Man About the House star Richard O'Sullivan dies aged 82
He was not on the list.
Actor Richard O'Sullivan, whose roles included Robin Tripp in 1970s TV sitcoms Man About the House and Robin's Nest, has died aged 82.
He was also known for starring in Doctor at Large, Dick Turpin, and the 1980s sitcom Me and My Girl, alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor, Joanne Ridley and Joan Sanderson.
O'Sullivan died surrounded by close family at Brinsworth House, the Royal Variety Charity's care home, in west London where he had lived for 23 years.
In a statement, Giles Cooper of the Royal Variety said: "Richard O'Sullivan was a master of effortless charm and impeccable comic timing, bringing pure warmth, wit, and unforgettable joy to millions of living rooms as a true giant of British television."
Cooper added Sullivan would be "sorely missed by us all at the Royal Variety Charity".
The actor's son James O'Sullivan said in his own statement: "My dad was as funny and charming in real life as he appeared on our TV screens over the years.
"Although much of his career happened before I was born, I was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy and witness his incredible talents on the countless re-runs of his shows that made him the respected and loved actor that he was."
He thanked the staff at Brinsworth House for their "love, kindness and care".
Man About the House co-starred Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy in six series on ITV.
It was about a man sharing a London flat with two single women - quite a daring storyline for that era.
In Me and My Girl, he played a widow living with his adolescent daughter.
Getty Images Paula Wilcox, Richard O'Sullivan and Sally
Thomsett as Chrissy, Robin and Jo in Man About The House, all with 70s clothes
and haircutsGetty Images
Paula Wilcox, Richard O'Sullivan and Sally Thomsett played
Chrissy, Robin and Jo in Man About The House
Born in London in 1944, O'Sullivan started his career as a child actor in the 50s and 60s, playing uncredited roles in dramas in 1953.
He went on to appear in the Children's Film Foundation's first serial production Raiders of the River, and in 1956 he was in Sir Peter Hall's production of Love's Labour's Lost at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford.
He also appeared in 1961 film Spare the Rod, a social commentary drama about a teacher working in a tough, deprived area, starring Max Bygraves and Donald Pleasance. O'Sullivan played a difficult and defiant student in his final year.
After gaining steady work in dramatic roles, including
1963's Cleopatra, as Pharoah Ptolemy XIII, which starred Elizabeth Taylor and
Richard Burton, he moved towards comedy, in shows such as The Ronnie Barker
Playhouse, in 1968, and The Galton and Simpson Comedy the following year.
Ray Galton and Alan Simpson went on to create the sitcoms Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son.
O'Sullivan was also in two films with Sir Cliff Richard in the 1960s – The Young Ones in 1961 and Wonderful Life in 1964.
By 1973, he took his starring role in Man About the House, which was a big success, not least because of its daring plot about a man living with two single women.
"The issue was not the living arrangement itself, but what it implied," British Comedy Classics said of the series.
"A man sharing a flat with two unmarried women would be read as sexual, and that risked the show being rejected or framed as inappropriate for prime-time viewing."
In order to bypass any potential disapproval from their landlords, George and Mildred Roper, who also got their own spin-off TV series, the two women claim their flatmate Robin is gay.
Robin keeps up the pretence for their landlords, which created the comedy and made it acceptable watching for a pre-watershed 70s audience.
Between 1979 and 1982 he took on the more dramatic titlular role of 18th Century highwayman Dick Turpin, in ITV's series.
But by the 80s he returned to sitcoms with Me and My Girl, which ran from 1984 to 1988, and Trouble in Mind in 1991, about a married psychiatrist who is having something of a mid-life crisis.
After this his career became much quieter, with an appearance in Noel's House Party and a starring role in a 1996 film called Holed, about a golfing match.
In his statement, James O'Sullivan concluded: "Always
kind-spirited, good humoured, a doting grandfather and a wonderful dad – I will
miss him dearly."
