Tony Osoba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Osoba
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|---|---|
| Born | 15 March 1947 Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland
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| Education | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse(s) |
Sally Wignall
(m. 1989) |
Tony Osoba (born March 15, 1947) is a Scottish actor. He is famous for his role as Jim 'Jock' McLaren in the 1970s British TV comedy show Porridge. He acted alongside Ronnie Barker in this popular series. Tony Osoba was also the first mixed-race Scottish actor to appear on main TV channels in the UK.
After Porridge, he appeared in other well-known shows. He was in Coronation Street twice, playing different characters. He also starred as Chas Jarvis in Dempsey and Makepeace.
About Tony Osoba
Early Life and Training
Tony Osoba was born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland. His family comes from Nigeria. When he was young, he wanted to design cars. However, he soon learned there were not many jobs in that field. So, he decided to become an actor instead.
After finishing school, he studied acting. He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. This is a famous school for performing arts in Scotland.
Acting Career Highlights
After finishing college, Tony Osoba joined a theatre group. He traveled with them and performed in many places. He also became a member of the important Royal Shakespeare Company.
He has been in many TV shows and movies. One of his most famous roles was Detective Sergeant Charles 'Chas' Jarvis in Dempsey and Makepeace. He played this character from 1984 to 1986. He also appeared in Coronation Street in 1982 and 1990.
Tony Osoba has also appeared in three different Doctor Who stories. These include "Destiny of the Daleks" (1979), "Dragonfire" (1987), and "Kill the Moon" (2014).
Some other TV shows he has been in are:
- Space: 1999 (1976)
- The Professionals (1978)
- Minder (1980)
- Tales of the Unexpected (1982)
- Bergerac (1983)
- Taggart (1999)
- Dinotopia (2002)
- Superintendent Smith in Hollyoaks
- Charlie Dokes in The Bill
His movies include:
- Pure as a Lily (1976)
- The film version of Porridge (1979)
- Who Dares Wins (1982)
In 2005, Tony Osoba performed in a play called The King and I. He played the Kralahome in a tour around the UK. He also acted in a radio series called Space Force. In this show, he played a character named Loderick Sincere.
Tony Osoba's Filmography
This table shows some of the TV shows and movies Tony Osoba has been in.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–77 | Porridge | Jim "Jock" McLaren | 9 episodes |
| 1976 | Pure as a Lily | Othello | |
| 1976 | Space: 1999 | Episode: "Space Warp" | |
| 1978 | Going Straight | Jim "Jock" McLaren | Episode 1, "Going Home" |
| 1978 | The Professionals | Martin Taylor | Series 1, Episode 10, "Stakeout" |
| 1979 | Game for Vultures | Daniel Batten | |
| Porridge | McClaren | ||
| 1979, 1987, 2014 | Doctor Who | Lan / Kracauer/Duke | "Destiny of the Daleks", "Dragonfire", "Kill the Moon" |
| 1980 | Charles Endell Esquire | Hamish McIntyre Jr. | 6 episodes |
| 1980 | Minder | Pearce | |
| 1982 | Who Dares Wins | Terrorist #5 | |
| 1982, 1990 | Coronation Street | Wesley McGregor / Peter Ingram | 14 episodes |
| 1983 | Bergerac | Eddie McCord | Series 3, Episode 5, "Come Out Fighting" |
| 1984, 1986 | Dempsey & Makepeace | Detective Sergeant Charles ”Chas" Jarvis | 30 episodes |
| 1990 | Making News | Freddie | 6 episodes |
| 1998 | The Demon Headmaster | Smith | 6 episodes |
| 2000 | Arabian Nights | Sultan Badr Al-Din | |
| 2003 | Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher | Jim McLaren | |
| 2007 | Tanner | Archie Richmond | |
| 2014 | Planetfall | A.I. Computer |
