Gary Olsen, (3 November 1957 — 12 September 2000), was an English actor best known for his role in 2point4 Children.
Having spent his formative years in the theatre and as part of the punk rock band Swank, Olsen made his screen debut in Birth of the Beatles as Rory Storm.
He is notable for having appeared in the Storyboard episode "Woodentop" as P.C. Litten, reprising the role when it was spun off into the long-running series The Bill.
He is perhaps best known however for his role as Bumbling Dad Ben Porter in the 1990s sitcom 2point4 Children. Appearing in all episodes of the series (as well as appearing As Himself in one episode), he also formed part of a Production Posse with Andrew Marshall, having an appearance in If You See God, Tell Him and having a lead role in the 1993 sitcom Health and Efficiency.
He was married to Candy Davis from 1985 to 1990. Unfortunately, Olsen did not have long to live after Series 8 of 2point4 Children, dying of cancer on the 12th of September 2000.
Works on TV Tropes He Has Appeared In:
Film- Outland (1981) — Worker
- The Wall (1982) — Roadie
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989) — Spangler
- Play for Today, episode "Bavarian Night" (1981) — Youth
- The Day of the Triffids (1981), 2 episodes:
- Part Four (1981) — Red-Haired Man
- Part Six (1981) — Torrence
- Minder, episode "Broken Arrow" (1982) — Derek
- The Bill, 12 episodes (1984-86) — Police Constable Litten
- Crime Story, 2 episodesshow list (1986) — Man (Uncredited Role)
- The Comic Strip Presents, episode The Yob (1988) — Steve
- EastEnders, episode "CivvyStreet" (1988) — Albert Beale
- She-Wolf of London, episode "Can't Keep a Dead Man Down: Part One" (1990) — John Decarlo
- Van der Valk, episode "A Sudden Silence" (1991) — Brouwer
- 2point4 Children, 56 episodes:
- 56 episodes (1991-99) — Ben Porter
- "Badger's Bend" (1993) — As Himself
- CASUAL+Y, episode "Allegiance" (1991) — Gary Tate
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, episode "Petrograd, July 1917" (1992) — Boris
- Noel's House Party, 1 episode (1993)
- If You See God, Tell Him, 1 episode (1993) — Matthew
- Jackanory, episode "Burglar Bill" (1995) — Storyteller
