An actor known best for appearing in various sitcoms and the 1963 epic historical drama movie “Cleopatra” has sadly passed away at the age of 82.
Richard O’Sullivan was born on May 7, 1944, in Chiswick, London, England. He passed away on Friday, September 4.
The sitcoms he was most famous for starring in were “Man About the House,” “Robin’s Nest,” and “Me and My Girl.” He played Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII alongside the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Rex Harrison in “Cleopatra.”
Per the BBC, in accordance with a statement by Giles Cooper of the Royal Variety, O’Sullivan died surrounded by his close family at Brinsworth House, the Royal Variety Charity’s care home in west London. The actor had lived there for 23 years following a 2003 stroke.
Cooper said of O’Sullivan, “Richard O’Sullivan was a master of effortless charm and impeccable comic timing, bringing pure warmth, wit, and unforgettable joy to millions of living rooms as a true giant of British television.”
He added that O’Sullivan would be “sorely missed by us all at the Royal Variety Charity.”
The actor’s son, James O’Sullivan, also shared a statement via the Royal Variety. He said, “My dad was as funny and charming in real life as he appeared on our TV screens over the years. Always kind-spirited, good humoured, a doting grandfather and a wonderful dad – I will miss him dearly.”
James’ statement continued, “Although much of his career happened before I was born, I was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy and witness his incredible talents on the countless re-runs of his shows that made him the respected and loved actor that he was.”
He then thanked the staff at Brinsworth House for their “love, kindness and care.”
Richard O’Sullivan Had an Extensive Filmography
GettyIn addition to “Man About the House,” “Robin’s Nest,” “Me and My Girl,” and “Cleopatra,” Richard O’Sullivan had an extensive body of work that started in the 1950s and ended in the 1990s.
Other television shows he appeared in included the American mystery series “Sherlock Holmes,” the BBC’s serial adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations,” the sitcom “Now Look Here,” the sitcom “Alcock and Gander,” the drama series “Dick Turpin” (in which he portrayed the eponymous highwayman), and the sitcom “Trouble in Mind.”
Movie-wise, his credits also included the likes of 1954’s British-Italian drama thriller “The Stranger’s Hand,” 1955’s historical action-adventure flick “The Dark Avenger,” 1959’s comedy film “Carry On Teacher,” 1961’s comedy musical “The Young Ones,” 1969’s horror classic “The Haunted House of Horror,” and 1974’s British sex comedy “Can You Keep It Up for a Week?”
When news of O’Sullivan’s passing began to circulate online, tributes to the actor started pouring in on social media.
Tributes Poured in for ‘Legend’ O’Sullivan
Social media is now awash with tributes to the late actor Richard O’Sullivan.
In the comments section of one Instagram post about his passing (embedded above), one user commented, “He was great quality to watch on the telly.”
Another Instagram user wrote, “so many memories of this brilliant funny actor from my childhood in the 70’s x.”
Somebody else said, “So sad 😢 really loved him as an actor. Another legend lost 💔🥺xxxx.”
“Oh dear, that’s really sad, I have really enjoyed watching all the reruns of Man about the house on that’s TV, sad loss,” noted one individual.
Someone else commented, “RIP, great versatile actor, really sad news. Thoughts are with his friends and family. ❤️”
English actor and singer Robin Askwith wrote on X, “Anyone who knows anything about me knows this hurts. He was the greatest actor of his generation, making comedy look simple and solid drama even more effortless. He was a rascal and I loved him… Richard O’ Sullivan RIP. I’ll just say….sausage rolls…….!”
Finally, another X user posted, “Richard O’Sullivan has passed away. He’s largely forgotten today but in the 70s and early 80s he was one of the most famous TV actors in Britain and pretty much the definitive cheeky chappie. John Ritter’s character in the US sitcom Three’s Company was based on him. RIP.”
O’Sullivan had been married twice. First, to Diana Terry for less than a year in 1971, then to Christine Smart from 1987 until 1994. He had also been in relationships with actresses Sally Thomsett and Tessa Wyatt. However, he had no partner in his later years.
He is survived by his one aforementioned son, James, and several grandchildren.
We’d like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Richard O’Sullivan at this upsetting time. May his memory forever be a blessing and may he rest in eternal peace.
Richard O’Sullivan’s filmography and some personal info were courtesy of IMDb.
