Richard Briers

Richard Briers

Known for Acting · 122 credits

Born
1934-01-14
Died
2013-02-17
Place of birth
Raynes Park, Surrey, England, UK

Biography

Richard David Briers, CBE (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor. His fifty-year career encompassed television, stage, film and radio.

Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in Marriage Lines (1961–66), but it was a decade later, when he narrated Roobarb and Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk (1974–76) and when he played Tom Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life (1975–78), that he became a household name. Later, he starred as Martin in Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–89), and he had a leading role as Hector in Monarch of the Glen (2000–05). From the late 1980s, with Kenneth Branagh as director, he performed Shakespearean roles in Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996), and As You Like It (2006).

Known For

TV Shows (59)

Midsomer Murders
TV

Midsomer Murders

1997

as Stephen Wentworth

Doctor Who
TV

Doctor Who

1963

as Chief Caretaker

Play for Today
TV

Play for Today

1970

as Mr. Smythe / Commander Jack Broome

Wogan
TV

Wogan

1982

as Self

Agatha Christie's Marple
TV

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004

as Wilson

Tony Awards
TV

Tony Awards

1956

as Self - Nominee

BBC Play of the Month
TV

BBC Play of the Month

1965

as Sandy Tyrell

Natural World
TV

Natural World

1983

Tales of the Unexpected
TV

Tales of the Unexpected

1979

as Albert Dobson

New Tricks
TV

New Tricks

2004

as James Farlow

Torchwood
TV

Torchwood

2006

as Parker

Screen Two
TV

Screen Two

1985

as Old Arthur/George

Mr. Bean
TV

Mr. Bean

1990

as Mr. Sprout

ITV Playhouse
TV

ITV Playhouse

1967

as A

Theatre 625
TV

Theatre 625

1964

as David Prentice

Lovejoy
TV

Lovejoy

1986

as Raymond Doncaster

Parkinson
TV

Parkinson

1998

as Self

Extras
TV

Extras

2005

as Richard Briers

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
TV

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

2001

as Self

Monarch of the Glen
TV

Monarch of the Glen

2000

as Hector MacDonald

Dixon of Dock Green
TV

Dixon of Dock Green

1955

as Ken Tracey

Kingdom
TV

Kingdom

2007

as Jim Wright

Brass Eye
TV

Brass Eye

1997

as Self

Watership Down
TV

Watership Down

1999

as Captain Broom (voice)

The Good Life
TV

The Good Life

1975

as Tom Good

Ooh La La!
TV

Ooh La La!

1968

Comedy Connections
TV

Comedy Connections

2003

The Sunday Drama
TV

The Sunday Drama

1977

as Dennis

NBC Experiment in Television
TV

NBC Experiment in Television

1967

as (voice)

The Galton & Simpson Playhouse
TV

The Galton & Simpson Playhouse

1977

as Henry Fairlane

From a Bird's Eye View
TV

From a Bird's Eye View

1970

as George Lemon

Armchair Theatre
TV

Armchair Theatre

1956

as Stanley Frelaine

The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything
TV

The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything

2000

A Respectable Trade
TV

A Respectable Trade

1998

as Sir Charles Fairley

If You See God, Tell Him
TV

If You See God, Tell Him

1993

as Godfrey Spry

Ever Decreasing Circles
TV

Ever Decreasing Circles

1984

The Other One
TV

The Other One

1977

as Ralph Tanner

Roobarb
TV

Roobarb

1974

That's What I Call Television
TV

That's What I Call Television

2007

as Self

Marriage Lines
TV

Marriage Lines

1961

as George Starling

Faces of Jim
TV

Faces of Jim

1961

as John Frobisher / Lighthouse Assistant / Ricky Groin

A Bucket O' French and Saunders
TV

A Bucket O' French and Saunders

2007

Roobarb and Custard Too
TV

Roobarb and Custard Too

2005

as Narrator

One-Upmanship
TV

One-Upmanship

1976

as Stephen Potter

Down to Earth
TV

Down to Earth

1995

as Tony Fairfax

All in Good Faith
TV

All in Good Faith

1985

as Reverend Philip Lambe

Alias the Jester
TV

Alias the Jester

1985

as Alias

The Norman Conquests
TV

The Norman Conquests

1977

as Reg

Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk
TV

Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk

1976

Ben Travers Farces
TV

Ben Travers Farces

1970

as Charlie Tutt

Brothers In Law
TV

Brothers In Law

1962

Birds on the Wing
TV

Birds on the Wing

1971

as Charles Jackson

Goodbye Mr Kent
TV

Goodbye Mr Kent

1982

as Travis Kent

Bird Bath
TV

Bird Bath

as Narrator

Little Red Tractor Stories
TV

Little Red Tractor Stories

as Narrator (voice)

Geoff Hamilton: a Man and His Garden
TV

Geoff Hamilton: a Man and His Garden

1998

as Narrator

My Appalling School Report
TV

My Appalling School Report

2006

Noddy
TV

Noddy

1975

as Narrator

Tall Stories
TV

Tall Stories

1971

Movies (63)

Peter Pan
Movie

Peter Pan

2003

as Sam "Smee" Smiegel

Much Ado About Nothing
Movie

Much Ado About Nothing

1993

as Signor Leonato

The Three Musketeers
Movie

The Three Musketeers

1973

as Louis XIII (voice)

