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Gary Olsen

Gary Olsen

Actor · 1957 – 2000 · London, England, UK

Gary Olsen was an English actor. Olsen was born in London and lived with an aunt and uncle, after losing both his parents at an early age. He attended the Archbishop Tenison's Church of England School in Kennington. After school he joined various junior stage groups and toured with fringe theatrical companies, such as Incubus, and Lumiere and Son, until late 1976. At this point he immersed himself in the punk rock scene until returning to theatre in 1978. Later he helped develop the musical production Up on the Roof, in which he starred in 1987 at London's Donmar and Apollo theatres. He made his screen debut in 1979 as Rory Storm in The Birth Of The Beatles, and appeared in numerous British films and television programmes, including playing PC Dave Litten in the first series of The Bill, but achieved fame only with the role of Ben in the sitcom 2point4 Children (1991–1999). He played a starring film role as Arthur Hoyle alongside Samantha Janus and Neil Morrissey in the rugby league comedy, Up 'n' Under. He appeared in many TV adverts, notably the 1996 National Westminster Bank advertising campaign. In addition to his screen appearances he made numerous stage appearances including Rocky Horror Picture Show and What the Butler Saw. He also played 'Pope Liberty III' in the Australian production of the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom. Olsen also displayed his comic talents as Steve in The Comic Strip Presents' send up of The Fly, called The Yob. He also starred with Brian Bovell in the 1986 TV series Prospects about two likely lads in the Docklands trying to get ahead but usually failing. After a ten month fight with cancer, Olsen died in Victoria, where he had emigrated following his diagnosis. He left a widow, Australian second wife Jane, and their two children, a son and a daughter. He was 42 years old.

Movies21

  • Movie7.3
  • Movie8.0

    Pink Floyd: The Wall

    1982 · 1.7K votes

  • Movie6.4

    Outland

    1981 · 729 votes

  • Movie4.0

    Transmutations

    Underworld

    1985 · 37 votes

  • Movie5.2
  • Movie6.9

    Breaking Glass

    1980 · 35 votes

  • Movie5.6

    The Sender

    1982 · 62 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Bloody Kids

    1980 · 12 votes

  • Movie5.2
  • Movie4.3

    Party Party

    1983 · 9 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Birth of the Beatles

    1979 · 16 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Turtle Diary

    1985 · 15 votes

  • Movie9.0
  • Movie6.3

    Winter Flight

    1984 · 3 votes

  • Movie4.7

    24 Hours in London

    2000 · 6 votes

  • Movie5.2

    Up 'n' Under

    1998 · 16 votes

  • Movie7.7
  • Movie6.7

    Walter and June

    1983 · 3 votes

  • Movie7.5

    Metamorphosis

    1989 · 2 votes

  • Movie
  • Movie7.0

    Woodentop

    1983 · 1 votes

Series18

  • TV6.6

    Top of the Pops

    1964 · 44 votes

  • TV6.2

    Casualty

    1986 · 88 votes

  • TV6.8

    The Bill

    1984 · 47 votes

  • TV6.6

    Play for Today

    1970 · 10 votes

  • TV7.1

    Minder

    1979 · 30 votes

  • TV5.3

    An Audience with...

    1978 · 3 votes

  • TV7.4
  • TV6.2

    Van der Valk

    1972 · 10 votes

  • TV7.3

    2point4 Children

    1991 · 21 votes

  • TV8.0

    Storyboard

    1983 · 2 votes

  • TV7.0

    Prospects

    1986 · 4 votes

  • TV7.5
  • TV8.0

    Health and Efficiency

    1993 · 2 votes

  • TV6.5

    The Day of the Triffids

    1981 · 41 votes

  • TV5.5

    Bust

    1987 · 2 votes

  • TV
  • TV7.0
  • TV7.0

    Pilgrim's Rest

    1997 · 2 votes