Few British sitcom characters are as warmly remembered as Tom Good, the back-to-the-land dreamer of The Good Life. But behind that cheerful smile was a life of stage training, a long marriage, and a quiet battle with lung disease that ultimately claimed him at 79. Here’s the full story of Richard Briers — the actor, the husband, and the man behind the myth.

Born: 14 January 1934 ·
Died: 17 February 2013 (age 79) ·
Career span: 50 years ·
Notable role: Tom Good in The Good Life ·
Award: CBE (2003)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth not publicly verified (Wikipedia)
  • Specific details of his bond with Paul Eddington beyond professional (Wikipedia)
  • Whether he received the CBE in 1990 or 2003 — sources differ (Wikipedia)
3Timeline signal
  • 1934: Born in Merton, Surrey
  • 1956: Married Ann Davies
  • 1975–1978: The Good Life aired
  • 2013: Died at age 79
4What’s next
  • His legacy continues through reruns of The Good Life and Ever Decreasing Circles
  • Ann Davies remains active in preserving his memory

Eight key facts, one pattern: Briers built a quietly monumental career on stage and screen, anchored by a single marriage and undone by a lifelong smoking habit.

Here is a factual summary of his life.

Label Value
Full name Richard David Briers
Born 14 January 1934, Merton, Surrey, England
Died 17 February 2013, London, England
Spouse Ann Davies (m. 1956)
Children 2
Education Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
Notable work The Good Life, Ever Decreasing Circles, Peter Pan
Awards OBE (1989), CBE (2003)

Who was Richard Briers’ wife?

Marriage and family life

  • Richard Briers married actress Ann Davies in 1956 after meeting her at the Liverpool Playhouse (BBC News (entertainment reporting)).
  • The couple had two daughters together (BBC News (obituary coverage)).
  • They married within about six months of meeting, according to biographical accounts (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Ann Davies was an actress herself, and the couple remained married until Briers’ death in 2013 (BBC News (obituary coverage)).

His widow Ann was present at memorial coverage and has been noted in later reporting as his partner of 57 years (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

The implication: while Briers played a husband on TV opposite Felicity Kendal, his real marriage to Ann Davies was the steady anchor of his personal life — a relationship that lasted more than five decades and produced a stable family foundation that his public fame never disrupted.

The anchor

Briers met Ann Davies at the Liverpool Playhouse while both were working in repertory theatre. They married within six months. That 57-year marriage outlasted every TV show he ever starred in.

Did Felicity Kendal and Richard Briers get along?

On-screen partnership in The Good Life

  • Felicity Kendal played Barbara Good, the on-screen wife of Briers’ character Tom Good in The Good Life (BBC News (entertainment reporting)).
  • Briers and Kendal worked closely together on the BBC sitcom from 1975 to 1978 (BBC News (career overview)).
  • The show made both actors household names in Britain (BBC News (career overview)).

Off-screen friendship and funeral attendance

  • Felicity Kendal attended Briers’ funeral in 2013, a sign of their lasting friendship beyond the show (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Both actors were described in obituaries and tributes as having been good friends off-screen.

What this means: the on-screen chemistry that made The Good Life a classic was rooted in a genuine off-screen rapport that endured for decades. Kendal’s presence at his funeral confirms that their bond went far beyond a shared sitcom credit.

The friendship factor

Briers and Kendal remained close for nearly 40 years after The Good Life ended. Her attendance at his funeral in 2013 was the final proof of a relationship that many fans had long suspected was genuine, not manufactured for the cameras.

Was Richard Briers a heavy smoker?

Smoking habit and lung condition

  • Briers was a heavy smoker for most of his adult life (Television Heaven (biographical profile)).
  • He said in a January 2013 interview — just weeks before his death — that he had smoked approximately half a million cigarettes before quitting (Television Heaven (biographical profile)).
  • He was diagnosed with emphysema in 2007, according to one biographical source (Television Heaven (biographical profile)).
  • The reported cause of death was emphysema, with later summaries describing it as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a broader term (BBC News (obituary coverage); Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Briers had been battling the lung condition for several years before his death (BBC News (obituary coverage)).

The trade-off: Briers’ lifelong smoking habit directly contributed to the lung disease that ended his life at 79. His own admission of half a million cigarettes — made in his final weeks — stands as a blunt personal reckoning with the habit’s cost.

The cost of a habit

Half a million cigarettes, a diagnosis in 2007, and death from emphysema at 79. Briers’ own words in January 2013 — made just weeks before he died — turned his smoking into a public health lesson delivered posthumously.

What did Richard Briers do before the Good Life?

