---
name: "Tony Osoba"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/tony-osoba"
fi1m_id: "tony-osoba"
imdb_id: "nm0652150"
tmdb_id: 1229883
wikidata_id: "Q2442762"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "15 March 1947"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-17T17:23:54.310601+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Tony Osoba

## Identity

Tony Osoba

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/tony-osoba
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** tony-osoba
- **IMDb ID:** nm0652150
- **TMDB ID:** 1229883
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2442762
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Osoba, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2442762, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0652150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1229883

Actor. Born 15 March 1947 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 15 March 1947, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
- **Active:** 1974–1985
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 89 (1), 1980s 76 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Osoba, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2442762, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0652150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1229883

## Biography

Tony Osoba is a Scottish actor. Born in Glasgow in 1947, he trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His breakthrough role was as Jim 'Jock' McLaren in the BBC sitcom *Porridge* (1974–1977).

Osoba has appeared in numerous television series including *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985–1986) as Det. Sgt. Chas Jarvis, two roles in *Coronation Street* (1982 and 1990), and episodes of *Doctor Who* across multiple series. He has also worked in theatre, including productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in films such as the 1979 adaptation of *Porridge*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985), Fi1m 76, as Det. Sgt. Chas Jarvis — [page](https://film.one/tv/dempsey-and-makepeace.md)
- *Porridge* (1974), Fi1m 89, as McLaren — [page](https://film.one/tv/porridge.md)

## Complete filmography (40)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Extended Rest* (2014), as Terry Kincaid
- *A Voice to Die For* (2013), as Tony
- *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Duke — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who-2005.md)
- *If...* (2004), series, as Consultant
- *Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher* (2003), as Jim McLaren
- *Waking the Dead* (2001), series, as Andrew Wallace, Andrew Wallace (uncredited)
- *Arabian Nights* (2000), series, as Sultan Badr Al-Din
- *A Dance to the Music of Time* (1997), series, as Colonel Flores
- *The Demon Headmaster* (1996), series, as Smith
- *Crown Prosecutor* (1995), series, as Magistrate
- *Lie Down with Lions* (1994), as Lodo
- *Resnick: Lonely Hearts* (1992), as Barrister
- *The Golden Years* (1992), Actor
- *Making News* (1990), series, as Freddie
- *Doctor Who: Dragonfire* (1987), as Kracauer
- *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985), series, as Det. Sgt. Chas Jarvis — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/dempsey-and-makepeace.md)
- *Give Us a Break: Hustle Bustle Toil and Muscle* (1984), as Barry Fine
- *The Cage* (1983), as Trevor
- *The Cleopatras* (1983), series, as Marsyas
- *Cosmic Princess* (1982), as 1st Security Guard
- *Who Dares Wins* (1982), as Terrorist
- *The Reunion* (1982), as Mannie
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Eddie McCord
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Pearce — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *Doctor Who: Destiny of the Daleks* (1979), as Lan
- *Porridge* (1979), as McLaren
- *Game for Vultures* (1979), as Daniel Batten
- *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Dr Hartley, Police Officer
- *Mixed Blessings* (1978), series, as Uncle Charlie
- *Going Straight* (1978), series, as McLaren
- *Life at Stake* (1978), series, as Hijacker
- *The Professionals* (1977), series, as Handsome Man
- *Target* (1977), series, as Abbo
- *Porridge: The Desperate Hours* (1976), as McLaren
- *Pure as a Lily* (1976), as Daniel Batten
- *Space: 1999* (1975), series, as Security Guard
- *Antony and Cleopatra* (1975), as Cleopatra's Servant
- *Churchill's People* (1974), series, as Leonard
- *Porridge* (1974), series, as McLaren — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/porridge.md)
- *Doctor Who* (1963), series, as Lan, Kracauer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/tony-osoba