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Patrick Noel Murray, who has died at the age of 68, became well-known for his performance as the character Mickey Pearce, the spiv with a trilby hat who enters a short-lived partnership with his childhood friend Rodney Trotter in the beloved TV sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

Initial Appearance

He was introduced in the show's third season in the 1983 installment called Healthy Competition, in which Rodney's goal to advance from being just a lookout for his older brother was instantly thwarted when Mickey ripped him off. Del and Rodney joined forces again, and Mickey continued as a recurring character throughout the last holiday special in 2003.

Origin of the Role

The character was referenced repeatedly after the show began in 1981, like in episodes where Mickey stole Rodney's girlfriend, but hadn't been portrayed originally. As the writer wanted to expand the ensemble of characters, the show's producer recalled Murray's performance in a TV commercial, trying to flirt with two women, and proposed him for the part. The actor tried out on a Friday and began work within three days.

The character was envisioned as a less savvy Del Boy, less shrewd but, like Del, frequently experiencing his money-making schemes fail. He's willing to attempt anything, but he's unreliable,” Murray remarked. “He’s always stitching Rodney up, and Del often threatens to thump him for it.” Mickey frequently teases Rodney about his romantic failures while fabricating his dating successes and changing occupations often.

Behind the Scenes

A plot in 1989 had to be rapidly revamped due to a mishap in which he tripped over his pet at home and broke a glass pane, injuring a tendon in his right arm and suffering major blood loss. As his arm was in a plaster cast, the writer adjusted the following episode to include Mickey getting beaten up by neighborhood thugs.

Post-Fame Journey

The sitcom’s final episode was broadcast in 1991, but Murray joined the performers who participated in festive specials for another 12 years – and continued to be loved at fan events.

Patrick Murray entered the world in Greenwich in London, his mother Juana, a dancer, and Patrick, a transport official. He attended St Thomas the Apostle college in Nunhead. When he was 15, he noticed a notice for a talent agency in the Daily Mirror and in just a week landed a role in a stage play. He soon began television roles, debuting in 1973, aged 16, in Places Where They Sing, a BBC play inspired by a novel about student unrest. Shortly after, he starred in the kids' adventure series The Terracotta Horse, shot in Spain and Morocco.

He also had roles a short TV play Hanging Around (1978), about disaffected youths, and the film The Class of Miss MacMichael (1978), featuring Glenda Jackson as a dedicated educator, prior to his major role arrived.

For Scum, a story centered on the harsh youth detention system, he was cast as Dougan, a friendly detainee whose head for figures got him entrusted to manage funds smuggled in by visitors, that he gathered on his trolley route. He successfully to negotiate down the “daddy’s” percentage when Ray Winstone's Carlin assumed that role.

This play, made for Play for Today in 1977, was banned by the BBC for its brutal content, although it was eventually broadcast in 1991. Meanwhile, the filmmaker adapted it into a film in 1979, with Murray part of a group from the first version returning to their parts.

He then had supporting parts in features like Quadrophenia (1979) and Breaking Glass (1980), and appeared as a bellboy in Curse of the Pink Panther (1983).

Fame in Only Fools and Horses brought him numerous TV roles in that era in series such as Dempsey and Makepeace, Lovejoy, The Return of Shelley and The Upper Hand. He appeared in two characters in The Bill.

However, his life took a downturn after he became a Kent pub manager in 1998, drinking too much and finally seeking assistance from a support group. He relocated to Thailand, where he married his second wife in 2016. Shortly afterwards, he returned to Britain and drove a taxi. He briefly returned to acting in 2019 as a cockney gangster playing Frank Bridges in the TV series Conditions, yet to air.

Health Struggles

He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2018 and, three years later, pulmonary cancer and a growth on his liver. Despite being cleared in 2022 following surgery and chemotherapy, it recurred soon after.

Private Affairs

Back in 1981, Murray married Shelley Wilkinson; the marriage ended in divorce. He is survived by Anong, their daughter, Josie, and the three sons with his first wife, Lee, Ricky and Robert, along with three sisters and two brothers.