From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Rupert Davies 22 May 1916 22 November 1976 was a British actor He remains best known for playing the title role in the BBCs 1960s television adaptation of Maigret based on the Maigret novels written by Georges Simenon Davies was born in Liverpool After a service in the British Merchant Navy during the Second World War he was a SubLieutenant Observer with the Fleet Air Arm In 1940 the Swordfish aircraft in which he was flying ditched in the sea off the Dutch Coast Davies was captured and interned in the famous Stalag Luft III POW camp He made three attempts to escape All failed It was during his captivity that he began to take part in theatre performances entertaining his fellow prisoners On his release Davies resumed his career in acting almost immediately starring in an ex Prisoner Of War show Back Home which was hosted at the Stoll Theatre London After the war Davies became a staple of British television appearing in numerous plays and series including Quatermass II Ivanhoe Emergency Ward 10 Danger Man The Champions Doctor at Large 1971 Arthur of the Britons and War and Peace 1972 He also provided the voice of Professor Ian McClaine in the Gerry Anderson series Joe 90 In 1964 he became the first person to be awarded Pipe Smoker of the Year Davies also played supporting roles in many films appearing briefly as George Smiley in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold 1965 He also appeared in several horror films in the late 1960s including Witchfinder General 1968 and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave 1968 as well as such international blockbusters as Waterloo 1970 and Zeppelin 1971 He died of cancer in London in 1976 leaving a wife Jessica and two sons Timothy and Hogan and is buried at Pistyll Cemetery near Nefyn in North Wales Description above from the Wikipedia article Rupert Davies licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia
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