Gary Olsen

Acting

Gary Olsen

Born 1957-11-03 · 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.

Acting credits

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover poster
7.3

When 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

Outland poster
6.4

On 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

Pink Floyd: The Wall poster
7.9

A troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.

Pink Floyd: The Wall

1982

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service poster
5.2

Indy 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.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service

1999

Alice Through the Looking Glass poster
5.2

A 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

Turtle Diary poster
6.3

Two 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

Party Party poster
4.4

It'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

Breaking Glass poster
6.9

Breaking 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

Underworld poster
4.0

When 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.

Underworld

1985

Bosses From Hell poster
NR

John Cleese training video about bosses.

Bosses From Hell

1989

Winter Flight poster
6.3

As 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

Up 'n' Under poster
5.2

The 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

No artwork available
NR

The dynamic young headmaster of St Peter's Primary School decides to liven up a parents' fundraising social by hiring a Bavarian band.

Bavarian Night

1981

The Sender poster
5.6

A disturbed telepathic man is able to transmit his dreams and visions into the minds of the people around him.

The Sender

1982

Thatcherworld poster
NR

The 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

Paul Calf's Video Diary poster
7.7

Lager 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

Walter and June poster
6.7

Sequel 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

Bloody Kids poster
6.5

Two boys pull a Saturday night prank on the police in a seaside British town.

Bloody Kids

1980

Metamorphosis poster
7.5

TV 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

No artwork available
9.0

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

Birth of the Beatles poster
6.5

The 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

The Yob poster
NR

An illegal psychic teleportation experiment goes horribly wrong, and pretentious promo director Patrick gets his genes mixed with those of a football hooligan. Slowly, he begins to change - taking on some undeniably yobbish tendencies.

The Yob

1988

Loose Connections poster
3.8

A woman enlists a man who claims he is gay to accompany her on a long drive to a feminist conference in Munich.

Loose Connections

1984

24 Hours in London poster
4.7

London gangster Christian has a plan to kill off the opposition, but things get messy when a witness survives.

24 Hours in London

2000