Richard Davies (born 25 January 1926) is a British actor, from Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales whose film and TV work covers many years but is probably best known for his performance as the exasperated schoolmaster Mr Price in the LWT popular situation comedy Please Sir!.
Davies uses a broad Welsh accent for much of his work, but also occasionally uses received pronunciation and other accents. This has led to his playing a diversity of characters, (in addition to several Welsh stereotypes).
Television
Davies played Idris Hopkins in Coronation Street between 1974 and 1975, and appeared in several science-fiction series, among them Robert’s Robots, Out of the Unknown, and a well-received performance as Burton in the 1987 Doctor Who story Delta and the Bannermen.
He played Mr White in the Fawlty Towers episode The Kipper And The Corpse and also appeared in Yes Minister, Wyatt’s Watchdogs, May to December, Whoops Apocalypse, and One Foot in the Grave. In 1970 he appeared alongside Sid James in the third episode of series two of Two In Clover playing Victor Spinetti‘s character’s brother when Spinetti was indisposed.
He appeared in several police television series, with a recurring role as Jim Sloan in Z Cars between 1962 and 1965, returning to the series playing different characters in 1968 and in its sequel Softly, Softly. He also appeared in Dixon of Dock Green several times, The Sweeney, and Van der Valk.
Films
Davies has appeared in include Under Milk Wood (1972), the 1971 movie adaptation of Please Sir!, and Zulu. In 1951 he made an uncredited appearance in the Ealing Studios comedy The Lavender Hill Mob.
