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Richard Briers

Acting Born Jan 14, 1934 Died Feb 17, 2013 Raynes Park, Surrey, England, UK 128 credits

Biography

Richard Briers was an English actor born on January 14, 1934, in Raynes Park, Surrey, England, UK. He had a fifty-year career in television, stage, film, and radio. Briers first gained prominence in the 1960s as George Starling in Marriage Lines, and later became a household name in the 1970s for his roles in The Good Life and Roobarb and Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk. He continued to appear in notable productions, including Ever Decreasing Circles, Monarch of the Glen, and Shakespearean roles in Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Briers passed away on February 17, 2013, at the age of 79.

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Career

Career overview

Richard Briers was an English actor with a fifty-year career spanning television, stage, film, and radio. He first gained prominence as George Starling in the television series Marriage Lines, which aired from 1961 to 1966. Briers' subsequent work included narrating the animated series Roobarb and Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk, and playing the role of Tom Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life, which ran from 1975 to 1978.

Briers continued to appear in various television shows, including the sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles, in which he played the role of Martin, and the series Monarch of the Glen, where he had a leading role as Hector. He also performed in film adaptations of Shakespearean plays, including Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing, both directed by Kenneth Branagh in the late 1980s.

Throughout his career, Briers accumulated a large number of acting credits, with a total of 125 known credits. He was a well-established figure in the British entertainment industry, with a household name and a reputation for his versatility as an actor.

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Frequent co-stars

Career timeline

The Good Life: Inside Out
The Good Life: Secret & Scandals
Roobarb and Custard: The Complete Collection
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Mouse and Mole at Christmas Time
Cockneys vs ZombiesRun For Your Wife
Horror on the High Rise
National Theatre Live: London AssuranceAll About The Good Life
Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley
KingdomA Bucket O' French and SaundersThat's What I Call Television
TorchwoodAs You Like ItMy Appalling School Report
ExtrasDadRoobarb and Custard TooThe Funny Blokes of British ComedyOur Hidden Lives
Agatha Christie's MarpleNew Tricks
Peter PanComedy ConnectionsBob the Builder: The Knights of Can-A-Lot
Unconditional Love
Friday Night with Jonathan RossVictoria & Albert
Monarch of the GlenLove's Labour's LostThe Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything
Watership Down
ParkinsonA Respectable TradeThe Student PrinceGeoff Hamilton: a Man and His Garden
Midsomer MurdersBrass EyeSpice World
HamletThe Adventures of Toad
In the Bleak MidwinterHeavy WeatherDown to EarthThe Adventures of Mole
Mary Shelley's FrankensteinFrench and Saunders' Christmas CarolMole's ChristmasFrances the FireflySkallagrigg
Much Ado About NothingIf You See God, Tell Him
Peter's FriendsSwan Song
Mr. Bean
Henry VA Chorus of Disapproval
Twelfth Night, or What You WillChildren's Favourites - Volume 1
Doctor Who: Paradise Towers
Lovejoy

Full filmography

  • The Good Life: Inside Out (2025)
  • The Good Life: Secret & Scandals (2022) as (archive footage)
  • Roobarb and Custard: The Complete Collection (2017) as Narrator, Roobarb, Custard / lot of characters. (uncredited)
  • British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves (2016) as Acting Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • Mouse and Mole at Christmas Time (2013) as Mouse (voice)
  • Cockneys vs Zombies (2012) as Hamish
  • Run For Your Wife (2012) as Newspaper Seller
  • Horror on the High Rise (2011)
  • National Theatre Live: London Assurance (2010) as Mr. Adolphus Spanker
  • All About The Good Life (2010)
  • Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley (2009) as Roobarb/Custard (voice)
  • Kingdom (2007) as Jim Wright
  • A Bucket O' French and Saunders (2007)
  • That's What I Call Television (2007) as Self
  • Torchwood (2006) as Parker
  • As You Like It (2006) as Adam
  • My Appalling School Report (2006)
  • Extras (2005) as Richard Briers
  • Dad (2005) as Larry James
  • Roobarb and Custard Too (2005) as Narrator
  • The Funny Blokes of British Comedy (2005) as Self
  • Our Hidden Lives (2005) as Herbert Brush
  • Agatha Christie's Marple (2004) as Wilson
  • New Tricks (2004) as James Farlow
  • Peter Pan (2003) as Sam "Smee" Smiegel
  • Comedy Connections (2003)
  • Bob the Builder: The Knights of Can-A-Lot (2003) as Robert (voice)
  • Unconditional Love (2002) as Barry Moore
  • Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2001) as Self
  • Victoria & Albert (2001) as Joseph Paxton
  • Monarch of the Glen (2000) as Hector MacDonald
  • Love's Labour's Lost (2000) as Sir Nathaniel
  • The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything (2000)
  • Watership Down (1999) as Captain Broom (voice)
  • Parkinson (1998) as Self
  • A Respectable Trade (1998) as Sir Charles Fairley
  • The Student Prince (1998) as Dr. Corbitt
  • Geoff Hamilton: a Man and His Garden (1998) as Narrator
  • Midsomer Murders (1997) as Stephen Wentworth
  • Brass Eye (1997) as Self
  • Spice World (1997) as Bishop
  • Hamlet (1996) as Polonius
  • The Adventures of Toad (1996) as Rat
  • In the Bleak Midwinter (1995) as Henry
  • Heavy Weather (1995) as The Hon. Galahad Threepwood
  • Down to Earth (1995) as Tony Fairfax
  • The Adventures of Mole (1995) as Rat
  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) as Grandfather
  • French and Saunders' Christmas Carol (1994) as Self
  • Mole's Christmas (1994) as Rat
  • Frances the Firefly (1994) as Narrator (voice)
  • Skallagrigg (1994) as Old Arthur/George
  • Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Signor Leonato
  • If You See God, Tell Him (1993) as Godfrey Spry
  • Peter's Friends (1992) as Lord Morton
  • Swan Song (1992) as Nikita
  • Mr. Bean (1990) as Mr. Sprout
  • Henry V (1989) as Lieutenant Bardolph
  • A Chorus of Disapproval (1989) as Ted Washbrook
  • Twelfth Night, or What You Will (1988) as Malvolio
  • Children's Favourites - Volume 1 (1988) as Alias (voice)
  • Doctor Who: Paradise Towers (1987) as The Chief Caretaker
  • Lovejoy (1986) as Raymond Doncaster
  • Screen Two (1985) as Old Arthur/George
  • All in Good Faith (1985) as Reverend Philip Lambe
  • Alias the Jester (1985) as Alias
  • A Month in the Country (1985) as Arkady
  • Ever Decreasing Circles (1984)
  • Natural World (1983)
  • Arms and the Man (1983) as Bluntschli
  • The Aerodrome (1983) as The Rector
  • Wogan (1982) as Self
  • Goodbye Mr Kent (1982) as Travis Kent
  • It's Your Move (1982) as The Husband
  • P.Q. 17 (1981) as Jack Broome
  • Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Albert Dobson
  • Village Wooing (1979) as A
  • Watership Down (1978) as Fiver (voice)
  • The Sunday Drama (1977) as Dennis
  • The Galton & Simpson Playhouse (1977) as Henry Fairlane
  • The Norman Conquests (1977) as Reg
  • The Other One (1977) as Ralph Tanner
  • Our Flesh and Blood (1977) as Mr. Smythe
  • Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk (1976)
  • One-Upmanship (1976) as Stephen Potter
  • A Small Miracle (1976) as Himself - Commentator
  • The Good Life (1975) as Tom Good
  • Noddy (1975) as Narrator
  • Great (1975) as Isambard Kingdom Brunel
  • The Four Musketeers (1974) as Louis XIII (voice) (uncredited)
  • Roobarb (1974)
  • The Three Musketeers (1973) as Louis XIII (voice)
  • Between the Wars (1973) as Oswald Carstairs
  • Rentadick (1972) as Miles Gannet
  • Birds on the Wing (1971) as Charles Jackson
  • Tall Stories (1971)
  • Play for Today (1970) as Mr. Smythe
  • Play for Today (1970) as Commander Jack Broome
  • From a Bird's Eye View (1970) as George Lemon
  • Ben Travers Farces (1970) as Charlie Tutt
  • All the Way Up (1970) as Nigel Hadfield
  • Ooh La La! (1968)
  • ITV Playhouse (1967) as A
  • NBC Experiment in Television (1967) as (voice)
  • Fathom (1967) as Flight Lt. Timothy Webb
  • BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Sandy Tyrell
  • Theatre 625 (1964) as David Prentice
  • Thursday Theatre (1964) as David Prentice
  • The Bargee (1964) as Tomkins
  • A Home of Your Own (1964) as The Husband
  • All in Good Time (1964) as The Young Husband
  • Doctor Who (1963) as Chief Caretaker
  • Doctor in Distress (1963) as Medical Student (uncredited)
  • The Girl on the Boat (1962) as Eustace Hignett
  • Brothers In Law (1962)
  • Faces of Jim (1961) as John Frobisher
  • Faces of Jim (1961) as Lighthouse Assistant
  • Faces of Jim (1961) as Ricky Groin
  • Marriage Lines (1961) as George Starling
  • Murder She Said (1961) as 'Mrs Binster'
  • A Matter of WHO (1961) as Jamieson
  • Bottoms Up! (1960) as Colbourne
  • Girls at Sea (1958) as 'Popeye' Lewis
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee
  • Armchair Theatre (1956) as Stanley Frelaine
  • Dixon of Dock Green (1955) as Ken Tracey
  • Bird Bath as Narrator
  • Little Red Tractor Stories as Narrator (voice)