
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
Movie7.3CrimeDramaWhen churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
1989 · 743 votes
Movie8.0MusicDramaA troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.
Pink Floyd: The Wall
1982 · 1.7K votes
Movie6.4Science FictionActionOn the sunless moon Io, Marshall William T. O’Niel goes toe-to-toe with the corrupt manager of a mining colony and his gang of roughnecks while investigating a rash of worker suicides.
Outland
1981 · 729 votes
Movie4.0HorrorActionWhen high class hooker Nicole is kidnapped from her brothel, Rich businessman Hugo Motherskille hires her ex love Roy Bain to find her. Investigating the disappearance, he eventually finds traces that lead to Dr. Savary, who has produced a strange white powder that's coveted by a race of deformed human beings who live in the underworld in the sewers below the city.
Movie5.2FamilyFantasyA modern adaptation of the classic children's story 'Alice through the Looking Glass', which continued on from the popular 'Alice in Wonderland' story. This time Alice is played by the mother, who falls asleep while reading the the bedtime story to her daughter. Walking through the Looking Glass, Alice finds herself in Chessland, a magical and fun world. There she meets the Red and White Queens, as well as many other amusing friends on her journey across the chessboard countryside onto become a crowned queen.
Alice Through the Looking Glass
1998 · 72 votes
Movie6.9MusicDramaBreaking Glass is the story of punk singer Kate and her meteoric rise to stardom. Starting out in the rock pubs of London, Kate, assisted by her manager Danny, becomes a huge star overnight. Once at the top the pressure is immense as Kate's band are squeezed out and she is left to cope alone in the spotlight.
Breaking Glass
1980 · 35 votes
Movie5.6HorrorThrillerA disturbed telepathic man is able to transmit his dreams and visions into the minds of the people around him.
The Sender
1982 · 62 votes
Movie6.5DramaTV MovieTwo boys pull a Saturday night prank on the police in a seaside British town.
Bloody Kids
1980 · 12 votes
Movie5.2ActionAdventureIndy finds that he must enlist the help of Hapsburg royalty when he embarks on a dangerous diplomatic mission through enemy-held Europe into the palace of Emperor Karl of Austria. Endangering his life and the lives of his royal charges, Indy gambles all in a desperate attempt to bring the war more quickly to an end. Then, in chaos-ridden Russia, Indy finds his espionage work once again threatening lives when he infiltrates a group of young Bolsheviks and begins to empathize with their plight. As the country lurches toward revolution, Indy finds himself torn between loyalty to his friends and his military duty.
Movie4.3ComedyDramaIt's New Year's Eve. Larry's parents are at the vicarage dance leaving Larry in charge of the house. Big mistake, because Larry's a party animal and tonight he's going to go wild - with a little help from his friends!
Party Party
1983 · 9 votes
Movie6.5DramaMusicThe early days of the Fab Four are traced from their bleakest hours as unknowns on Penny Lane in Liverpool to their triumph on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Birth of the Beatles
1979 · 16 votes
Movie6.3DramaComedyTwo separate people, a man and a woman, find something very stirring about the sea turtles in their tank at the London Zoo. They meet and form an odd, but sympathetic camaraderie as they plan to steal two of the turtles and free them into the ocean.
Turtle Diary
1985 · 15 votes
- Movie9.0
Spoof video diary. Steve Coogan takes on the roles of downtrodden Paul and the vivacious blonde Pauline Calf, who finally gets herself up the aisle with the man of her dreams. Even a punch-up in the toilet can't spoil her special day.
Pauline Calf's Wedding Video
1994 · 1 votes
Movie6.3RomanceDramaAs the Falklands War looms, an RAF recruit falls for a young barmaid, but their romance is quickly complicated with some surprising news.
Winter Flight
1984 · 3 votes
Movie4.7CrimeActionLondon gangster Christian has a plan to kill off the opposition, but things get messy when a witness survives.
24 Hours in London
2000 · 6 votes
Movie5.2ComedyThe Cobblers Arms have been the best and most feared Amateur Rugby League team for the past ten years. Ex-pro Arthur bets their boss that he could train a bunch of deadbeats to defeat them in a local rugby sevens tournament. But to do so he must first get them into shape with the help of the very attractive Hazel Scott.
Up 'n' Under
1998 · 16 votes
Movie7.7ComedyTV MovieLager lout and philosopher Paul Calf records his video diary over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Accompanied by his friends Fat Bob and Roland and his sister Pauline, he staggers through two days of drinking, fighting and failed sex, in desperate pursuit of his ex-girlfriend, Julie.
Paul Calf's Video Diary
1993 · 3 votes
Movie6.7DramaTV MovieSequel to the TV film "Walter". In the United States, the two films have been released together on DVD as a package, called "Loving Walter".
Walter and June
1983 · 3 votes
Movie7.5TV MovieDramaTV film of Steven Berkoff's stage adaption of Kafka's famous story in which a young man, who is the sole financial supporter of his family, awakes one morning in the form of a giant dung beetle and thereby becomes a nuisance to his family, who must now learn to rely upon themselves.
Metamorphosis
1989 · 2 votes
MovieTV MovieThe Jenkins family are selected by a computer to be the first visitors of the nation’s newest and most exciting theme park - Thatcherworld.
