Michael Robbins
42 movies · 59 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Nov 14, 1930
- Died
- Dec 11, 1992 (age 62)
- Place of birth
- London, England, UK
Biography
Born in London, Robbins was a bank clerk who became an actor after appearing in amateur dramatic performances in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where he and his family lived at the time. Robbins made his television debut as the cockney soldier in Roll-on Bloomin' Death. 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). Robbins and Karen provided the secondary comic storyline to Reg Varney's comedy capers at the bus depot. Robbins also appeared in the series film spin-offs, On the Buses, Mutiny on the Buses, and Holiday on the Buses. 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? He appeared as a rather humorously portrayed police sergeant in the TV adaptation of Brendon Chase.
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 Minder, The Sweeney, Z-Cars, Return of the Saint, Murder Most English, The Avengers, Dixon of Dock Green, The Bill and the 1982 Doctor Who story The Visitation.
Read the full biography
Robbins's film credits included The Whisperers, Up The Junction, The Looking Glass War, Zeppelin and Blake Edwards' films The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Victor/Victoria'. He also had an extensive career as a radio actor, including a role in the soap opera Waggoner's Walk and the satirical 1970s show Life is What Yer Make It.
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, and received a Papal Award for his services in 1987. In one of his last television appearances, in A Little Bit of Heaven Robbins recalled his childhood visits to Norfolk and spoke of his faith and love of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. Michael Robbins had a brother Jack who was a head teacher at Saint Gregory's Catholic middle school in Bedford in the 1970s and early 1980s. Michael made some guest appearances at this school throughout the years and sometimes entertained the pupils with various sketches with his brother Jack Robbins
In the mid-1970s he also directed a film: How Are You?
Profiles IMDb
Known for
Michael Robbins: movies and TV shows
Acting (101)
- 2008 The Ties That Bind Us
as Richard Mace (archive footage)
- 1992 Adam Bede
as Thias Bede
- 1991 One Foot in the Grave: The Man In The Long Black Coat
as Mr Killick
- 1990
- 1990
- 1988 Just Ask for Diamond
as The Fat Man
- 1987
- 1985 Lost In London
as Bill
- 1985
- 1985
- 1984
- 1984
- 1984
- 1982 The Merry Wives of Windsor
as Nym
- 1982 Victor/Victoria
as Manager of Victoria's Hotel
- 1982
- 1982 Doctor Who: The Visitation
as Richard Mace
- 1982
- 1982
- 1981 The Great Muppet Caper
as Henderson
- 1981
- 1980 Murder Rap
as Det. Sgt. Praed
- 1979
- 1979
- 1979 The Saint and the Brave Goose
as Beeky
- 1979
- 1978
- 1978
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976 The Pink Panther Strikes Again
as Jarvis
- 1976
- 1976
- 1975
- 1975
- 1975
- 1974 Man About the House
as Doorman
- 1974
- 1974
- 1973 Soap Opera in Stockwell
as Bert
- 1973
- 1973 No Sex Please - We're British
as Car Driver
- 1973
- 1973 Holiday on the Buses
as Arthur Rudge
- 1972 That's Your Funeral
as 2nd Funeral Director
- 1972 Mutiny on the Buses
as Arthur Rudge
- 1972 Blinker's Spy-Spotter
as Policeman
- 1971
- 1971 On the Buses
as Arthur Rudge
- 1971 Villain
as Barzun
- 1971 Zeppelin
as Cockney Sergeant
- 1970 All the Way Up
as Taxi Driver
- 1970 The Hunting of Lionel Crane
as Sergeant Billings
- 1970 The Looking Glass War
as Truck Driver
- 1969 Crossplot
as Garage Attendant
- 1969
- 1969
- 1969 Judge Dee · TV
- 1969
- 1969
- 1969 Till Death Us Do Part
as Fred
- 1968 Horizontal Hold
as TV Repairman
- 1968 The Drummer and the Bloke
as Jack
- 1968 Up the Junction
as Figgins
- 1967 The Whisperers
as Mr Noonan
- 1967
- 1967
- 1966
- 1965 Dead Man's Chest
as Sergeant Harris
- 1965
- 1965
- 1965
- 1965
- 1965
- 1964 Rattle of a Simple Man
as George (organiser)
- 1964
- 1964
- 1964 The Bone Yard
as Sergeant Strickland
- 1964 The Wednesday Play · TV
as Sergeant Strickland / Albert Barking / Jack / Henry Whittaker / Sergeant Billings · 5 episodes
- 1964 Act of Murder
as Van Driver
- 1964
- 1964
- 1964
- 1964
- 1964 The Bargee
as Bargee
- 1964 Children of the Damned
as (uncredited)
- 1963
- 1963 What a Crazy World
as Percy
- 1963
- 1962 A Prize of Arms
as Orford
- 1962
- 1962 You in Your Small Corner
as Georgie
- 1962
- 1962
- 1962 Lunch Hour
as Harris
- 1961 Danger! Men Working
as Second Labourer
- 1961
- 1959
- 1959
- 1956
- 1955