Roy Rolland

Roy Rolland (29 June 1921 – 16 August 1997) was an English comedian and stage actor who was the understudy for Arthur Lucan as Old Mother Riley and who took over the role following the death of Lucan in 1954, playing it until about 1977.

Rolland acted as Arthur Lucan's understudy and stand-in for Old Mother Riley both on stage and in film (including in Lucan's last film Mother Riley Meets the Vampire, where he stood in for Lucan in the more physical scenes). Towards the end of Lucan's life, as he was affected more and more by alcoholism, Rolland appeared more frequently in the role. After a disagreement with McShane, Rolland renamed the character Old Mother Kelly, but to all intents and purposes the character was the same.

Rolland retired to Rhyl in Denbighshire where he lived with his male partner, a former supermarket manager. Roy Rolland died there in August 1997, aged 76.