Thatcherworld
1993
Movie7.0CrimeDramaIt's the first day on the job at Sun Hill police station for probationary P.C. Jim Carver, but by no means an uneventful one…
Woodentop
1983 · 1 votes
Series18
TV6.6RealityThe biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.
Top of the Pops
1964 · 44 votes
TV6.2DramaSoapDrama series about the staff and patients at Holby City Hospital's emergency department, charting the ups and downs in their personal and professional lives.
Casualty
1986 · 88 votes
TV6.8CrimeDramaThe daily lives of the men and women at Sun Hill Police Station as they fight crime on the streets of London. From bomb threats to armed robbery and drug raids to the routine demands of policing this ground-breaking series focuses as much on crime as it does on the personal lives of its characters.
The Bill
1984 · 47 votes
TV6.6DramaPlay for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted. The individual episodes were between fifty and a hundred minutes in duration.
Play for Today
1970 · 10 votes
TV7.1ComedyDramaRoguish comedy drama following the misadventures of small-time crook Arthur Daley.
Minder
1979 · 30 votes
TV5.3Talk ShowAn Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.
An Audience with...
1978 · 3 votes
TV7.4ComedyThe Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, who do parodies of films, literature and sometimes major events.
The Comic Strip Presents...
1982 · 19 votes
TV6.2DramaVan der Valk is a British television series that was produced by Thames Television for the ITV network. It starred Barry Foster in the title role as Dutch detective Commissaris "Piet" van der Valk. Based on the characters and atmosphere of the novels of Nicolas Freeling, the first series was shown in 1972.
Van der Valk
1972 · 10 votes
TV7.3ComedyThey're just your average family. Stressed mum Bill, daft dad Ben, and two troublesome teens. Plus just a few crazy ideas, escapades and mishaps. The classic 90s sitcom.
2point4 Children
1991 · 21 votes
TV8.0DramaHighly regarded anthology from the 1980s presenting a diverse range of high-quality single dramas that would serve as pilots for possible future series.
Storyboard
1983 · 2 votes
TV7.0DramaComedyProspects is a British television comedy drama series that was written by Alan Janes and originally shown on Channel 4 in 1986. Created by Euston Films who had a pedigree of producing successful, gritty drama such as The Sweeney and Minder, it followed the exploits of two East End 'geezer' characters - Jimmy 'Pincy' Pince played by Gary Olsen and Billy played by Brian Bovell and their trials and tribulations of making a living in London's Isle of Dogs. Comprising 12 episodes Prospects - with a comic slant, dealt with many of the major issues affecting British society at the height of the "Thatcherite" '80's including unemployment, crime, poverty, regeneration, social change and racism. Prospects gained a cult following and ratings wise it performed well above expectation for Channel 4. At that time Channel Four received a large subsidy from the rival commercial network ITV in exchange for the right to sell airtime; this gave ITV a significant input into the management of the station. The success of Prospects and the fact that it was produced by a subsidiary of the ITV network's largest station Thames Television meant it was moved to a 9pm prime-time repeat slot on ITV in the Spring/Summer of 1987. This fuelled rumours that the network wanted to develop Prospects into a long-running comedy drama series. However despite seeing potential ITV declined the opportunity to develop it beyond the original first series.
Prospects
1986 · 4 votes
TV7.5ComedyFollowing a freak accident, Godfrey Spry develops a 30-second attention span, causing him to take ad slogans literally and leading to chaotic behaviour.
If You See God, Tell Him
1993 · 4 votes
TV8.0ComedyHealth and Efficiency is a British situation comedy that was originally broadcast from 30 December 1993 to 10 February 1995 on BBC1 for a total of 12 episodes over 2 series. It was written by Andrew Marshall, writer of the sitcom 2point4 children. The show starred Gary Olsen and Roger Lloyd Pack who both starred in 2point4 children, as well as Victor McGuire and Deborah Norton. The setting was a hospital and each episode was 30 minutes in length.
Health and Efficiency
1993 · 2 votes
TV6.5DramaSci-Fi & FantasyAfter an unusual meteor shower leaves most of the human population blind, a merchant navy officer must find a way to conquer tall, aggressive plants which are feeding on people and animals.
The Day of the Triffids
1981 · 41 votes
TV5.5DramaUnsuccessful businessman, Neil Walsh, tries to rebuild his life after being made bankrupt.
Bust
1987 · 2 votes
- TV
Lovable down-and-outs Cage and Moon share a rundown bedsit in London's East End and spend their time in the local pub.
Wilderness Road
1986
- TV7.0Drama
Dramatisation of R.F. Delderfield's novel about a young bank clerk in North Wales who gets involved in complicated relationships and criminal activities.
Come Home Charlie and Face Them
1990 · 1 votes
- TV7.0Comedy
Bob Payne (Gary Olsen) used to work as a 'roadie' for a rock band. He decided to buy a roadside cafe called Pilgrim's Restaurant. It looked like a good investment with a healthy turnover. Bob bought the restaurant with the help of a loan from his sister Tilly (Gwen Taylor), who's married to a wealthy businessman. A year later, a new by-pass opened and most of the 'passing trade' disappeared. Turnover dropped dramatically and Bob was left to scrape a living by catering for a small band of regular customers. Then Tilly's husband left her and she needed somewhere else to live, so she moved in with her brother.
Pilgrim's Rest
1997 · 2 votes