Richard O'Callaghan
Birth nameRichard Brooke
Birth date7 March 1940 (age 86)
Birth placeLondon, England
SpouseElizabeth Quinn (m. 1991)
OccupationActor
Years active1965–present
ParentsValentine Brooke and Patricia Hayes

Richard O'Callaghan (born Richard Brooke; 7 March 1940) is an English character actor.

He is the son of actors Patricia Hayes and Valentine Brooke, whose stage name was Valentine Rooke.[1] As a boy actor he was known as Richard Brooke. He has led a versatile career in film, stage and television in a wide range of roles.[2] He is best known for his roles in the bawdy British comedy films Carry On Loving (1970) and Carry On At Your Convenience (1971).[3][4]

Career

During the 1950s, O'Callaghan began working as a child actor in theatre and radio, where at the time he was credited under his birth name.[5][6]

His first major television role was as Richard Doherty in the 13-part childrens series The Flower of Gloster, loosely based on the novel by E. Temple Thurston.[7] Produced by Granada Television, it was the company's first TV series to be filmed in colour.[8]

O' Callaghan has played a number of supporting roles in various TV series including Z Cars, Public Eye, New Scotland Yard, Churchill's People, Two's Company, Mr. Pye, Imaginary Friends, Hannay, Spatz, Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, Dalziel and Pascoe, Casualty, The Afternoon Play and New Tricks.[9]

Between 1978 to 1980, he played Stephen Benge in the comedy drama series Born and Bred, which focused on two South London families, the Benges and Tonselys, who struggle to get along.[10]

In 1989, he appeared with his mother Patricia Hayes in the Boon episode "The Rise of Fall of the Bowman Empire", where he played ex-convict Cecil Bowman and Hayes played his mother Elsepth respectively.[11]

He regularly appeared as ageing metal head Bobby Sykes in the crime-drama series McCallum.[12]

O' Callaghan has appeared in two episodes of Red Dwarf, he played The Creator in "Back to Earth Part 3",[13] and in the following series, he played Hoguey the Rogey in the Series X finale "The Beginning".[14]

Personal life

In 1991, O' Callaghan married American actress Elizabeth Quinn.[15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968The Bofors GunRowe[16]
1970Carry On LovingBertram Muffet[16]
1971Carry On at Your ConvenienceLewis Boggs[16]
1974ButleyJoey Keyston[16]
1975GalileoFulganzio[16]
1978Watership DownDandelion (voice)[16]
1998Dangerous BeautyZealot[16]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1965Out of the UnknownBoyEpisode: "Stranger in the Family"
Z-CarsJim BlackittEpisode: "Celebration"
1967The Flower of GlosterRichard Doherty13 episodes
1968The Ronnie Barker PlayhouseShelley Longfellow MorganEpisode: "Tennyson"
1968 –1969Public EyeBrian Davidson; Frank2 episodes: Brian in "Mercury in an Off-White Mac" (season 3) and Frank in "Divide and Conquer" (season 4)
1969The Wednesday PlayFowlerEpisode: "The Last Train through Harecastle Tunnel"
1970Thirty-Minute TheatreFrancisEpisode: "The Tidewatchers"
Vile BodiesAdamTelevision film
1972New Scotland YardJoseph MarriotEpisode: "The Palais Romeo"
1973Seven of OneMortlake OwenEpisode: "I'll Fly You for a Quid"
ThrillerGeorge BaileyEpisode: "File It Under Fear"
1974 – 1980Play for TodayTortoiseshell; Mike; Clive3 episodes
1975Churchill's PeopleRanulfEpisode: "On the Anvil"
1977Professional FoulChetwynTelevision film
1978Crown CourtPeter Benson-PittEpisode: "Scalped" (3 parts)
Renoir, My FatherAuguste RenoirTelevision film
1978 – 1980Born and BredStephen Benge11 episodes
1979Two's CompanyRichardEpisode: "The Silence"
1982The Merry Wives of WindsorSlenderTelevision film
1986Mr. PyeThorpe4 episodes
1987Imaginary FriendsProf. Steve Mayone3 episodes
1988Tickets for the TitanicTomEpisode: "Pastoral Care"
1989BoonCecil BowmanEpisode: "The Fall and Rise of the Bowman Empire"
HannayBald-headed ManEpisode: "The Good Samaritan"
1992SpatzHorace FlintEpisode: "Extortion"
1995 – 1998McCallumBobby Sykes9 episodes
1996The Prince and the PauperPeddler2 episodes
1996 – 2014CasualtyJoe Preston; Eddie Morris; Rob Cornwall3 episodes
1997The History of Tom Jones, a FoundlingMr. Fitzpatrick2 episodes
The Pale HorseDonaldTelevision film
2005HeartbeatRinger RedknappEpisode: "Rustlers & Hustlers"
Midsomer MurdersTrevor MachinEpisode: "Bantling Boy"
Twenty Thousand Streets Under the SkyBank Teller3 episodes
2006The Afternoon PlayHarryEpisode: "Molly"
2007Dalziel and PascoeAiden Scarman4 episodes
2008New TricksWill CarterEpisode: "Loyalties and Royalties"
2009Red Dwarf: Back to EarthThe CreatorEpisode: "Part Three"
2012Red Dwarf XHogey the RogueyEpisode: "The Beginning"

Theatre

Radio credits

References

  1. ^ "Star Patricia Hayes dies at 88". BBC News. 1998-09-20. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  2. ^ Newley, Patrick (11 March 1999). "Build at the Guild". The Stage. p. 36.
  3. ^ "Carry on Loving". British Comedy Guide
  4. ^ Stevens, Ruth. "Carry On At Your Convenience (1971)". BFI Screenonline
  5. ^ "Richard O'Callaghan". National Portrait Gallery. 22 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Richard set for Festival Theatre debut". Chichester Observer. 8 May 1986. p. 23.
  7. ^ "Television and radio programmes". No. 57057. 27 September 1967. p. 14. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  8. ^ "Flower of Gloster, The". Nostalgia Central
  9. ^ "Richard O' Callaghan". British Comedy Guide
  10. ^ "Born and Bred". Nostalgia Central
  11. ^ "Like Mother, Like Son". Reading Evening Post. 17 January 1989. p. 2.
  12. ^ Marcus, Laurence (19 December 2025). "McCallum". Television Heaven
  13. ^ "Series IX - Back To Earth - Back To Earth Part 3". British Comedy Guide
  14. ^ "Series X, Episode 6 - The Beginning". British Comedy Guide
  15. ^ "A daughter of such a cheerful god". The Herald. 2 January 1993.
  16. ^ "Filmography: Richard O'Callaghan". Allmovie. Retrieved 5 April 2010.