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Michael Robbins

Michael Robbins

Known For Acting
Birthday Nov 14, 1930
Died Dec 11, 1992 (62)
Birthplace London, England, UK
Popularity 0.8 (history)
Updated Aug 05, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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

Filmography

Adam Bede

Adam Bede

1992

as Thias Bede

Just Ask for Diamond

Just Ask for Diamond

1988

as The Fat Man

Lost In London

Lost In London

1985

as Bill

Victor/Victoria

Victor/Victoria

1982

as Manager of Victoria's Hotel

The Great Muppet Caper

The Great Muppet Caper

1981

as Henderson

Murder Rap

Murder Rap

1980

as Det. Sgt. Praed

Man About the House

Man About the House

1974

as Doorman

Holiday on the Buses

Holiday on the Buses

1973

as Arthur Rudge

No Sex Please: We're British

No Sex Please: We're British

1973

as Car Driver

Mutiny on the Buses

Mutiny on the Buses

1972

as Arthur his brother in law

That's Your Funeral

That's Your Funeral

1972

as 2nd Funeral Director

On the Buses

On the Buses

1971

as Arthur Rudge - Stan's Brother-in-Law

Zeppelin

Zeppelin

1971

as Cockney Sergeant

Villain

Villain

1971

as Barzun

The Hunting of Lionel Crane

The Hunting of Lionel Crane

1970

as Sergeant Billings

The Looking Glass War

The Looking Glass War

1970

as Truck Driver

All the Way Up

All the Way Up

1970

as Taxi Driver

Till Death Us Do Part

Till Death Us Do Part

1969

as Fred

Crossplot

Crossplot

1969

as Garage Attendant

Horizontal Hold

Horizontal Hold

1968

as TV Repairman

Up the Junction

Up the Junction

1968

as Figgins

The Whisperers

The Whisperers

1967

as Mr Noonan

Dead Man's Chest

Dead Man's Chest

1965

as Sergeant Harris

The Bone Yard

The Bone Yard

1964

as Sergeant Strickland

Rattle of a Simple Man

Rattle of a Simple Man

1964

as George (organiser)

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo

1964

as Gaspard Caderousse

The Bargee

The Bargee

1964

as Bargee

What a Crazy World

What a Crazy World

1963

as Percy

Lunch Hour

Lunch Hour

1962

as Harris

You in Your Small Corner

You in Your Small Corner

1962

as Georgie

A Prize of Arms

A Prize of Arms

1962

as Orford

Danger! Men Working

Danger! Men Working

1961

as Second Labourer

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

On the Buses

as Arthur Rudge

Episodes: 74

First Aired: Feb 28, 1969

Fairly Secret Army

as Sgt. Major Throttle

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Oct 22, 1984

Brendon Chase

as Sergeant Bunting

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Jan 03, 1982

Murder Most English

as Pumphrey

Episodes: 7

First Aired: May 08, 1977

Doctor Who

as Richard Mace

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Nov 23, 1963

The Avengers

as Henry Farrow

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Jan 07, 1961

The Saint

as Harry

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 04, 1962

The Bounder

as Bert

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Apr 16, 1982

Department S

as Burton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 09, 1969

Gideon's Way

as Smith

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 18, 1965

Dempsey and Makepeace

as Simmons

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 11, 1985

The Sweeney

as Kevin Lee

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 02, 1975

The Good Life

as Mr. Bulstrode

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 04, 1975

Fresh Fields

as Mr. Pringle

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 07, 1984

Studio Four

as Humphrey Place

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 22, 1962

Minder

as McQueen

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 29, 1979

The Cannon & Ball Show

as Police Seargent

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 28, 1979

Justice

as Eddie

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1971

The Main Chance

as Gerry Baxter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 18, 1969

Return of the Saint

as Beeky

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1978

The New Statesman

as Mad Eddie

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1987

The Man In Room 17

as C.P.O. Bradshaw

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 11, 1965

The Saint

as Smith

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1962

Legacy of Murder

as Marley

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 16, 1982

The Avengers

as Cavell

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 07, 1961

You Rang, M'Lord?

as Twelvetrees Senior

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 14, 1990

Mixed Blessings

Episodes: 22

First Aired: Mar 03, 1978

How's Your Father

Episodes: 14

First Aired: Feb 27, 1979

Thick As Thieves

Episodes: 8

First Aired: Jun 01, 1974

The Bill

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 16, 1984

No Hiding Place

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 16, 1959

Adam Adamant Lives!

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 23, 1966

Z-Cars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 02, 1962

George and Mildred

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1976

The Chinese Detective

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 30, 1981

Rumpole of the Bailey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 17, 1975

Callan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 08, 1967

One Foot In the Grave

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 04, 1990

Redcap

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 17, 1964

Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 18, 1967

Black and Blue

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 14, 1973

The BBC Television Shakespeare

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 03, 1978

Sherlock Holmes

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 17, 1964

Judge Dee

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 08, 1969

You Can't Win

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 07, 1966

Dick Turpin

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 06, 1979

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 9 15 5
2024 7 18 34 8
2024 8 11 41 4
2024 9 6 16 2
2024 10 6 21 2
2024 11 3 6 1
2024 12 4 7 2
2025 1 6 11 3
2025 2 3 8 1
2025 3 2 4 1
2025 5 1 1 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 12 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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