Michael Robbins

For the psychologist, see Michael D. Robbins.

Michael Robbins
Robbins as Arthur Rudge in On the Buses
Born
Michael Anthony Robbins

(1930-11-14)14 November 1930
Croydon, England
Died11 December 1992(1992-12-11) (aged 62)
Surrey, England
Occupation(s)Actor and comedian
Years active1957–1991
Spouse
Shirley Hal Dyer
​
(m. 1960)​

Michael Anthony Robbins (14 November 1930 – 11 December 1992) was an English actor and comedian best known for his role as Arthur Rudge in the TV sitcom and film versions of On the Buses (1969–73).

Career

Michael Robbins was born in Croydon, Surrey, to Percival W. Robbins (1899–1956) and Bertha May née Sindall (1900–1997), who outlived him. From 1939 to 1944 Robbins was a pupil at St Michael's College, a Catholic school for boys, in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He then went on to work as a bank clerk and later became an actor after appearing in amateur dramatic performances also in Hitchin, where he and his family lived at the time.

Robbins made his television debut as the cockney soldier in Roll-on Bloomin' Death.[1] 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).[2] Robbins and Karen provided the secondary comic storyline to Reg Varney's comedy capers at the bus depot. Robbins appeared in the first six series but left before what would become the final season because he wanted to return to theatre work.[3] He appeared in the series film spin-offs, On the Buses, Mutiny on the Buses, and Holiday on the Buses (which came out after he had left the series in 1973).[4]

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?.[5] He appeared as a rather humorously portrayed police sergeant in the TV adaptation of Brendon Chase.[6]

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 that of the hard-drinking old sea dog Harry Baxter in The Saint episode The People Importers.[7] He made appearances in Minder, The Sweeney, Z-Cars, Return of the Saint, Murder Most English, Rumpole Of The Bailey, The Avengers, Dixon of Dock Green, The Bill and the 1982 Doctor Who story "The Visitation".[5][8]

Robbins' film credits included The Whisperers, Up The Junction, Till Death Us Do Part, The Looking Glass War, Zeppelin, The Great Muppet Caper and Blake Edwards' films The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Victor/Victoria.[4] He also had an extensive career as a radio actor, including a role in the soap opera Waggoners' Walk.[9]

In the mid-1970s he directed a film, How Are You?[citation needed]

He appeared as a councillor in EastEnders in June 1989.[10]

Personal life

Robbins was married to actress Hal Dyer (1935–2011), from 1960 until his death from prostate cancer in 1992 aged 62.[11][12] Dyer died in 2011 from a brain haemorrhage.

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. In 1987 he received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal, a papal award, for his services. In one of his last television appearances, in A Little Bit of Heaven, he recalled his childhood visits to Norfolk and spoke of his faith and love of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham.[11]

Partial filmography

Film

Television

References

  1. ^ "Roll on Bloomin' Death (1961)". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Michael Robbins". The Independent. 14 December 1992. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  3. ^ "On The Buses". nostalgiacentral.com. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Michael Robbins". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Michael Robbins". www.aveleyman.com.
  6. ^ "Brendon Chase (1980)". BFI. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021.
  7. ^ "The Saint - S6 - Episode 13: The People Importers". Radio Times.
  8. ^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Visitation - Details". www.bbc.co.uk.
  9. ^ "Waggoners' Walk NW". 8 September 1969. p. 28 – via BBC Genome.
  10. ^ "EastEnders". 15 June 1989. p. 44 – via BBC Genome.
  11. ^ a b Telegraph, Group Limited (11 July 1998). The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers. Pan. ISBN 9780330367752 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Pocklington, Rebecca (13 August 2015). "On The Buses actor Stephen Lewis dies aged 88". mirror.

Further reading

  • The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries (Entertainers) – Edited by Hugh Massingberd