Spice World
Movie

Spice World

1997

as Bishop

Hamlet
Movie

Hamlet

1996

as Polonius

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Movie

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1994

as Grandfather

Watership Down
Movie

Watership Down

1978

as Fiver (voice)

Henry V
Movie

Henry V

1989

as Lieutenant Bardolph

Unconditional Love
Movie

Unconditional Love

2002

as Barry Moore

Cockneys vs Zombies
Movie

Cockneys vs Zombies

2012

as Hamish

The Four Musketeers
Movie

The Four Musketeers

1974

as Louis XIII (voice) (uncredited)

As You Like It
Movie

As You Like It

2006

as Adam

In the Bleak Midwinter
Movie

In the Bleak Midwinter

1995

as Henry

Love's Labour's Lost
Movie

Love's Labour's Lost

2000

as Sir Nathaniel

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Movie

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves

2016

as Acting Role (archive footage) (uncredited)

Murder She Said
Movie

Murder She Said

1961

as 'Mrs Binster'

Peter's Friends
Movie

Peter's Friends

1992

as Lord Morton

Fathom
Movie

Fathom

1967

as Flight Lt. Timothy Webb

The Bargee
Movie

The Bargee

1964

as Tomkins

Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley
Movie

Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley

2009

as Roobarb/Custard (voice)

Run For Your Wife
Movie

Run For Your Wife

2012

as Newspaper Seller

Dad
Movie

Dad

2005

as Larry James

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Movie

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

2005

as Self

Girls at Sea
Movie

Girls at Sea

1958

as 'Popeye' Lewis

A Chorus of Disapproval
Movie

A Chorus of Disapproval

1989

as Ted Washbrook

Village Wooing
Movie

Village Wooing

1979

as A

All the Way Up
Movie

All the Way Up

1970

as Nigel Hadfield

Victoria & Albert
Movie

Victoria & Albert

2001

as Joseph Paxton

Doctor in Distress
Movie

Doctor in Distress

1963

as Medical Student (uncredited)

Swan Song
Movie

Swan Song

1992

as Nikita

Rentadick
Movie

Rentadick

1972

as Miles Gannet

Heavy Weather
Movie

Heavy Weather

1995

as The Hon. Galahad Threepwood

The Adventures of Toad
Movie

The Adventures of Toad

1996

as Rat

The Adventures of Mole
Movie

The Adventures of Mole

1995

as Rat

The Student Prince
Movie

The Student Prince

1998

as Dr. Corbitt

Bob the Builder: The Knights of Can-A-Lot
Movie

Bob the Builder: The Knights of Can-A-Lot

2003

as Robert (voice)

National Theatre Live: London Assurance
Movie

National Theatre Live: London Assurance

2010

as Mr. Adolphus Spanker

Twelfth Night, or What You Will
Movie

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

1988

as Malvolio

Doctor Who: Paradise Towers
Movie

Doctor Who: Paradise Towers

1987

as The Chief Caretaker

A Matter of WHO
Movie

A Matter of WHO

1961

as Jamieson

The Girl on the Boat
Movie

The Girl on the Boat

1962

as Eustace Hignett

Great
Movie

Great

1975

as Isambard Kingdom Brunel

A Home of Your Own
Movie

A Home of Your Own

1964

as The Husband

The Good Life: Inside Out
Movie

The Good Life: Inside Out

2025

It's Your Move
Movie

It's Your Move

1982

as The Husband

Mole's Christmas
Movie

Mole's Christmas

1994

as Rat

Bottoms Up!
Movie

Bottoms Up!

1960

as Colbourne

P.Q. 17
Movie

P.Q. 17

1981

as Jack Broome

Our Hidden Lives
Movie

Our Hidden Lives

2005

as Herbert Brush

Arms and the Man
Movie

Arms and the Man

1983

as Bluntschli

The Aerodrome
Movie

The Aerodrome

1983

as The Rector

Our Flesh and Blood
Movie

Our Flesh and Blood

1977

as Mr. Smythe

The Good Life: Secret & Scandals
Movie

The Good Life: Secret & Scandals

2022

as (archive footage)

Mouse and Mole at Christmas Time
Movie

Mouse and Mole at Christmas Time

2013

as Mouse (voice)

Skallagrigg
Movie

Skallagrigg

1994

as Old Arthur/George

All in Good Time
Movie

All in Good Time

1964

as The Young Husband

All About The Good Life
Movie

All About The Good Life

2010

Roobarb and Custard: The Complete Collection
Movie

Roobarb and Custard: The Complete Collection

2017

as Narrator, Roobarb, Custard / lot of characters. (uncredited)

A Small Miracle
Movie

A Small Miracle

1976

as Himself - Commentator

Children's Favourites - Volume 1
Movie

Children's Favourites - Volume 1

1988

as Alias (voice)

French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
Movie

French and Saunders' Christmas Carol

1994

as Self

Frances the Firefly
Movie

Frances the Firefly

1994

as Narrator (voice)

Horror on the High Rise
Movie

Horror on the High Rise

2011

About Richard Briers

Richard David Briers, CBE (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor. His fifty-year career encompassed television, stage, film and radio. Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in Marriage Lines (1961–66), but it was a decade later, when he narrated Roobarb and Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk (1974–76) and when he played Tom Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life (1975–78), that he became a household name. Later, he starred as Martin in Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–89), and he had a leading role as Hector in Monarch of… With 122 credits spanning from 1955 to 2025, Richard Briers has appeared in 63 films and 59 TV shows.

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