Comic great had impeccable timing, respect of his peers
COMEDY actor Windsor Davies starred in 1970s hit show It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and appeared in TV commercials and a movie in
New Zealand.
He died at his home in France on January 17, aged 88.
Davies played SergeantMajor Williams in the popular comedy show.
He also starred opposite Donald Sinden as Oliver Smallbridge in the longrunning ITV sitcom Never The Twain about rival antiques dealers during the 1980s.
Davies, recognisable for his booming voice, appeared alongside All Black coach Alex Wyllie in New Zealand advertisements for Mitre 10 hardware stores in the early 1990s.
He also had a key role in Old Scores, a 1991 television film which was jointly produced by New Zealand and Wales, about the two countries’ mutual national sport of rugby.
Davies’ wife of 62 years, Eluned, died in September. The couple moved to France after Davies retired from acting in his 70s.
It Ain’t Half Hot Mum costar Melvyn Hayes led tributes to the comedy great: ‘‘To work with him was a pleasure, a sheer delight
. . . he was a lovely, lovely man.’’
Actor Sir Tony Robinson was among those paying tribute to the star, writing on Twitter: ‘‘Whispering grass don’t tell them who kissed there long ago. Why tell them all your secrets, the trees don’t have to know. Whispering Grass. UK No 1 with Don Estelle 1975. RIP Windsor Davies.’’
Producer Jonathan Sothcott wrote: ‘‘Oh no! RIP that wonderful comedy actor Windsor Davies. Impeccable comic timing. Just his voice made me smile. Thanks for all the laughs.’’
Davies was born in Canning Town, Essex, to Welsh parents, who returned to their native village of NantyMoel when World War 2 began in 1939.
He studied at Ogmore Grammar School and Bangor Teacher Training College, later working as a coal miner and a teacher, and completing national service in Libya and Egypt with the East Surrey Regiment in 195052 before deciding to become an actor.
He played Battery SergeantMajor ‘‘Shut Up’’ Williams in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum from 1974 to 1981, and in 1975 had a No 1 hit with the novelty track Whispering Grass with his sitcom costar, which was one of the biggestselling duets on the UK charts.
He also appeared in the TV series Ring Out An Alibi, The New Statesman, Terrahawks and
Never The Twain, as well as the films Carry On England and
Carry On Behind.
His most recent credited appearance was in an episode of My Family in 2004. — NZ Herald/
Wikipedia