Ron Moody: Fagin Actor in Oliver! film dies aged 91

[dutchman]

Ron Moody, who played Fagin in the hit film version of Oliver!, has died aged 91.



The actor, who was nominated for the best actor Oscar in 1968 for his performance in the Charles Dickens adaptation, died in hospital.

His widow, Therese, said: "He brought joy to his family and to the hearts of many and will be greatly missed. He was singing until the end."

His agent said he had been ill for some time.

Moody first took on the role of Fagin in Lionel Bart's West End stage adaptation in 1960 and went on to win a Tony award when he reprised it in a 1984 Broadway revival.

The film also starred Harry Secombe and Oliver Reed with young unknowns Mark Lester playing the orphan Oliver and Jack Wild playing the Artful Dodger.

It was nominated for 11 Oscars and won six, including best film and best director for Carol Reed.

In 2010, Moody sang Pick A Pocket Or Two once again at the end of one of Cameron Mackintosh's revival shows which fell on the original's 50th anniversary.

Moody had previously revealed that he was initially hesitant to take on the role that made his career.

"At first I never wanted to do it," he said.

"They told me there was this musical of Oliver Twist so I went to see the Alec Guinness film (of Oliver Twist), which I found to be so anti-Semitic as to be unbearable.

"But Bart is as Jewish as I am and we both felt an obligation to get Fagin away from a viciously racial stereotype and instead make him what he really is - a crazy old Father Christmas gone wrong."

The Londoner got his first taste of showbusiness aged 16 when he worked as a wages clerk at Elstree studios.

He had spent the war in the RAF before going on to study at the London School of Economics.

Years later, he remembered: "I went to the London School of Economics to study sociology and psychology on a serviceman's grant.

"While there, I got dragged into taking part in a student revue and ended up writing, and appearing in, a few sketches. In short, I got the stage bug.

"Soon after, I was discovered in an end-of-term show by two writers who put me in their stage revue, and I've never looked back."

He honed his craft in a string of theatrical roles before reluctantly auditioning for the role in Bart's musical.

Moody had a lengthy career in TV and film, including an appearance on EastEnders, but was said to have turned down the role of Doctor Who.

Moody is survived by his widow and six children.