Agent praises a 'joyful and profoundly good-hearted man'

Brian Murphy, the star of 1970s sitcoms Man About The House and George And Mildred, has died at the age of 92.

His wife Linda Regan, who played Yellowcoat April in Hi-Di-Di confirmed the news on social media.

Posting a picture of herself kissing her husband, she wrote: ‘My love for you will never die. RIP sweetheart.’

My love for you will never die. RIP sweetheart pic.twitter.com/nVVfJ0bJ6J

— Linda Regan (@Linda_Regan) February 4, 2025

Murphy's friend and agent, Thomas Bowington, described the star as a 'joyful and profoundly good-hearted man' and paid tribute to his 'talent and humanity’.

Thin Blue Line star James Dreyfus also paid tribute online, writing: ‘Did a Ray Cooney farce with this comedy genius. He was playing the butler. Stole the show every single night without even trying. One of the kindest, gentlest, most generous actors I had the good fortune of working with.  A true comedy legend.’

Born on the Isle of Wight, Murphy was a member of the Theatre Workshop, founded by influential theatre director Joan Littlewood, and was a jobbing actor appearing in TV shows including Z-Cars and Dixon of Dock Green.

He got his break playing landlord George Roper in Man About The House from 1973. The sitcom  was considered controversial for the time because it featured two single women living with a man.

When it ended in 1976, Murphy and Yootha Joyce, who played his on-screen wife, starred in the spin-off, George And Mildred, which ran for five series until 1979. A sixth series had been written, but Joyce died of cirrhosis of the liver, having long struggled with alcoholism.

The pair even took the characters on the road while Murphy released a single in character as George, Jogging, with The Great Gnome Robbery on the B-side.

Broadcaster Matthew Sweet said of his on-screen persona: ‘Some actors capture an aspect of their historical moment. The combover, the knitwear, the wheedling and fussing - Brian Murphy was the absolute exemplar of a certain kind of postwar masculinity - the salaryman born slightly too early for the Permissive Society.  RIP.’

In 1981, another sitcom was created specifically for him, The Incredible Mr. Tanner, but it was not a hit. Nor was the 1982 driving school TV sitcom L for Leste,.

However, Murphy continued to be a regular face on TV, most notably playing Alvin Smedley in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010, below.

He also appeared in Holby City, The Catherine Tate Show, This is Jinsy, Man Down and Benidorm, played Stan the shopkeeper in the 1990s children's series Wizadora, and Maurice in the comedy-drama series The Booze Cruise.

Television comedy producer Spencer Millman wrote today: ‘Had the great honour of working with Brian Murphy on Man Down. He was of course, as expected, a kind, gentle, brilliantly funny man. RIP.’

And Benidorm creator Derren Litten said: ‘Incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Brian Murphy. A genuine legend of comedy acting.  Man About the House + George & Mildred were a childhood favourites then I had the immense honour of writing for him in The Catherine Tate Show & Benidorm. Much love to Linda & family.’

Murphy had been married to Regan since 1995. He had two children, Trevor and Kevin, from his previous marriage, and also s and fostered six children.

Published: 4 Feb 2025