Actor
Holed
6.5
TV Movie
Henry
1996
Noel's House Party (1991)
Noel's House Party
6.3
TV Series
The Duke of Crinkley Bottom
1992
1 episode
Trouble in Mind (1991)
Trouble in Mind
4.4
TV Series
Adam Charlesworth
1991
9 episodes
Richard O'Sullivan and Joanne Ridley in Me and My Girl
(1984)
Me and My Girl
6.4
TV Series
Simon Harrap
1984–1988
52 episodes
Bobby Ball, Tommy Cannon, and Eric Sykes in Rhubarb Rhubarb
(1980)
Mr H Is Late
7.3
TV Short
Breakfasting Neighbour
1988
Janet Key, Richard O'Sullivan, Joanna Van Gyseghem, and John
Wells in The Giftie (1988)
The Giftie
8.5
TV Movie
Paul
1988
Dick Turpin (1979)
Dick Turpin
7.3
TV Series
Dick Turpin
1979–1982
31 episodes
Robin's Nest (1977)
Robin's Nest
6.4
TV Series
Robin
1977–1981
48 episodes
Richard O'Sullivan, Sally Thomsett, and Paula Wilcox in Man
About the House (1973)
Man About the House
7.3
TV Series
RobinRobin Tripp
1973–1976
39 episodes
Can You Keep It Up for a Week? (1974)
Can You Keep It Up for a Week?
4.5
Mr. Rose
1974
Man About the House (1974)
Man About the House
5.9
Robin Tripp
1974
Doctor in Charge (1972)
Doctor in Charge
7.4
TV Series
Dr. Lawrence BinghamLionel BinghamLeonard Bingham
1972–1973
26 episodes
All Star Comedy Carnival (1973)
All Star Comedy Carnival
6.4
TV Special
Robin TrippDr. Lawrence Bingham (segments "Man About
the House", "Doctor in Charge")
1973
Father Dear Father (1973)
Father Dear Father
5.0
Richard
1973
Patrick Cargill, Noel Dyson, Ann Holloway, and Natasha Pyne
in Father, Dear Father (1968)
Father, Dear Father
6.5
TV Series
HowardSteven
1968–1973
3 episodes
Alcock and Gander (1972)
Alcock and Gander
7.0
TV Series
Richard Gander
1972
6 episodes
Au Pair Girls (1972)
Au Pair Girls
4.9
Stephen
1972
Now Look Here (1971)
Now Look Here
6.5
TV Series
Keith
1971
7 episodes
Doctor at Large (1971)
Doctor at Large
7.0
TV Series
Lawrence Bingham
1971
10 episodes
Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965)
Thirty-Minute Theatre
7.0
TV Series
Second Lieutenant AudenLieutenant Halliday
1968–1971
2 episodes
Play for Today (1970)
Play for Today
7.8
TV Series
Whiteley
1970
1 episode
Ronnie Barker, Michael Hordern, and Roger Livesey in
Futtocks End (1970)
Futtocks End
6.1
The Boots
1970
Kaz Garas, Anthony Quayle, and Anneke Wills in Strange
Report (1969)
Strange Report
8.0
TV Series
Perk
1969
1 episode
Jack Warner in Dixon of Dock Green (1955)
Dixon of Dock Green
6.9
TV Series
Cris PatrosGeoffrey Saunders
1967–1969
2 episodes
Horror House (1969)
Horror House
4.8
Peter
1969
Galton and Simpson Comedy (1969)
Galton and Simpson Comedy
7.7
TV Series
3rd Angel
1969
1 episode
BBC Play of the Month (1965)
BBC Play of the Month
7.1
TV Series
Michael Barnes
1968
1 episode
Ronnie Barker and Richard O'Sullivan in The Ronnie Barker
Playhouse (1968)
The Ronnie Barker Playhouse
TV Series
Arthur
1968
1 episode
A Dandy in Aspic (1968)
A Dandy in Aspic
6.2
Nevil
1968
Scottish Playbill
TV Series
1967
1 episode
The Golden Age
TV Series
Robin
1967
1 episode
NET Playhouse (1964)
