On the Buses Cast & Crew talk Anna Karen & Olive - Reg Varney, Stephen Lewis, Roy Skeggs, Anna Karen

By way of a small trinute to the wonderful Anna Karen, who we lost this week (22nd Feb 2022), here's a video with Anna Karen who is joined by On the Buses cast members Reg Varney, Andria Lawrence, Stephen Lewis, writers Ronalds Chesney and Wolfe, production supervisor Roy Skeggs, Hammer Runners Brian Reynolds and Phil Campbell, and film historian Morris Bright MBE to celebrate Olive, Anna's classic character creation.
These interviews are part of our recent feature length documentary On the Buses at the Movies that celebrates the 50th anniversaries of this classic British comedy film series, On the Buses, Mutiny on the Buses and Holiday On the Buses. The documentary goes behind the scenes, looks at the making of the films and reflects on the their enduring appeal.
Special thanks to Morris Bright MBE for allowing us access to his archive interviews with Anna, Reg, Stephen, Roy and the two Ronnies that were recorded in 2002.
Here's a few links for more info:
OUT NOW on our VOD Channel: vimeo.com/onde...
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Official Trailer: • On the Buses at the Mo...

[@ronmccullock1407]

R.I.P. Anna

[@jackiecooper8027]

So sad to hear of the passing of Anna Karen. I really liked her and all the cast of "On the Buses." Takes me back to my childhood in the 1970's.

[@Christine_1985]

@Enoch-nn1id Listen pal, if you don’t want to read people’s comments then scroll on !!!! Myself and other fans of Anna Karen and On The Buses will continue to celebrate her memory, off and on screen. How dare you feel the need to criticise others on something and someone who meant a lot to them.😡

[@hooplemott]

If only we could have those good times back. God bless all the cast.

[@coronationstreetlover4673]

same forever my fav show

[@Christine_1985]

Rest in peace Anna.♥️💐 We all miss you so much.😪Xxxx

[@eastonjames6582]

Hello Christine how are you doing right now and how was your day

[@andymatthews7617]

I WANT TO GO BACK.

[@jenniferjones188]

Take me back in time loved on the buses

[@andymatthews7617]

@@jenniferjones188 Best days EVER.

[@Christine_1985]

@Enoch-nn1id Who the heck do you think you’re talking to ???!!!😂😂😂 Jog on ya fool.

[@maxinegalloway3459]

I was having an on the buses marathon night a couple of nights before Anna died - Totally love that series, reminds me of my childhood, 'it' managed to be a bit smutty without causing harm - All the actors fit their part to a T - and were brilliant, So sad how Anna died, so upsetting, god bless her soul - but, although she was not world wide famous, she was famous to me!! rip Anna x

[@Bob-ts2tu]

both the missus and i watched the movies repeated on one of the bt vision channels a couple of weeks ago too and loved it

[@welshlad6427]

❤️

[@Mff48]

Maxine i feel the same,i think she is a national treasure a British icon,like Barbara Windsor. I often binge on those 70s sit coms,they make me feel happy,guess cos that's my childhood.Life was so much easier then.My favourite is 'Mutiny on the buses' Love Reg Varney,all the cast and also Yootha Joyce,Sally Thomset,Sid James,Hatty Jacques.......the list is endless.....GOD BLESS EM ALL......RIP Anna,we love you xx

[@maxinegalloway3459]

@@Mff48 I watched Mutiny on the buses a couple of days ago (for the god knows how many times) Those were times when people could be so funny without one swear word. None needed - just funny but simple comedy which worked! - Yes agree, god bless her, all the good ones have gone now.

[@Mff48]

@@maxinegalloway3459 we are of like mind.....bless ya Maxine.....was watchin Brian Murphy interviewed last night, "GEOOORGE!!!" LOL

[@Wheelstar72]

I met Anna when she came to my special needs school she was so down to earth. RIP Anna

[@fatwalletboy2]

I srill watch them today...... Just classic comedy.

