David Spenser

David Spenser was a British actor who also directed, produced and wrote. Born in Colombo in 1934, he acted in plays for BBC radio's Children's Hour at 11 and was selected by Richmal Crompton for the title role in a 1948 radio adaptation of Just William. He sang the role of Harry in Benjamin Britten's first production of Albert Herring. On television he guest starred in Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and The Saint, and in 1967 he portrayed Thonmi in Doctor Who's The Abominable Snowmen opposite Patrick Troughton. He later became a BBC radio producer, overseeing plays such as The Way We Live Now, from Anthony Trollope in 1988, and Mr Norris Changes Trains, from Christopher Isherwood in 1984. Spenser wrote The City of the Horizon, a historical drama about Akhnaton, broadcast in 1972 and 1976. He produced documentaries about Benny Hill, Angus Wilson, Dodie Smith and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, and his documentary about Ffrangcon-Davies won an International Emmy Award.