Tom Oliver

Tom Oliver 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 TV soap Number 96 as Jack Sellers. 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. Short term soap roles included Prisoner, Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice.