Brian Murphy death: Man About the House actor dies, aged 92
Brian Murphy death: Man About the House actor dies, aged 92
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Actor played landlord George Roper in 1973 sitcom about an unconventional flatshare. 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”.
![[Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce, stars of television show 'George and Mildred' pictured in 1976]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/04/7/37/brian2.jpeg)
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 flatmate who could cook, so they let him move in. While Robin is convinced he’s in with a dance with both of them, he never manages to impress them enough – and his chances aren’t helped by the landlord (Murphy) and his wife Mildred who live downstairs.
When Man About The House ended in 1976, a spin-off series was created for Murphy and Joyce, titled George and Mildred, which followed the dynamic of the married landlord and landlady couple and proved popular among fans of the series. Murphy acted in feature films based on both shows. He is survived by his wife, the Hi-de-Hi! actor Linda Regan, and two sons. Regan said: “I was lucky to have in my lifetime found my soulmate. Brian who I will love forever.”.
