Michael Robbins
Acting • Born 1930-11-14 – Died 1992-12-11
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?
Filmography
95 credits
You in Your Small Corner
Movie • 1962
Georgie
Mutiny on the Buses
Movie • 1972
Arthur Rudge
The Bone Yard
Movie • 1964
Sergeant Strickland
Till Death Us Do Part
Movie • 1969
Fred
The Hunting of Lionel Crane
Movie • 1970
Sergeant Billings
The Drummer and the Bloke
Movie • 1968
Jack
On the Buses
Movie • 1971
Arthur Rudge
Holiday on the Buses
Movie • 1973
Arthur Rudge
Victor/Victoria
Movie • 1982
Manager of Victoria's Hotel
The Bargee
Movie • 1964
Bargee
Dead Man's Chest
Movie • 1965
Sergeant Harris
The Count of Monte Cristo
Movie • 1964
Gaspard Caderousse
Crossplot
Movie • 1969
Garage Attendant
Children of the Damned
Movie • 1964
Adam Bede
Movie • 1992
Thias Bede
The Saint and the Brave Goose
Movie • 1979
Beeky
A Prize of Arms
Movie • 1962
Orford
Horizontal Hold
Movie • 1968
TV Repairman
Danger! Men Working
Movie • 1961
Second Labourer
Lunch Hour
Movie • 1962
Harris
Soap Opera in Stockwell
Movie • 1973
Bert
No Sex Please - We're British
Movie • 1973
Car Driver
Villain
Movie • 1971
Barzun
The Looking Glass War
Movie • 1970
Truck Driver
Man About the House
Movie • 1974
Doorman
Just Ask for Diamond
Movie • 1988
The Fat Man
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Movie • 1976
Jarvis
The Great Muppet Caper
Movie • 1981
Henderson
The Whisperers
Movie • 1967
Mr Noonan
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Movie • 1982
Nym
Lost In London
Movie • 1985
Bill
All the Way Up
Movie • 1970
Taxi Driver
Rattle of a Simple Man
Movie • 1964
George (organiser)
What a Crazy World
Movie • 1963
Percy
Up the Junction
Movie • 1968
Figgins
Doctor Who: The Visitation
Movie • 1982
Richard Mace
Murder Rap
Movie • 1980
Det. Sgt. Praed
That's Your Funeral
Movie • 1972
2nd Funeral Director
Zeppelin
Movie • 1971
Cockney Sergeant
The Ties That Bind Us
Movie • 2008
Richard Mace (archive footage)
One Foot in the Grave: The Man In The Long Black Coat
Movie • 1991
Mr Killick
Blinker's Spy-Spotter
Movie • 1972
Policeman
Act of Murder
Movie • 1964
Van Driver
Adam Adamant Lives!
TV • 1966
On the Buses
TV • 1969
Arthur Rudge
Department S
TV • 1969
Burton
The Bill
TV • 1984
Doctor Who
TV • 1963
Richard Mace
Z-Cars
TV • 1962
Gideon's Way
TV • 1965
Smith
Dempsey and Makepeace
TV • 1985
Simmons
George and Mildred
TV • 1976
The Sweeney
TV • 1975
Kevin Lee
The Avengers
TV • 1961
Henry Farrow
The Good Life
TV • 1975
Mr. Bulstrode
The Chinese Detective
TV • 1981
The Saint
TV • 1962
Harry
Callan
TV • 1967
One Foot in the Grave
TV • 1990
Fresh Fields
TV • 1984
Mr. Pringle
No Hiding Place
TV • 1959
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width
TV • 1967
Sherlock Holmes
TV • 1964
Judge Dee
TV • 1969
Thick As Thieves
TV • 1974
You Can't Win
TV • 1966
Minder
TV • 1979
McQueen
Fairly Secret Army
TV • 1984
Sgt. Major Throttle
The Cannon & Ball Show
TV • 1979
Police Seargent
Justice
TV • 1971
Eddie
Dick Turpin
TV • 1979
Sgt. Bullock
The Bounder
TV • 1982
Bert
The Main Chance
TV • 1969
Gerry Baxter
Return of the Saint
TV • 1978
Beeky
The New Statesman
TV • 1987
Mad Eddie
The Man in Room 17
TV • 1965
C.P.O. Bradshaw
The Saint
TV • 1962
Smith
Legacy of Murder
TV • 1982
Marley
The Avengers
TV • 1961
Cavell
Brendon Chase
TV • 1982
Sergeant Bunting
You Rang, M'Lord?
TV • 1990
Twelvetrees Senior
Londoners
TV • 1965
Shaw
Crane
TV • 1963
Jennings
Story Parade
TV • 1964
Edward Cowley
Mixed Blessings
TV • 1978
Fred Fachetti
In Sickness and in Health
TV • 1985
Rail Worker
Black and Blue
TV • 1973
Bert
Rumpole of the Bailey
TV • 1975
Cyril Timson
Theatre 625
TV • 1964
Tom
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
TV • 1977
Pumphrey
Dixon of Dock Green
TV • 1955
Charlie Mills
Studio 4
TV • 1962
Humphrey Place
Centre Play
TV • 1973
Swaffer
Armchair Theatre
TV • 1956
Dave
Redcap
TV • 1964
Private Pendlebury