Davies dead at 72

He passed away at his home in Blewbury, England on Monday (22Aug11) after a long battle with cancer.

Davies first appeared onscreen as orphan Oliver Twist in David Lean’s 1948 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel and he also starred in the Rocking Horse Winner, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and The Magic Box.

He stepped behind the camera professionally in the late 1960s and became a director/producer of classic British TV shows like The Good Life, The Goodies, Only Fools and Horses, Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Mr. Bean.

Davies was the Head of BBC Comedy from 1977 to 1982.