Henri Szeps, the cherished award-winning actor who brought warmth and wit to Australian screens for decades, has died at the age of 81.

Best known for his role as the well-meaning but exasperated Robert Beare in the much-loved ABC sitcom Mother and Son, Szeps passed away peacefully after a quiet battle with Alzheimer’s disease. A statement released on Thursday confirmed the news, adding that “Henri retained his sense of wonder and joie de vivre until the end”.

Szeps revealed his diagnosis in 2021 and had been living in a care facility since last year.

Born in a Swiss refugee camp in 1943 to Polish Holocaust survivors, Szeps arrived in Australia as an eight-year-old and went on to become a pillar of the nation’s stage and screen. His career spanned decades, marked by memorable roles not only in television but also in theatre, including turns as Gandalf in The Hobbit and Sigmund Freud in a celebrated stage production.

He received an Order of Australia Medal in 2001 in recognition of his contributions to the performing arts, the culmination of a career full of accolades.

Alongside Ruth Cracknell and Garry McDonald, Szeps made Mother and Son a household staple during its original 10-year run, which ended in 1994. The show’s enduring popularity led to a recent reboot, a testament to the affection Australians still hold for the original.

In addition to his television work, Szeps also starred as Prime Minister Harold Holt in the mini-series Vietnam, acting opposite a young Nicole Kidman, and later performed a series of acclaimed one-man shows before retiring at 70, saying his memory was “no longer up to the task”.

He is survived by his wife Mary, their two sons, and four grandchildren.

Henri Szeps’ legacy is one of intelligence, humour and deep humanity – on stage, on screen, and in life.

Images: ABC iView