Brian Murphy, the actor best known for his role in the 1970s British sitcoms Man About the House and its spin-off George and Mildred , has died aged 92. Murphy, who died at his home in Kent on Sunday (2 February), has been remembered by his friend and agent Thomas Bowington as a “joyful and profoundly good-hearted man”. Most recently, Murphy appeared in episodes of BBC medical drama Holby City , sketch programme The Catherine Tate Show and ITV sitcom Benidorm and played Alvin Smedley in the comedy series Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010.
Born on the Isle of Wight in 1932, Murphy's acting career began in the 1950s when he became a member of the pioneering Theatre Workshop. He started working with Joan Littlewood, who founded the company with her partner Gerry Raffles, who was committed to modernising theatre and engaging working-class audiences. Murphy performed in several Shakespeare productions directed by Littlewood and had a role in her 1963 comedy film Sparrows Can’t Sing .
He rose to prominence playing the landlord George Roper in the 1973 ITV sitcom Man About the House , which explored the dynamics between two women sharing a flat with a man. He acted alongside Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett who played flatmates Chrissy and Jo, while Yootha Joyce played his wife Mildred. The story follows Chrissy and Jo who find Robin (Richard O’Sullivan) sleeping in their bath after a wild night out.
Robin is in need of somewhere to live and the two girls need a flatm.