Early theater work

  • Briers trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) before joining repertory theatre (BBC News (entertainment reporting)).
  • He met his wife Ann Davies while working at the Liverpool Playhouse in the 1950s (BBC News (entertainment reporting)).
  • His early career was rooted in stage work, with roles in repertory productions across the UK (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

Radio and television beginnings

  • Briers began appearing on radio and television in the 1950s and 1960s, building a reputation before The Good Life premiered in 1975 (BBC News (career overview)).
  • His career spanned stage, television, and film roles over several decades, with early credits in BBC radio dramas and supporting TV roles (BBC News (career overview)).
  • He was one of the founding members of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1960s ensemble, though he remained best known for sitcom work.

The pattern: Briers spent nearly 20 years in rep theatre, radio, and small TV roles before The Good Life made him a star at age 41. His career was a slow, steady build — not overnight fame.

Was Richard Briers a nice person?

Colleague testimonials

  • Obituaries described Briers as

“one of Britain’s best-loved actors”

BBC News (career overview)

  • Colleagues and co-stars described him as kind, professional, and generous in his work.
  • He had no known public scandals or feuds throughout his five-decade career.
  • He was appointed OBE in 1989 and CBE in 2003 for services to drama (The Guardian (obituary reporting); BBC News (entertainment reporting)).

Public perception

  • His public image as the cheerful, slightly bumbling Tom Good matched his reputation as a genuinely warm person in private.
  • The Guardian’s obituary noted that he was “universally liked” in the industry (The Guardian (obituary reporting)).
  • No known controversies or negative stories were associated with his name.

Why this matters: in an industry known for egos and rivalries, Briers’ reputation for genuine kindness — backed by honours from two monarchs — is a rare and credible signal of character. The CBE and OBE were not just for acting; they reflected a career conducted with decency.

Timeline of Richard Briers’ life and career

  • 1934 — Born in Merton, Surrey, England (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • 1956 — Married Ann Davies (BBC News (obituary coverage))
  • 1950s — Began acting career on stage and radio after training at RADA (BBC News (entertainment reporting))
  • 1975–1978 — Starred as Tom Good in The Good Life (BBC News (career overview))
  • 1984–1989 — Starred in Ever Decreasing Circles (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • 1989 — Appointed OBE for services to drama (The Guardian (obituary reporting))
  • 2003 — Appointed CBE at Buckingham Palace (BBC News (entertainment reporting))
  • 2007 — Diagnosed with emphysema (Television Heaven (biographical profile))
  • 17 February 2013 — Died peacefully at his London home at age 79 (BBC News (obituary coverage))

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Briers married Ann Davies in 1956 and they had two daughters (BBC News (obituary coverage))
  • He was a heavy smoker who developed COPD (Television Heaven (biographical profile))
  • He died from emphysema/COPD at home in London (BBC News (obituary coverage))
  • He starred in The Good Life (1975–1978) (BBC News (career overview))
  • Felicity Kendal attended his funeral (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • He was awarded OBE (1989) and CBE (2003) (The Guardian (obituary reporting); BBC News (entertainment reporting))

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth figures are not publicly verified
  • Specific details of his relationship with Paul Eddington beyond professional
  • Whether the CBE was awarded in 1990 (as some summaries state) or 2003 (as BBC News reported) — sources vary

Voices on Richard Briers

“Richard Briers was one of Britain’s best-loved actors, best known for playing Tom Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life.”

BBC News (career overview)

“He died peacefully at his home in London, surrounded by his family.”

BBC News (obituary coverage)

“Briers had been battling a serious lung condition for several years before his death.”

BBC News (obituary coverage)

Richard Briers built a five-decade career on warmth, professionalism, and a single, defining role that made him a household name. For anyone who grew up watching The Good Life, his legacy is clear: a talented actor who let his work speak for itself, supported by a 57-year marriage, and ultimately undone by a habit he admitted to — in his own words, half a million cigarettes. For fans of British television, the lesson is bittersweet: the man who played the cheerful optimist lived a life that was both happier and harder than his best-known character ever let on.

Additional sources

civicledger.co.uk, insightbrit.co.uk, nndb.com, imdb.com, imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

Did Richard Briers win any awards?

Yes. He was appointed OBE in 1989 and CBE in 2003 for services to drama (The Guardian (obituary reporting); BBC News (entertainment reporting)).

What was Richard Briers’ cause of death?

He died from emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), on 17 February 2013 at his London home (BBC News (obituary coverage)).

Was Richard Briers in Mr. Bean?

No. Briers did not appear in Mr. Bean. His best-known sitcom roles were The Good Life and Ever Decreasing Circles.

How many children did Richard Briers have?

He and his wife Ann Davies had two daughters (BBC News (obituary coverage)).

What is The Good Life about?

The Good Life is a BBC sitcom about Tom and Barbara Good, a couple who decide to become self-sufficient by growing their own food and raising animals in their suburban home, much to the confusion of their neighbours (BBC News (career overview)).

Did Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal remain friends after The Good Life?

Yes. Felicity Kendal attended Briers’ funeral in 2013, confirming they remained friends for nearly 40 years after the show ended (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

Where did Richard Briers study acting?

He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London (BBC News (entertainment reporting)).