Brian, 75, from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, was at the forefront of the British sitcom industry from the mid-seventies to early eighties playing the put-upon husband in Man About the House and spinoff George and Mildred.

Although he has appeared in numerous shows since, including Last of The Summer Wine, The Catherine Tate Show, One Foot in the Grave and The Bill, George” is still the name that people call him in the street.

“I’m amazed that people still recognise me as George,” says Brian.

“It’s nearly 30 years since we were doing George and Mildred and obviously I’ve got older but people come up to me and say ‘you haven’t changed a bit,’ so I say, ‘oh, you mean I always looked like a little old man!’” he laughs.

The comedy actor is in Bournemouth this afternoon to officially open an exhibition marking 50 years of the Bournemouth Pier Theatre.

“I read in The Stage magazine that the Pier Theatre was having an exhibit of photographs and asking for anyone who’d ever played there, to submit memorabilia. It was the perfect excuse to for me to come down to Bournemouth.”

Brian recalls that the stage version of George and Mildred played its first ever season on Bournemouth pier in 1977.

The show broke all box office records and has never been surpassed for a summer season at the pier.

“We did a record breaking summer season, which was arguably the last. It was absolutely packed. It can’t be surpassed these days, as we played twice nightly.”

“It was the first time we played in Bournemouth and we were mobbed all the way along the pier by fans and holidaymakers wanting to shake our hand. It meant I had to set off a good hour earlier to get to the theatre on time.

Brian still has plenty of work to keep him busy and is soon to be filming the new series of the BBC One’s Hustle and the long-running series Last of The Summer Wine.

Although he is 75 years old, he has no plans to retire.

“Actors never seriously retire, unless they can’t do it or are not wanted. I tend not to do anything and everything because I’ve reached an age where I only work enough to keep me happy.”

Brian Murphy will be at the Pier Theatre today at 3pm when the public will be able to meet him and see the exhibition, which will be open throughout the year free of charge.