Ah! Well done Robert. Well that's a good clue. I'm not aware of him having any starring sitcom roles though... But could be someone who looks like him. Hmm.
Help, please! Page 2
Michael Robbins played the lead in How's Your Father?. A sitcom which ran for 8 episodes in the mid-seventies.
The show certainly matches the description given by the OP.
So he did, well remembered/found, don. I'm only particularly familiar with the Harry Worth sitcom of the same name.
"Eddie Cropper is a middle-aged man struggling to come to terms with an ever-changing world, and to satisfy the demands of his family."
What a lovely, shiny pate!
Quote: Robert Sacamano @ August 22 2011, 12:36 PM BSTMichael Robbins (best known for playing Arthur in 'On the Buses') played a guard in 'The Great Muppet Caper'.
BINGO!
Thanx.
I came from work just now, and I remembered that lead actor had whiskers (I hope this I s the right word)!
70's show, after all
thank you all
see you on another topics 
Quote: Alex B @ August 22 2011, 2:40 PM BSTI remembered that lead actor had whiskers (I hope this I s the right word)!
Ha ha. Well it's close enough: sideburns.
Secretary was Ivy (actress Sheila Steafel)
I don't understend how she and Eddie Cropper are in 8 episodes only, when IMDB says that full episode list has 7 + 6 episodes?
Quote: Aaron @ August 22 2011, 2:55 PM BSTHa ha. Well it's close enough: sideburns.
Stupid dictionaries.
IMDb is as reliable as asking your dead dog, when it comes to British TV of any age.
However, it is correct that there were 2 series, of 7 and 6 episodes respectively.
Sadly, it doesn't appear to be available on DVD anywhere.
Quote: Aaron @ August 22 2011, 12:37 AM BSTHmmm. Interesting. Trouble is, what you might have seen 'new' on Yugoslavian TV in, say, 1983, could have easily been from 1978 here. But it sounds like we do have a good rough time guide.
May To December would certainly match many of the points, but not the time.
Is that Lesley Dunlop from Emmerdale?
It is Lesley Dunlop, but I couldn't possibly comment on what mucky trash she may have appeared in!
I met her once at the Cosmic Comedy Club, it was a Thursday night so a bit quiet.
She was really nice, and we had a good chat and a laugh.
1 episode has now turned up on youtube so you can see what it was like. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsSTpFaod4M&t=269s
One episode of "How's Your Father" is on YouTube is master tape quality. It ran for 2 Series in 1974 & 1975. Series 1 had 7 episodes (1974) and Series 2 had 6 episodes (1975). It starred Arthur English as well.
Seeing as it's not on DVD for sale the only place you could get studio master quality like this is purchasing it from ITV Studios. They convert it to MP4 H.264, 720X576i 25fps. You can choose the amount of compression you want for the picture. I chose none when I purchased Peter Cook & Co from 1980. No compression at all is basically full studio master quality. The audio which can't be changed at the moment is extremely good anyway and exceeds CD quality. It comes in PCM 24bit/48kHz. That is very high. CDs are PCM 16bit/44.1kHz. These are digital files that they send you. You wouldn't get quality like that on a DVD. I've asked around a few pirate DVD dealers. If they come back to me I'll mention it here. I can't see someone just buying one episode, but they are expensive. £90 for 30 minutes.