[@innercityunit2112]

On The Buses, a British sitcom classic...Such a shame Anna passed away like that, and all of the main stars are now gone. I watched the show when originally broadcast (1969 to 1973) and still watch it now, interspersed with other classics from that golden-era of British sitcoms...I think the comment in this video, saying the backbone of OTB was all about the family (and friends and colleagues) chemistry, hits the nail cleanly on the head. Not many of those wonderful actors and actresses, writers, producers and set crew left now, but what a wonderful legacy they have left us.

[@Boilingfrogg]

Loved watching her star in on the buses as a child. I'd watch every Saturday with my grandad. RIP. thanks for the laughter. ⚘

[@jahno7154]

I'm gutted absolutely gutted. She wasn't ugly and she wasn't fat I thought she had an ok figure,I heard her in a interview she said she was never offended by the horrible name calling she got which for me makes her a national treasure RIP

[@tornadotaz9678]

I agree. Olive was not ugly. She was my favorite character in the movies and series. My favorite scene with her in was when she was trying to learn to drive Arthur's bike and she snapped the starting pedal and Arthur said "look what you have done you stupid great big nit! How can you be so clumsey??" Olive's reply was price less as she said "clumsy?? Hark who's talking, who did that??" and she then pointed to the bus stop that Arthur damaged reversing the bus. A classic scene with brill actors in. I am sure going to miss Olivexxxx

[@Dolly_GirL_x]

The people who hired her a d all the men here..are so mean ...she was far from ugly, and she wasn't fat.

[@jahno7154]

@@tornadotaz9678 Those 3 films they made are probably my favourite British films of all time so many classic moments and they were all perfectly politically correct.

[@rebeccapeach4008]

It’s no wonder women have issues over their bodies. Olive had a smashing figure and definitely wasn’t ugly.

[@gazsykes67]

Such a great comedy series and of course the films were great too

[@dilwich]

What a beautiful woman . . . . God bless. Xx

[@michaelwray1034]

RIP.. Brilliant as Olive.

[@sexydudeuk2172]

Anna was one of my teachers when i was in stage school. There were different types of classes and she did the drama class. Nice lady she was always on hand to give advice and directions and such. May she RIP

[@andymatthews7617]

TERRIBLY SAD, A TRUE PROFESSIONAL, TRAGIC WAY TO DIE.

[@sexydudeuk2172]

@Enoch-nn1id awww jealous are you! Everyone else that went to that school with me can verify that you can even ask the guy that ran that school hell also verify it

[@movieandtheatrelover5587]

​​​@Enoch-nn1idthis is my other youtube account username from the account i posted on. awww jealous are you? I got a few dozen witnesses who also went to that school with me one of whom was my sister and they can verify it. You can also ask the guy who ran that school, colin putz. He can also verify that she worked there

[@Christine_1985]

@Enoch-nn1id I think you’re the one that’s desperate for attention.🙄 Does On The Buses hurt your feelings ❄️

[@Christine_1985]

@Enoch-nn1idToo delicate for you???😂

[@westminsterwatcher5152]

A golden age of television. May they all RIP!

[@NRTSean]

R.I.P. Anna. You were a great actress... Remember many a great night at the theatre in East Stratford

[@froggiewrench1]

Presumably today this type of comedy would be accompanied by a warning that it could "cause offence". Thank goodness some of us grew up in times when we could all sit as a family and watch these gems and laugh. The world isn't a better place.

[@jahno7154]

Its still on ITV3 So it can't be that bad.

[@fran-kittyayers5329]

We are the lucky ones we grew up when laughing wasn't a crime.

[@GusMcGuire]

@@fran-kittyayers5329 Are you kidding? Back in 1927 Mae West was arrested and spent 10 days in the workhouse for indecency for a play that she'd written. Comedians don't have that happening nowadays so don't kid yourself that people being offended by comedy is a new phenomenon. It's as old as comedy itself. If anything, people are much more free to express themselves through comedy now than ever before.

[@fran-kittyayers5329]

@@GusMcGuire oh dear, there is always one.

[@froggiewrench1]

@@jahno7154 Unlike Love Thy Neighbour. Jack Smethurst passed almost unnoticed. Yet another comedy legend.

