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