NET Playhouse
6.6
TV Series
Lieutenant John Hallett
1967
1 episode
Room at the Bottom
TV Series
The Honourable Tarquin
1967
1 episode
Great Expectations (1967)
Great Expectations
7.2
TV Series
Herbert Pocket
1967
7 episodes
The Wednesday Play (1964)
The Wednesday Play
7.3
TV Series
Christopher TenterdenMark
1966–1967
2 episodes
Drama 61-67 (1961)
Drama 61-67
7.4
TV Series
Lieut. Charles Reed
1966
1 episode
Conflict
TV Series
George D'Alroy
1966
1 episode
Foreign Affairs
TV Series
Taplow
1966
6 episodes
No Hiding Place (1959)
No Hiding Place
7.5
TV Series
TomDigby Gabriel
1965–1966
2 episodes
Love Story (1963)
Love Story
6.9
TV Series
David
1966
1 episode
Reginald Marsh in Seven Deadly Sins (1966)
Seven Deadly Sins
TV Series
Mike Sands
1966
1 episode
Patrick McGoohan in Secret Agent (1964)
Secret Agent
8.2
TV Series
Aldo Shargis
1966
1 episode
Emergency-Ward 10 (1957)
Emergency-Ward 10
6.3
TV Series
John Brown
1965
7 episodes
Pamela Brown and Barry Warren in Six Shades of Black (1965)
Six Shades of Black
TV Series
Dingo Jubb
1965
1 episode
John Thaw in Redcap (1964)
Redcap
7.8
TV Series
Boy C.S.M. Duffy
1964
1 episode
Seaside Swingers (1964)
Seaside Swingers
5.1
Jimmy
1964
Susan Hampshire and Cliff Richard in Swingers' Paradise
(1964)
Swingers' Paradise
5.3
Edward
1964
ITV Play of the Week (1955)
ITV Play of the Week
6.6
TV Series
DigbyLieutenant John Hallett
1963–1964
2 episodes
Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)
The Magical World of Disney
8.3
TV Series
HugoGeorge Ransley
1962–1963
6 episodes
Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow (1963)
Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow
7.3
George Ransley
1963
Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rex Harrison in
Cleopatra (1963)
Cleopatra
7.0
Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII
1963
Jezebel ex UK (1963)
Jezebel ex UK
5.8
TV Series
Paul Brooks
1963
1 episode
John Cassavetes and Richard O'Sullivan in The Webster Boy
(1962)
The Webster Boy
5.8
Jimmy Webster
1962
The Prince and the Pauper (1962)
The Prince and the Pauper
6.3
John Marlowe
1962
Wonderful to Be Young! (1961)
Wonderful to Be Young!
5.8
Ernest
1961
Spare the Rod (1961)
Spare the Rod
6.7
Fred Harkness
1961
A Story of David: The Hunted (1960)
A Story of David: The Hunted
5.5
Abiathar
1960
And Women Shall Weep (1960)
And Women Shall Weep
Godfrey Lumsden
1960
The DuPont Show of the Month (1957)
The DuPont Show of the Month
6.7
TV Series
Jim Hawkins
1960
1 episode
A House Called Bell Tower
TV Series
Gary Jones
1960
7 episodes
The Four Just Men (1959)
The Four Just Men
7.1
TV Series
Pietro
1960
1 episode
Witness in the Dark (1959)
Witness in the Dark
6.6
Don Theobald
1959
Carry on Teacher (1959)
Carry on Teacher
6.2
Robin Stevens - Saboteur
1959
The Nun's Story (1959)
The Nun's Story
7.5
Pierre (Gabrielle's Brother) (uncredited)
1959
ITV Television Playhouse (1955)
ITV Television Playhouse
8.3
TV Series
BoyEric Corrigan
1958–1959
3 episodes
Mary Britten, M.D.
