This Is Your Life: Rupert Davies

Rupert DAVIES (1916-1976)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Rupert Davies, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - with the help of broadcaster Brian Johnston - while filming a scene for the television programme Maigret at the BBC Television Centre.

Rupert, who was born in Liverpool, served with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. In August 1940, while on a mine-laying mission in the Scheldt Estuary, he was captured and interned in the Stalag Luft III prison camp, where he began taking part in theatrical activities, entertaining his fellow prisoners.

After the war, Rupert pursued an acting career working with Birmingham Rep and the Old Vic theatre companies. His big break came when he landed the role that made him a household name – that of French detective Maigret in the BBC's television series adapted from the best-selling novels by Georges Simenon.

programme details...

Edition No: 196
Subject No: 197
Broadcast date: Tue 2 Oct 1962
Broadcast time: 7.55-8.25pm
Recorded: Mon 24 Sep 1962 8.30pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 8
Edition: 1

on the guest list...

Dorothy Tutin
Lt Cdr Gordon Melville
Capt James Rowland-Hill
August Seybold
Robert Laumans
Orville Spenst
Jessica - wife
Andrew Cruickshank
Donald Pleasence
Brian Matthew
Andrew Osborn
Gareth Slack
Rinty the dog
Helen Shingler
Ewen Solon
Neville Jason
Timothy - son
Hogan - son
Mrs Davies - mother
Georges Simenon
Régine Simenon

production team...

Researcher: unknown
Writer: unknown
Director: Vere Lorrimer
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Tim Davies for his contribution to this page

related pages...

An Actor's Life For Me

spotlight on the stars

This Is Your Life

Radio Times previews the eighth series

Dorothy Tutin

Photographs of Rupert Davies This Is Your Life

Barry Johnston recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Johnners The Life of Brian...

In 1961 he (Brian Johnston) was surprised to receive a call from the BBC TV Light Entertainments department asking whether he was doing anything that evening and, if not, could he stand in for Eamonn Andrews on This Is Your Life? Fortunately he was only required to introduce the programme while Andrews was trapping that night's 'victim' in another studio, because in those days the programme went out 'live', so anything was liable to go wrong, and it often did.

That night, when the dramatic This Is Your Life signature tune started the programme, Brian had to walk out onstage at the TV Theatre in Shepherd's Bush and explain to the surprised audience what was happening until Andrews appeared with his subject - the actor Rupert Davies, star of the Maigret TV series.

It would be more than twenty years before Brian himself was caught by Eamonn Andrews with the famous big red book.

Series 8 subjects