Ron Moody, the actor best known for playing the iconic Fagin in Lionel Bart’s much loved musical Oliver!, has died aged 91.
The Tottenham-born actor originated the role of the toothless leader of a group of young, pickpocketing vagabonds when Bart’s musical made its world premiere on the West End stage in 1960.
It was a role that led him to enjoy worldwide fame when he was immortalised on screen as the ruthless but strangely endearing criminal in the 1968 Oscar-winning film adaptation; earning the actor a Golden Globe Award and Oscar nomination.
Moody’s subsequent career saw the actor appear in films including Disney’s A Kid In King Arthur’s Court, The Mouse On The Moon and Summer Holiday, as well as televisions series EastEnders.
His stage credits included Candide and Sherlock Holmes – The Musical, but it was the part of Fagin, which he described as “the part of a lifetime”, that arguably defined the star’s career.
Almost 25 years after his premiere performance in the role, in fact, he reprised it in 1984 on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for his efforts.
Moody leaves behind his wife Therese and six children. The BBC reported his widow as having commented that Moody “brought joy to his family and to the hearts of many and will be greatly missed. He was singing until the end.”