TV Series
DavidJimmy
1958
1 episode
Decision (1958)
Decision
6.2
TV Series
1958
1 episode
The Highwayman
TV Movie
Luke
1958
Television World Theatre (1957)
Television World Theatre
TV Series
Gordon Evans as a boy
1958
1 episode
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
7.6
TV Series
Will DalePrince Arthur
1957–1958
2 episodes
Sword of Freedom (1957)
Sword of Freedom
7.2
TV Series
Alberto
1957
1 episode
Dangerous Exile (1957)
Dangerous Exile
5.6
Louis XVIIRichard de Beauvais
1957
Little Lord Fauntleroy
TV Mini Series
Cedric Errol
1957
4 episodes
Anna Neagle in No Time for Tears (1957)
No Time for Tears
6.2
William Reynolds
1957
Overseas Press Club - Exclusive! (1957)
Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!
6.3
TV Series
Thomaso
1957
1 episode
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
7.0
TV Series
Paton
1956
1 episode
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Rheingold Theatre (1953)
Rheingold Theatre
8.0
TV Series
David HowardTim
1955–1956
2 episodes
John Mills in It's Great to Be Young! (1956)
It's Great to Be Young!
6.4
Lawson, The Angel Hill Kids
1956
John Gregson, Richard O'Sullivan, and Jacqueline Ryan in
Jacqueline (1956)
Jacqueline
6.7
Michael
1956
Raiders of the River (1956)
Raiders of the River
7.1
Joey
1956
London Playhouse
TV Series
Johnny
1956
1 episode
Boris Karloff in Colonel March of Scotland Yard (1954)
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
7.1
TV Series
Roger
1956
1 episode
Sherlock Holmes (1954)
Sherlock Holmes
7.5
TV Series
Andrew Fenwick
1955
1 episode
The Secret (1955)
The Secret
5.8
John Martin
1955
The Warriors (1955)
The Warriors
5.8
Thomas Holland
1955
I cavalieri dell'illusione (1954)
I cavalieri dell'illusione
5.6
1954
Loves of Three Queens (1954)
Loves of Three Queens
5.1
Benoni (segment "I Cavalieri dell'illusione")
1954
Make Me an Offer! (1954)
Make Me an Offer!
6.1
Charlie. as a boy
1954
Ann Todd, Kieron Moore, and Michael Redgrave in The Green
Scarf (1954)
The Green Scarf
6.9
Child Jacques
1954
Dance Little Lady (1954)
Dance Little Lady
5.3
Peter
1954
The Stranger's Hand (1954)
The Stranger's Hand
6.0
Roger Court
1954
Malta Story (1953)
Malta Story
6.5
Ninno Gonzar (uncredited)
1953
Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
The Yellow Balloon
6.8
Boy Singing at Sunday School (uncredited)
1953
Music Department
Robin's Nest (1977)
Robin's Nest
6.4
TV Series
composer: theme music
1977–1981
48 episodes
Composer
Trouble in Mind (1991)
Trouble in Mind
4.4
TV Series
music written by
1991
8 episodes
Robin's Nest (1977)
Robin's Nest
6.4
TV Series
Composer
1977–1981
Soundtrack
Richard O'Sullivan, Sally Thomsett, and Paula Wilcox in Man
About the House (1973)
Man About the House
7.3
TV Series
performer: "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" (Opus 65,
No. 6)
1975
1 episode
Seaside Swingers (1964)
Seaside Swingers
5.1
performer: "Say You Do"
1964
Susan Hampshire and Cliff Richard in Swingers' Paradise
(1964)
Swingers' Paradise
5.3
performer: "A Girl in Every Port",
"Home", "We Love a Movie", "All Kinds of People",
"A Matter of Moments", "My Mammy " (uncredited)
1964
Self
Eamonn Andrews in This Is Your Life (1955)
This Is Your Life
6.4
TV Series
Self
1974–1999
9 episodes
Has Anyone Seen My Pussy? (1997)
Has Anyone Seen My Pussy?
