
| 1971 | Zeppelin · as Cockney Sergeant |
| 1970 | Play for Today (TV Series) · as Det. Sgt. Praed |
| 1970 | All the Way Up · as Taxi Driver |
| 1970 | The Looking Glass War · as Truck Driver |
| 1969 | Crossplot · as Garage Attendant |
| 1969 | Dear Mother.... ....Love Albert (TV Series) · as A. Beale |
| 1969 | The Main Chance (TV Series) · as Gerry Baxter |
| 1969 | The Liver Birds (TV Series) · as Photographer |
| 1969 | Department S (TV Series) · as Burton |
| 1969 | On the Buses (TV Series) · as Arthur Rudge |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Michael Vint |
| 1968 | Alf 'n' Family · as Fred |
| 1968 | Oh Brother! (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1968 | Up the Junction · as Figgins |
| 1967 | Les Misérables (1967) (TV Series) · as Gribier |
| 1967 | ITV Playhouse (TV Series) · as Tv Repairman |
| 1967 | The Whisperers · as Mr Noonan |
| 1967 | Callan (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Adam Adamant Lives (TV Series) |
| 1966 | The Baron (TV Series) · as Alan Jordan |
| 1965 | Dead Man's Chest · as Sergeant Harris |
| 1965 | Play of the Month (TV Series) · as Flt. Sergeant Thompson |
| 1965 | Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) · as Harris |
| 1965 | The Man in Room 17 (TV Series) · as C.p.o. Bradshaw |
| 1965 | Pardon The Expression (TV Series) · as Fingers Ferguson |
| 1965 | Public Eye (TV Series) · as Basher |
| 1964 | Rattle of a Simple Man · as George (organiser) |
| 1964 | Gideon C.I.D. (TV Series) · as Smith |
| 1964 | Redcap (1964) (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Count of Monte Cristo (1964) (TV Series) · as Gaspard Caderousse |
| 1964 | The Wednesday Play (TV Series) · as Albert Barking |
| 1964 | Act of Murder · as Van Driver |
| 1964 | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Theatre 625 (TV Series) · as Tom |
| 1964 | The Bargee · as Bargee |
| 1964 | |
| 1963 | Doctor Who (TV Series) · as Richard Mace |
| 1963 | Teletales (TV Series) · as Schwendling |
| 1963 | First Night (TV Series) · as Mr. Handle |
| 1963 | The Dick Emery Show (TV Series) · as Flynn O'thick |
| 1963 | What a Crazy World · as Percy |
| 1963 | Lunch Hour · as Harris |
| 1962 | A Prize of Arms · as Orford |
| 1962 | Zero One (1962) (TV Series) · as First Attendant |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | You in Your Small Corner · as Georgie |
| 1962 | Suspense (1962) (TV Series) · as Inspector |
| 1962 | Z Cars (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) · as Bill Collins |
| 1961 | Ghost Squad (TV Series) · as Stripey |
| 1961 | Drama 61-67 (TV Series) · as Lance Cpl. Ticehurst |
| 1961 | The Avengers (TV Series) · as Henry Farrow |
| 1960 | Julius Caesar (1960) (TV Series) · as Dardanius |
| 1960 | BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) · as Workman |
| 1959 | No Hiding Place (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The Edgar Wallace Mysteries (TV Series) · as Sergeant Harris |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatre (TV Series) · as Dave |
| 1955 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) · as Bill Walker |
| 1955 | ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Mr. Gaskin |
| 1955 | Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) · as Charlie Mills |
| 1950 | Sunday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Cast |