Tom Oliver (born 12 June 1938) is a British-born Australian retired actor who started his career in theatre in his native country, before emigrating to Australia. Oliver, a staple of the small screen since the early 1960s, is best known for his TV soap opera roles, most especially Neighbours as Lou Carpenter, a role he played for 25 years. The character was known for his constant sparring with Harold Bishop, and his trademark dirty laugh, which he previously utilised in an earlier role on Number 96. Oliver has stated that it was inspired by the comic actor Sid James. He appeared in the early Crawford Productions police procedurals, before having the soap opera roles in Bellbird, as Tom Grey and in Number 96 as Jack Sellers. Short term soap roles included Prisoner, Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice. Biography Early life 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. However, he failed to gain an apprenticeship owing to his size. British Navy He joined the Merchant Navy at 16 and travelled the world, eventually settling in Sydney in 1956. Whilst in the British Forces, he worked on the Pacific Nuclear Testing Base, Christmas Island and so is a member of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association. Career Early career While in Australia, Oliver found work as a stockman, spending three years in this job, working his way around the country. He subsequently returned to the UK before beginning an overland trek across Asia to return to Australia. However, the journey was halted by illness and 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 Oliver emigrated in 1963, later becoming an Australian citizen. He frequently visits Fareham, Hampshire to see his old friends. Oliver became a busy theatre and television actor in Australia. He 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 (1967). Oliver was then cast in serial Bellbird, playing the role of Tom Grey from 1969 to 1971, and appeared in the 1971 film Nickel Queen, directed by John McCallum. After