Michael Robbins
Known for Acting · 98 credits
- Born
- 1930-11-14
- Died
- 1992-12-11
- 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.
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
TV Shows (55)
The Avengers
1961
as Henry Farrow / Cavell
The Bill
1984
Doctor Who
1963
as Richard Mace
Z-Cars
1962
The Wednesday Play
1964
as Sergeant Strickland / Albert Barking / Jack / Henry Whittaker / Sergeant Billings
The Saint
1962
as Harry / Smith
No Hiding Place
1959
Minder
1979
as McQueen
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965
as Harris
Dixon of Dock Green
1955
as Charlie Mills
Theatre 625
1964
as Tom
The Sweeney
1975
as Kevin Lee
Rumpole of the Bailey
1975
as Cyril Timson
Gideon's Way
1965
as Smith
Centre Play
1973
as Swaffer
Justice
1971
as Eddie
Crane
1963
as Jennings
Dempsey and Makepeace
1985
as Simmons
The Main Chance
1969
as Gerry Baxter
Story Parade
1964
as Edward Cowley
On the Buses
1969
as Arthur Rudge
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969
as Michael Vint
Return of the Saint
1978
as Beeky
Department S
1969
as Burton
In Sickness and in Health
1985
as Rail Worker
Studio 4
1962
as Humphrey Place
Callan
1967
One Foot in the Grave
1990
Dick Turpin
1979
as Sgt. Bullock
The New Statesman
1987
as Mad Eddie
Sherlock Holmes
1964
Edgar Wallace Mysteries
1959
as Sergeant Harris
You Rang, M'Lord?
1990
as Twelvetrees Senior
Redcap
1964
as Private Pendlebury
Mixed Blessings
1978
as Fred Fachetti
The Good Life
1975
as Mr. Bulstrode
The Cannon & Ball Show
1979
as Police Seargent
George and Mildred
1976
The Chinese Detective
1981
Black and Blue
1973
as Bert
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
1977
as Pumphrey
Londoners
1965
as Shaw
The Man in Room 17
1965
as C.P.O. Bradshaw
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width
1967
Armchair Theatre
1956
as Dave
Fairly Secret Army
1984
as Sgt. Major Throttle
The Bounder
1982
as Bert
Operation Patch
1976
as George Cosserat
Fresh Fields
1984
as Mr. Pringle
Judge Dee
1969
The Wednesday Thriller
1965
as Clerk of the Court
You Can't Win
1966
Thick as Thieves
1974
Legacy of Murder
1982
as Marley
Brendon Chase
1982
as Sergeant Bunting
Movies (43)
Victor/Victoria
1982
as Manager of Victoria's Hotel
The Great Muppet Caper
1981
as Henderson
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
1976
as Jarvis
The Bargee
1964
as Bargee
The Looking Glass War
1970
as Truck Driver
No Sex Please - We're British
1973
as Car Driver
Children of the Damned
1964
as (uncredited)
Crossplot
1969
as Garage Attendant
The Merry Wives of Windsor
1982
as Nym
Man About the House
1974
as Doorman
Zeppelin
1971
as Cockney Sergeant
Mutiny on the Buses
1972
as Arthur Rudge
The Ties That Bind Us
2008
as Richard Mace (archive footage)
On the Buses
1971
as Arthur Rudge
Danger! Men Working
1961
as Second Labourer
One Foot in the Grave: The Man In The Long Black Coat
1991
as Mr Killick
Holiday on the Buses
1973
as Arthur Rudge
Villain
1971
as Barzun
Lunch Hour
1962
as Harris
Till Death Us Do Part
1969
as Fred
That's Your Funeral
1972
as 2nd Funeral Director
Up the Junction
1968
as Figgins
Adam Bede
1992
as Thias Bede
The Whisperers
1967
as Mr Noonan
Just Ask for Diamond
1988
as The Fat Man
A Prize of Arms
1962
as Orford
Lost In London
1985
as Bill
All the Way Up
1970
as Taxi Driver
Rattle of a Simple Man
1964
as George (organiser)
Doctor Who: The Visitation
1982
as Richard Mace
The Drummer and the Bloke
1968
as Jack
Horizontal Hold
1968
as TV Repairman
The Count of Monte Cristo
1964
as Gaspard Caderousse
Soap Opera in Stockwell
1973
as Bert
Act of Murder
1964
as Van Driver
The Hunting of Lionel Crane
1970
as Sergeant Billings
What a Crazy World
1963
as Percy
The Saint and the Brave Goose
1979
as Beeky
Dead Man's Chest
1965
as Sergeant Harris
Blinker's Spy-Spotter
1972
as Policeman
Murder Rap
1980
as Det. Sgt. Praed
The Bone Yard
1964
as Sergeant Strickland
You in Your Small Corner
1962
as Georgie
About 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… With 98 credits spanning from 1955 to 2008, Michael Robbins has appeared in 43 films and 55 TV shows.
Fans searching for Michael Robbins movies, Michael Robbins filmography, or the latest projects starring Michael Robbins can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Michael Robbins Movies
- Victor/Victoria (1982) — as Manager of Victoria's Hotel
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981) — as Henderson
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) — as Jarvis
- The Bargee (1964) — as Bargee
- The Looking Glass War (1970) — as Truck Driver
Where to Watch Michael Robbins Films
Most Michael Robbins movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Michael Robbins, check our movies catalogue and browse page.