Richard O'Sullivan

Richard Thomas O'Sullivan was born on 7 May 1944 in Chiswick, west London, the son of John O'Sullivan, a garage mechanic, and Ellen O'Sullivan, née Fleming. A family holiday to Ireland left the young Richard with a pronounced Irish accent — and it was that quirk of childhood that led his parents to enrol him at the Corona Theatre School, inadvertently setting him on a path that would carry him to the very heart of British entertainment for more than five decades. He made his screen debut at just eight years old in The Yellow Balloon (1953), and by his early teens he had already appeared in a Peter Hall production of Love's Labour's Lost at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford. In 1963, he stepped onto Hollywood's grandest stage, playing Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII in the epic Cleopatra alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He also shared the screen with Cliff Richard in two musical films, The Young Ones (1961) and Wonderful Life (1964), cementing his reputation as one of Britain's most versatile young performers. The 1970s brought the role that would define him. Cast as Robin Tripp — a trainee chef sharing a London flat with two unmarried women — in ITV's groundbreaking sitcom Man About the House (1973–1976), O'Sullivan became a household name virtually overnight. His lopsided grin and effortlessly charming warmth made Robin irresistible to audiences, and the show's success spawned a feature film and the beloved spin-off Robin's Nest (1977–1981), in which Robin opened his own bistro. O'Sullivan's contribution extended behind the camera too: he composed the Robin's Nest theme tune and co-authored two recipe books tied to the series. The character of Robin Tripp would cross the Atlantic and inspire the American hit Three's Company. Between sitcoms, he took on the swashbuckling title role in Dick Turpin (1979–1982), and later starred in Me and My Girl (1984–1988), demonstrating a range that went well beyond the charming rascal audiences adored. In later life O'Sullivan faced considerable personal challenges, and after suffering a stroke in 2003 he made his home at Brinsworth House, the Royal Variety Charity's care home in Twickenham. He spent his final twenty-three years there, cared for and surrounded by warmth. Richard O'Sullivan died peacefully on 4 October 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by close family. He is survived by his son James, daughter-in-law Kate, grandchildren Nancy and Freddie, and his brother John. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter, warmth, and an indelible place in the golden age of British television.