Richard O'Sullivan obit

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