Henri Szeps, the Swiss-born actor beloved by generations of Australians for his portrayal of the self-absorbed dentist Robert Beare in the ABC comedy series Mother and Son, and for his many stage roles, has died aged 81.

Szeps passed away in palliative care. In a TV appearance in 2021, with his son, the broadcaster Josh Szeps, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Over a career spanning six decades, Szeps became one of Australia’s most familiar and versatile performers, equally at home in theatre, TV drama and comedy and film. His best-known role – the scheming elder son opposite Garry McDonald and Ruth Cracknell in Mother and Son – made him a household name. But his contributions to Australian theatre and screen stretched far wider, encompassing Shakespeare, the plays of David Williamson, and iconic Australian TV shows ranging from Skippy to All Saints.

Henri Szeps in Wish I’d Said That. Photo © Natalie Boog

Szeps was born in 1943 in Lausanne, Switzerland, to Polish-Jewish parents who had fled to France ahead of the Nazi invasion. His father joined the French Resistance while his mother and sister sought refuge in Switzerland....