Telly legend Brian Murphy, famed for his role in Last of the Summer Wine, died earlier this year, aged 92, but it’s now emerged that he left an astounding fortune behind
A huge sitcom legend has left an eye-watering fortune behind after his death. Brian Murphy, famed for his roles in Man About the House and Last of the Summer Wine, died at his home in Kent this year.
He was 92 at the time of his death. But the contents of his will have now been revealed. It’s emerged that the star left a staggering £617,000 behind. His will reveals that the huge fortune would be left in a trust for his wife, Linda Regan of Hi-de-Hi! fame, and his sons, Trevor and Kevin, from his first marriage to Carol Gibson.
At the time of his death, his wife, Linda said: “I was lucky to have in my lifetime found my soulmate. Brian who I will love forever.” His friend and agent, Thomas Bowington, honoured Brian as a “joyful and profoundly good-hearted man,” before praising his “talent and humanity.”
Brian first found fame in 1960, playing Max Fletcher in an episode of Probation Officer, before he became a household name for playing George Roper in Man About the House in all 39 episodes. Fans instantly fell in love with his character, and Brian was said to have been contacted by men who were asking for advice on sex problems, due to his role on the sitcom.
They reportedly asked him how they could avoid their bedroom activities following his stint on the programme. Shortly after appearing as Roper, he starred in the spin-off, George and Mildred, appearing alongside Yootha Joyce for three years between 1976 and 1979.
Murphy also played Alvin Smedley, the neighbour of formidable Nora Batty, in Last of the Summer Wine between 2003 and 2010. His final on-screen credit saw him playing Sweet Old Man in the 2025 release of Mr. Bigstuff, which aired following his death.
Speaking in 2016 about his life, Brian said: “I can’t grumble about my lot because I’m very happy. I’ve brought up a family and been working relatively solidly for 60 years. It has been a lot of fun.”
Born on September 25 1932, on the Isle of Wight, he trained at The Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art after completing National Service with the RAF. He started his career in the 1950s as a member of the Theatre Workshop, founded by Joan Littlewood, and appeared in both the stage and 1962 film version of Littlewood’s comedy Sparrows Can’t Sing, the latter starring Barbara Windsor and James Booth.
He also performed in the First World War musical satire Oh! What A Lovely War. Murphy was a jobbing actor before appearing in TV shows including The Avengers and Z-Cars, and ITV sitcom The Incredible Mr Tanner in 1981 and BBC’s L For Lester in 1982.
In 1993, he starred in the first major stage version of The Invisible Man, based on the science fiction classic by HG Wells. In the noughties, he portrayed Maurice in The Booze Cruise alongside Martin Clunes and Neil Pearson, and from 2011, he appeared in The Cafe.
In later years, he voiced the character Mr Lovelybuns for the animated series Claude, based on Alex T Smith’s best-selling books. Murphy’s agent Thomas Bowington told the PA news agency the actor was told he had cancer in his spine and shoulders after “a sudden attack” that saw the actor develop a pain in his back around three weeks before his death.
Source: Mirror
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