[@michelledelaney5132]

Awww what a show for sure one of the greatest of all time .can’t believe Anna’s dreadfully sad ending literally ten minutes from where I live,godbless darlin lady rest in eternal peace,good night Anna good night olive ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@michaelmyers3709]

Reg Varney always looked so young, he was 86 in this interview.

[@darylcumming7119]

One of my late parents favourite shows.

[@Spike0000]

It looked like better times back then...Classic era!...Classic cast!. Sad to hear of anna Karen's passing recently...terrible. All original cast members now sadly gone...never to be forgotten and immortalised forever on screen in these classic movies...and series....

[@justahappylittlebunny2656]

Every on the buses my partner finds on TV guide he has to watch ! He still laughs like it's the first time he's seen it , he's 56!

[@Mff48]

Yup thats me too!!! im 56 also.We are children from a wonderful decade,im so glad i grew up then!!!! RIP ANNA a true British ICON xxxx

[@esssexboy]

Always a fan of her.... She was pretty much typecast permanently as Olive. Not sure if this went against herself in her later years but she was a true legend. Will miss her RiP

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

Not really, she was more so known for EastEnders in later years as Aunt Sal. She was iconic in that

[@paulmartin4971]

RIP Anna am still shocked. Hope reg and Bob are there to take you to the cemetery gate's. Will be an on the buses fan till the day I die.

[@Mff48]

i bet they gave her a fantastic welcome! love em all God bless them,they have left us with wonderful memories!! xx

[@jnuttso1]

This lady has bought a smile to my face and made my laugh so many times though out my life I can not begin to imagine what it would be like to pass away in the same situation Rip Anna Karen 🙏

[@fran-kittyayers5329]

Another comedy great has gone, R.I.P Anna you are sadly missed 😢

[@anthonyjohnson8672]

iconic, on the buses,comedy at its best,,RIP anna

[@djdoolittle1315]

What a brilliant actress 💚 God bless Olive

[@jackwright8921]

What a brilliant lady Anna was it's so sad to hear about the way she died R.I.P Anna a talented lady who should never be forgotten with rolls from on the buses, rag trade carry on films east enders to beautiful thing

[@RPKGameVids]

Just finished watching the complete series on DVD last night. Such an awesome show!

[@neilbolger2679]

Rest well Anna . You brought many smiles to many people. Thank you . Rest well dear girl

[@davidloughlin2238]

Loved Anna and all of the cast, great show and movies. RIP amazing lady.

[@fran-kittyayers5329]

Me to, brings back happy memories.

[@gazza2933]

Rest In Peace Anna. 💐

[@kazeenapproach2986]

They are all good actors, play their part like it was real life! All of them RIP.

[@gordgraham8426]

Anna Karen will never be forgotten she a great lady was a great cast of on the buses my you forever rest in peace i will never forget you your the best Anna Karen

[@cuteandfluffypikachu3405]

I still love this show it’s hilarious with especially Dracula I binge when I can 😆😆😆

[@JaredGriffiths2000]

Nice tribute!

[@RABBITANDSNAIL]

Thanks Jared, really appreciate your support.

[@JaredGriffiths2000]

@@RABBITANDSNAIL You're welcome!

[@gilliankingston8259]

Yes, one of the best I have seen; one of them had a synthesized voice which made me think for goodness sake this is meant to be a tribute/in memorian if you can't be bothered to do it properly/respectfully why bother at all!!! RIP Anna🌹

[@christopherjones2884]

Always enjoyed her character. Such a pleasure to watch her.

