Fawlty Towers producer is dead (update)
mainJohn Howard Davies directed early episodes of Monty Python and the entire run of Fawlty Towers for the BBC. Reports of his death are coming in from entertainment industry colleagues.
As a child, he was Oliver Twist in David Lean’s memorable film.
As head of comedy at the BBC from 1977 to 1982, he was responsible for launching such classic shows as Only Fools and Horses, Yes Minister and Allo, Allo!
John was 72. Sad day.
Here‘s a BBC appreciation.
As a big fan of Fawlty Towers and the Pythons, I would like to pay my respects to John Howard Davies he has most likely being involved in the largest laughter count created by television ever!
In my previous life as a broadcast assistant film cameraman,later cameraman. I can remember one day on location with John Howard Davies. It was “Andy Cap” and we had the usual gamut of british tv comedy artists acting away fiercely in front of the camera and,kneeling down to assist on a low angle shot,all I heard from John was “shame,shame” – he was commenting from behind me about my bald patch – I was only in my late twenties. A very very nice man and excellent producer / director who could level the most complicated of televisual production to you helping him as a friend. RIP John,you remain as a vibrant memory of my time in the business