Image of Michael Robbins

Michael Robbins

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. 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?


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Movie/TV Credits:
68
First Appeared:
In the series No Hiding Place 1959-09-16
Latest Project:
Movie The Independent 2000-11-10
Known For
Poster of Lost In London
Poster of How's Your Father
Poster of Mixed Blessings
Poster of Holiday on the Buses
Filmography
Movie The Independent Orthodontist 2000-11-10
Movie Adam Bede Thias Bede 1992-03-01
Series One Foot In the Grave Unknown 1990-01-04
Movie Just Ask for Diamond The Fat Man 1988-09-01
Series Dempsey and Makepeace Unknown 1985-01-11
Movie Lost In London Bill 1985-11-20
Series The Bill Unknown 1984-10-16
Series Fairly Secret Army Sgt. Major Throttle 1984-10-22
Movie Doctor Who: The Visitation Richard Mace 1982-02-23
Series Brendon Chase Sergeant Bunting 1982-01-03
Movie Victor/Victoria Manager of Victoria's Hotel 1982-04-25
Movie The Merry Wives of Windsor Nym 1982-12-28
Series The Chinese Detective Unknown 1981-04-30
Movie The Great Muppet Caper Henderson 1981-06-26
Movie Murder Rap Det. Sgt. Praed 1980-01-31
Movie The Saint and the Brave Goose Beeky 1979-01-07
Series How's Your Father 1979-02-27
Series BBC Television Shakespeare Unknown 1978-12-03
Series Mixed Blessings 1978-03-03
Series George and Mildred Unknown 1976-09-06
Movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again Jarvis 1976-12-15
Series The Good Life Unknown 1975-04-04
Series Rumpole of the Bailey Unknown 1975-12-17
Series Thick As Thieves 1974-06-01
Movie Man About the House Doorman 1974-12-22
Movie Holiday on the Buses Arthur Rudge 1973-05-19
Movie No Sex Please: We're British Car Driver 1973-07-25
Series Black and Blue Unknown 1973-08-14
Movie Soap Opera in Stockwell Bert 1973-09-11
Movie Mutiny on the Buses Arthur his brother in law 1972-06-02
Movie That's Your Funeral 2nd Funeral Director 1972-12-01
Movie Villain Barzun 1971-05-26
Movie Zeppelin Cockney Sergeant 1971-04-08
Movie On the Buses Arthur Rudge - Stan's Brother-in-Law 1971-07-09
Movie The Looking Glass War Truck Driver 1970-01-02
Movie The Hunting of Lionel Crane Sergeant Billings 1970-01-21
Movie All the Way Up Taxi Driver 1970-06-01
Movie Till Death Us Do Part Fred 1969-01-01
Series Judge Dee Unknown 1969-04-08
Series On the Buses 1969-02-28
Series Department S Unknown 1969-09-09
Movie Crossplot Garage Attendant 1969-11-25
Movie Up the Junction Figgins 1968-01-25
Movie Horizontal Hold TV Repairman 1968-05-27
Series Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width Unknown 1967-02-18
Movie The Whisperers Mr Noonan 1967-07-18
Series Callan Unknown 1967-07-08
Series Adam Adamant Lives! Unknown 1966-06-23
Series You Can't Win Unknown 1966-07-07
Series Gideon's Way Unknown 1965-03-18
Movie Dead Man's Chest Sergeant Harris 1965-10-27
Movie Children of the Damned 1964-01-10
Movie The Bargee Bargee 1964-01-01
Series Sherlock Holmes Unknown 1964-05-17
Series The Wednesday Play Unknown 1964-09-30
Movie Rattle of a Simple Man George (organiser) 1964-12-20
Series Redcap Unknown 1964-10-17
Movie The Count of Monte Cristo Gaspard Caderousse 1964-10-04
Movie What a Crazy World Percy 1963-07-02
Series Doctor Who Unknown 1963-11-23
Series Z-Cars Unknown 1962-01-02
Movie Lunch Hour Harris 1962-01-01
Movie A Prize of Arms Orford 1962-12-11
Series Studio Four Unknown 1962-01-22
Movie You in Your Small Corner Georgie 1962-06-05
Series The Saint Harry 1962-10-04
Series The Avengers Henry Farrow 1961-01-07
Series No Hiding Place Unknown 1959-09-16