Doctor Who and Fawlty Towers star Louis Mahoney dies aged 81
By Savanna Young|
Actor Louis Mahoney, who appeared in TV shows Fawlty Towers and Doctor Who, has passed away aged 81.
His death was announced by his agents Waring and McKenna in a statement released on Tuesday (UK time).
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our wonderful client, Louis Mahoney," the statement read. "Louis paved the way for many actors who followed: a lifelong activist and champion of antiracism. His warmth and good humour will be sorely missed. A celebration of his life will follow."
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Mahoney was born in The Gambia in 1938 and moved to the UK in 1957 to study medicine. In the 1960s he decided to pursue a career in acting.
In 1975, he appeared in a controversial Fawlty Towers episode 'The Germans', which has recently been removed from streaming services for featuring racial references. Actor John Cleese's character Basil Fawlty could be seen impersonating Adolf Hitler in the episode.
Mahoney also appeared in a string of Doctor Who's original episodes as part of the serial Planet Of Evil, opposite Tom Baker as the Time Lord. The actor later appeared in the modern episode 'Blink' in 2007, as the older incarnation of Billy Shipton, a man who passed away after being sent back in time by the Weeping Angels.
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Mahoney featured in several films, including Cry Freedom (1987), the Omen sequel The Final Conflict (1981) and Captain Phillips (2013). He was also a regular performer in theatre and on stage.
As chairman of Equity's Afro-Asian Committee, he campaigned against racism in the entertainment industry, persuading broadcasters and drama schools to reform their attitudes to overcome what he described as "big hurdles to be jumped by anybody who was non-white".
Actor and presenter Lenny Henry was among those who tweeted in tribute: "God bless Louis — we worked together on Delbert Wilkins shows in the late Eighties: he was very elegant, smoked roll ups and liked a glass of wine. He always wanted to rehearse to get things just so. He was a calm presence on set and worked hard. Louis was a real gent. R.I.P."
Scriptwriter Jack Thorne said, "Louis Mahoney was one of those actors who could carry a whole world through his eyes. Perhaps because he led such an extraordinary life."
