Michael Robbins
Born
November 14, 1930
Died
December 11, 1992 (62 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
London, England, UK
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?
Known For
The Ties That Bind Us
Richard Mace (archive footage)
2008
Adam Bede
Thias Bede
1992
The Man In The Long Black Coat
Mr Killick
1991
You Rang, M'Lord?
Twelvetrees Senior · (1 episode)
1990
One Foot in the Grave
(1 episode)
1990
Just Ask for Diamond
The Fat Man
1988
The New Statesman
Mad Eddie · (1 episode)
1987
Lost In London
Bill
1985
Dempsey and Makepeace
Simmons · (1 episode)
1985
Fairly Secret Army
Sgt. Major Throttle · (13 episodes)
1984
The Bill
(2 episodes)
1984
Fresh Fields
Mr. Pringle · (1 episode)
1984
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Nym
1982
Victor/Victoria
Manager of Victoria's Hotel
1982
The Bounder
Bert · (2 episodes)
1982
Doctor Who: The Visitation
Richard Mace
1982
Legacy of Murder
Marley · (1 episode)
1982
Brendon Chase
Sergeant Bunting · (13 episodes)
1982
The Great Muppet Caper
Henderson
1981
The Chinese Detective
(1 episode)
1981
Murder Rap
Det. Sgt. Praed
1980
Minder
McQueen · (1 episode)
1979
The Cannon & Ball Show
Police Seargent · (1 episode)
1979
How's Your Father
(14 episodes)
1979
The Saint and the Brave Goose
Beeky
1979
Dick Turpin
Sgt. Bullock · (1 episode)
1979
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Nym · (1 episode)
1978
Return of the Saint
Beeky · (1 episode)
1978
Mixed Blessings
(22 episodes)
1978
Murder Most English
Pumphrey · (7 episodes)
1977
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Jarvis
1976
George and Mildred
(1 episode)
1976
Rumpole of the Bailey
(1 episode)
1975
The Good Life
Mr. Bulstrode · (1 episode)
1975
The Sweeney
Kevin Lee · (1 episode)
1975
Man About the House
Doorman
1974
Thick As Thieves
(8 episodes)
1974
Soap Opera in Stockwell
Bert
1973
Black and Blue
(1 episode)
1973
No Sex Please: We're British
Car Driver
1973
Holiday on the Buses
Arthur Rudge
1973
That's Your Funeral
2nd Funeral Director
1972
Mutiny on the Buses
Arthur Rudge
1972
Blinker's Spy-Spotter
Policeman
1972
Justice
Eddie · (1 episode)
1971
On the Buses
Arthur Rudge
1971
Villain
Barzun
1971
Zeppelin
Cockney Sergeant
1971
All the Way Up
Taxi Driver
1970
The Hunting of Lionel Crane
Sergeant Billings
1970
The Looking Glass War
Truck Driver
1970
Crossplot
Garage Attendant
1969
Department S
Burton · (1 episode)
1969
The Main Chance
Gerry Baxter · (1 episode)
1969
Judge Dee
(1 episode)
1969
On the Buses
Arthur Rudge · (74 episodes)
1969
Till Death Us Do Part
Fred
1969
Horizontal Hold
TV Repairman
1968
The Drummer and the Bloke
Jack
1968
Up the Junction
Figgins
1968
The Whisperers
Mr Noonan
1967
Callan
(1 episode)
1967
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width
(1 episode)
1967
You Can't Win
(1 episode)
1966
Adam Adamant Lives!
(1 episode)
1966
Dead Man's Chest
Sergeant Harris
1965
The Man in Room 17
C.P.O. Bradshaw · (1 episode)
1965
Londoners
Shaw · (1 episode)
1965
Gideon's Way
Smith · (1 episode)
1965
Rattle of a Simple Man
George (organiser)
1964
Redcap
(1 episode)
1964
The Count of Monte Cristo
Gaspard Caderousse
1964
The Bone Yard
Sergeant Strickland
1964
Sherlock Holmes
(1 episode)
1964
Children of the Damned
1964
The Bargee
Bargee
1964
Doctor Who
Richard Mace · (4 episodes)
1963
What a Crazy World
Percy
1963
Crane
Jennings · (1 episode)
1963
A Prize of Arms
Orford
1962
The Saint
Harry · (2 episodes)
1962
The Saint
Smith · (1 episode)
1962
You in Your Small Corner
Georgie
1962
Studio Four
Humphrey Place · (1 episode)
1962
Z-Cars
(1 episode)
1962
Lunch Hour
Harris
1962
Danger! Men Working
Second Labourer
1961
The Avengers
Henry Farrow · (3 episodes)
1961
The Avengers
Cavell · (1 episode)
1961
No Hiding Place
(2 episodes)
1959