[@mapachehombre1581]

Reg Varney was the first to use the A T M machine in 1967

[@carolotsful]

RIP Anna ❤️you will be missed by many . Thank You for the laughter x

[@davidorton4487]

It was so sad 😭 to hear of the passing of the amazing Anna Karen. I’ve always been a massive fan of the buses 🚌 undoubtedly the best comedy sitcom from the seventies by far. Dave

[@welshlad6427]

Love On the Buses 🚌❤️

[@barryalmond9500]

R.I.P Anna Karen❤❤

[@jacquelineithell307]

On the buses unmissable she was the star of the show please god in heaven 🙏 let the smoke of got to her first 🙏 rest in peace sweet magnificent magical beautiful Olive 🫒 ✨ ❤ 🙏 ♥ 💖 🫒

[@paulmoloney4160]

Anna Karin was a beautiful woman and sadly missed God bless her

[@michellegower1259]

I used to drive buses for a well known company in UK n I can honestly say, some of the things that went on in the series, were no doubt based on true events! Some still go on today.

[@chrimorhen4585]

Rip Anna. Bet your all having fun wherever we go than this life. All the late cast now Anna Rip love.

[@philglover2973]

Rest in peace flower gone but not forgotten 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 xx

[@Uvray]

From the era when we had a whole load of classic British comedy. I remember watching On the Busses and my dad was always saying of Olive: "And she's not an unattractive girl in real life, you know!"

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

So bizarre did you think the same of the blokes? Other than Reg Varney the others were hardly Tom Hardy were they?

[@paulwild3676]

@@handsoffmycactus2958 That is a very valid point. Bob Grant wasn’t exactly Paul Newman was he. The women they lusted after were always Diana Dors’ types,voluptuous and busty.

[@vickihayward6832]

Anna Karen was a Beauty i've seen Younger pics of her ..I love her character Olive in "On the Buses " RIP Anna karen 🤍🕯️🤍

[@videocurios]

Lovely stuff thankyou

[@doriannewton8440]

I still love Olive 🙂

[@TonyKeepingItClean]

Great show. Great cast.

[@jeremyhaines4481]

RIP 🙏 🕊 Anna Karen

[@jockhartley]

rip anna x

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

will be missed rip Anna big fan of on the buses

[@zoedark7101]

She also played Peggys sister in eastenders.

[@eastonjames6582]

Hello how are you doing right now and how was your day

[@andymatthews7617]

R I P LOVELY LADY.❤❤❤🙏🙏

[@davidwaterhouse2552]

What Fantastic Actors they all were ! This was (is) such a funny show ,and the two spin off films were hilarious! The Girls were so 'naturally' Gorgeous back then ! ( I am only 56!) I would put this show as good as Dad's Army , and Rising Damp ! Fantastic Actors, Fantastic Writers, innocent times ! dx

[@SpeccyMan]

There were three films: On The Buses (1971), Mutiny On The Buses (1972) and Holiday On The Buses (1973).

[@andyman1032]

rip anna Karen reg varney Stephen Lawrence and jack and Arthur and all the passed away stars this comedy will never ever be seen again you will all be sadly missed and your films will always be watched by me and your fans over and over and over again just like only fools and horses

[@Bob-ts2tu]

In the early 90's my m8 and i met a couple of shall we say 'older' women in the local and took them back to my place at closing time. mine was called 'betty' and i can't remember his, apart from she was the spit of olive, and 30 years later when i see him i still say 'remember when....' he never likes it but it still amuses me and other mates when i mention it lol. On a serious note we all loved Olive, and every boomer and more still remember her. RIP Anna.

[@JiminyCricket8899]

I think i remember Anna in the Carol White film Poor Cow.R.I.P. Anna

[@Anthony-nv2kv]

God bless her and may she rest in peace.

[@johnnyboyvan]

The classic English 👌 stereotypes...fabulous.

[@paulwild3676]

Toni Palmer I believe is still going strong. Another great actress.

[@paulwild3676]

Toni Palmer turns 90 in September.

[@nicolesurphlis1558]

She was very funny

[@finanzferdinand9874]

One thing I noticed was when Michael Robbins left, the show died. You always think Reg was the main character but the best punchlines / running joke belonged to Michael and Anna.

[@colinwilliams553]

OMG!!!! So sad 😥 to hear of the passing of ANNA KAREN 😥 I just can't believe it.I am so heartbroken.may the rest of the cat Rest In Peace.... Thanks for my childhood memories Reg Varney Bob Grant Stephen Lewis Doris Hate Michael Robbins ....and Anna Karen. You're now officially reunited with your castmembers up in heaven.