TV Movie
Self
1997
Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins in Light Lunch (1997)
Light Lunch
7.2
TV Series
Self
1997
1 episode
Today's the Day
TV Series
Self
1995
1 episode
The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna (1993)
The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna
6.7
TV Series
Self
1994
1 episode
Schofield's Christmas TV Gold
TV Movie
Self
1993
Noel Edmonds in Telly Addicts (1985)
Telly Addicts
6.3
TV Series
Self
1993
1 episode
Granada Reports (1980)
Granada Reports
5.8
TV Series
Self - Interviewee
1992
1 episode
Terry Wogan in Wogan (1982)
Wogan
6.2
TV Series
Self
1991
1 episode
Jos Brink and Rolf X. Wouters in Wedden, dat..? (1984)
Wedden, dat..?
6.4
TV Series
Self - Guest Panelist
1990
1 episode
That's Showbusiness (1989)
That's Showbusiness
4.8
TV Series
Self - Panelist
1989
2 episodes
Michael Aspel, Lionel Blair, and Una Stubbs in Give Us a
Clue (1979)
Give Us a Clue
7.1
TV Series
Self - PanellistSelf - Panelist
1979–1988
6 episodes
Christopher Lee in International Pro-Celebrity Golf (1975)
International Pro-Celebrity Golf
7.5
TV Series
Self
1986–1987
2 episodes
Babble
TV Series
Self
1983–1984
8 episodes
Password (1982)
Password
6.8
TV Series
Self
1983
1 episode
On Safari (1982)
On Safari
7.4
TV Series
Self
1982
1 episode
Carole Ashby and Nicholas Parsons in Sale of the Century
(1971)
Sale of the Century
6.7
TV Series
Self - Contestant
1982
1 episode
Children in Need
TV Special
Self
1981
Punchlines (1981)
Punchlines
5.4
TV Series
Self
1981
1 episode
Night of One Hundred Stars
TV Movie
Self
1980
Star Games (1978)
Star Games
4.5
TV Series
Self
1980
1 episode
Sally James, John Gorman, and Chris Tarrant in Tiswas (1974)
Tiswas
7.7
TV Series
Self
1980
1 episode
Terry Wogan in Blankety Blank (1978)
Blankety Blank
6.3
TV Series
Self
1979
1 episode
On Location
TV Series
Self
1979
1 episode
It's a Knockout (1966)
It's a Knockout
7.4
TV Series
Self
1976–1979
3 episodes
The Steve Jones Game Show
TV Series
Self
1979
Graeme Garden in Star Turn (1976)
Star Turn
6.8
TV Series
Self
1978
1 episode
The Sweepstakes Game
TV Series
Self - Panellist
1976
2 episodes
Liza Goddard, Nerys Hughes, Joanna Lumley, Bill Maynard,
Patrick Mower, Jon Pertwee, Magnus Pyke, Victor Spinetti, and Mollie Sugden in
Whodunnit? (1972)
Whodunnit?
7.9
TV Series
Self - Panellist
1974–1976
3 episodes
The Larry Solway Show (1974)
The Larry Solway Show
TV Series
Self
1976
1 episode
Lee Remick in The T.V. Times Awards Show (1975)
The T.V. Times Awards Show
TV Special
Self
1975
Lulu (1975)
Lulu
TV Series
Self
1975
1 episode
Call My Bluff (1965)
Call My Bluff
7.1
TV Series
Self
1973
2 episodes
Archive Footage
Simon Sheridan in Saucy!: Secrets of the British Sex Comedy
(2024)
Saucy!: Secrets of the British Sex Comedy
7.4
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
2024
Biography (1987)
Biography
7.7
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
2009
1 episode
Revealed (2002)
Revealed
6.9
TV Series
Dick Turpin (archive footage)
2007
1 episode
The Unforgettable Yootha Joyce (2001)
The Unforgettable Yootha Joyce
7.7
TV Movie
Self - Robin Tripp (archive footage)
2001
Best of British (1987)
Best of British
7.7
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
1988
1 episode
Kraft Mystery Theater (1961)
Kraft Mystery Theater
7.8
TV Series
Don Theobald (archive footage)
1961
1 episode
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