26 Facts About Tom Oliver

Tom Oliver was born on 12 June 1938 and is a British naturalised Australian retired actor.

Lou was known for his constant sparring with Harold Bishop and romance with Madge, as well as his trademark dirty laugh, which Tom Oliver noted was inspired by Sid James.

Tom Oliver was a staple of the small screen from the early 1960s, until retiring in 2016.

Tom Oliver was born in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England and started appearing in amateur theatricals as an adolescent in Britain before pursuing a career as a jockey.

Tom Oliver joined the Merchant Navy at 16 and travelled the world, eventually settling in Sydney in 1956.

Tom Oliver subsequently returned to the UK before beginning an overland trek across Asia to return to Australia.

However, the journey was halted by illness and Tom Oliver returned to Britain where he contacted Albert Finney who was then planning to produce the film Ned Kelly in Australia in 1963.

Finney gave him a letter of introduction to an agency in Sydney and Tom Oliver emigrated in 1963, later becoming an Australian citizen.

Tom Oliver became a busy theatre and television actor in Australia.

Tom Oliver had many guest starring roles on Australian drama series, appearing frequently in the top-rated Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, and in Crawford's adventure series Hunter.

Tom Oliver worked for a time as a presenter on Play School in 1967.

Tom Oliver became one of the Number 96s most popular cast members.

Tom Oliver stayed in the role in the series for more than two years, finally electing to leave in mid-1974.

Tom Oliver quickly returned to guest starring roles on television and film roles of varying sizes.

Tom Oliver briefly returned to Number 96 in the same role in September 1975.

Tom Oliver appeared in the acclaimed miniseries The Dismissal portraying Reg Withers.

Tom Oliver acted on the stage in numerous productions, appearing in such plays as The Knack, Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves and The Club.

Today Tom Oliver is best known for his long-running role of Lou Carpenter in Neighbours.

Tom Oliver first appeared for a handful of episodes as lovable rogue used-car salesman Lou, Madge Bishop's former flame, in 1988.

Tom Oliver was written out of the show in 1996 but producers relented after numerous petitions from fans and he was quickly reintroduced.

Tom Oliver appeared in a documentary special celebrating the show's 30th anniversary titled Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite, which aired in Australia and the UK in March 2015.

In 2015, it was announced that Tom Oliver had cut back further on his role as Lou and would only appear from time to time as a guest.

In October 2016 it was announced that Tom Oliver had left the role after 24 years and his last appearance aired in December 2016.

Executive producer Jason Herbison later revealed that he had personally called Tom Oliver to inquire about returning for the final episode, but Tom Oliver turned it down as he was "at a different point in his life now".

Tom Oliver has been nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role three times.

Tom Oliver has been married to his current wife Jan since 1985.