[@christinehales4222]

Used to love on the buses I had a wig that my daughter tried on ( it was quite a flat wig ) My daughter pulled a strange face ,so she's been known as Olive even now. RIP lovely

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

The wig wasn’t that bad. Far better than Anna’s hair in 2002 and Doris’s hair in the show?

[@KevTheImpaler]

I think I gotta watch this. I have only been hearing it about 40 years.

[@johnseven3695]

She died before her time.

[@peterkirgan2921]

Mind you Anna Karen was one of England's best Models in the 1960s 1970s

[@miabahons1953]

Rip Olive

[@danielmoran9902]

Used to empty her bins at Redbridge.

[@billy4072]

👍👍👍

[@maccatoyou]

RIP Anna Karen..very sad.

[@richardevans7035]

This woman made millions of people laugh for many years yet itv news gave her a 20 second clip of her passing SHAMEFUL

[@jeffreyweitzman6463]

Well BBC no better, the way they headlined her passing was as of had been in Eastenders and its like - such a crap way to sum her up even in via a headline...should have been On The Buses as a paramount mention seeing that was such a massive part of her career for those years LWT had ratings with that show that todays tv can only dream of!! No disrespect to Eastenders, but Anna Karen hardly became famous from that. I only realised few days after house fire was cause of her death which is very upsetting. Natural causes at least still would have been sad but house fire, tragic she wasn't reached in time to get her out into safety :/ Thank lord though we have tv archive memories which, needs to be left intact as it is and shown intact as it is, no flipping messing around to suit some stupid agenda of current UK climate by no one. Those times back then were actually seaside humour innuendo filled harmless happy times any day of the week, compared to the unfunny crap lazy joke ridden expletive times we have now. RIP Anna Karen.

[@jahno7154]

ITV London news gave her a good 3 mins they spoke to some of her neighbours and talked about the long friendship she had with Barbara Windsor.

[@richardevans7035]

@@jahno7154 fair play to them

[@jeffreyweitzman6463]

@@jahno7154 Ah least they did then that l didn't catch. Yeah she and Barbara Windsor had the same no airs or graces completely approachable and down to earth qualities no wonder they were life long friends.

[@ianwylie9064]

very very upsetting. On the buses personnel should be treated like royalty or law lords or something like that since they are the bricks and mortar of the country's Dna cells, like the queen, red pillar boxes and so on. Anna should have been protected from this kind of fate. I do not know the details . ( I don't want to. if im sincere) I watched on the buses as a kid, I feel like these people are like old aunts and uncles , I have a unique and deep affection for them. iain w glasgow

[@Mff48]

True words ian, its kinda like part of our culture,cement in our society.....I AM A CHILD OF THE SEVENTIES AND PROUD!!!!!! RIP Anna youre a national treasure!!!

[@dennisneo1608]

Olive was cute.

[@hetaera3418]

I'm not gonna lie - I used to have a bit of a crush on Olive when I was younger and watched On The Buses. I think I might have sensed that, deep down, there was a very pretty girl there.

[@chrisshepherd6878]

So mean

[@nigelallwright194]

RIP

[@moaningpheromones]

Real life on the buses . . . passenger: does this bus go to blah blah place? me: no passenger: oh, sorry I didn't read the sign me: that's ok - nobody does passenger: * laughter *

[@martinsmith8487]

Her character was very underwritten on the whole but obviously necessary to complete the family.

[@parallaxview2143]

I loved Anna Karen and despite the costume, I fancied Olive. I like big boned women.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

I don’t get the whole Olive being ugly thing. It’s just her glasses and the clips in her hair. Her hair is far nicer than Anna’s own hair in 2002, and Doris’s hair in the show? And what about the husband???? He’s well ugly!!! Hardly Tom Hardy himself?

[@breakthru7608]

Yeh I hated how those two producers/writers were talking about her

[@DougKersey-bj1xr]

By

[@janiceleighton7348]

I'm sure she didn't look hirrabke guys terrible