Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of colonels, chief inspectors, Greek gods, police officers, married men, single men, politicians, frontier guards, priests, captains, ship engineers, auction organizers, inspectors, sergeants, cooks, colonels, landlords, councillors, doctors, police chiefs, cardinals, commissioners, vice admirals, monsignors, vicars, actors, professors, bishops, and men of distinction with such titles as sir or count, usually in war films, spy films, or adventure films. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'George Smiley' in the classic thriller film drama, "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" (1965). The film which was directed by Martin Ritt, which was written for the screen by Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper, which was based on the novel by John le Carré, and which also starred Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Sam Wanamaker, and George Voskovec, tells the story of instead of coming in from the Cold War, British agent Alec Leamas chooses to face another mission. He was the first actor to play the role of 'George Smiley.' The character was later played by Alec Guinness, Gary Oldman, Denholm Elliott, and James Mason, (though it was based on 'George Smiley,' the character's name had to be changed to 'Charles Dobbs' because Paramount Studios owned the rights to the character). He will also be best remembered for playing the role of pipe-smoking 'Chief Inspector Maigret' on television in fifty-two episodes of the crime television series drama, "Maigret," from 1960 to 1963, and in eighteen episodes of the crime television series drama, "Detective," in 1964. Having become famous for playing 'Inspector Maigret' on television, he then impersonated a Maigret-like character in a series of commercials for Dubonnet, and for ITV. The author Georges Simenon (1903-1989), who created Inspector Maigret's character, objected to the commercials and had them stopped. The actor regretted this, claiming he had made more money over the few days of filming the commercials than he had in nearly four years of playing the role of 'Inspector Maigret' for the British Broadcasting Corporation (or BBC). He was often regarded as the definitive screen incarnation of the author Georges Simenon's easy-going detective, 'Chief Inspector Maigret.' On the strength of his popularity, the actor himself was named Television Actor of the Year in 1963. He was born as Rupert Lisburn Gwynne Davies to Howard Davies (1883-1951), and his wife Louie Lloyd Thomas Davies (1883-1974), in Liverpool, England, on March 22, 1916. During World War II, he served with the rank of a Sub-Lieutenant (or Observer) in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He flew The Fairey Swordfish, a torpedo bomber, and one day in 1940, he was flying and had to ditch his plane in the sea off the Dutch Coast. He was captured and sent to Stalag Luft III, the camp made famous through the adventure war film, "The Great Escape" (1963). While at the Stalag Luft III prison camp he developed a serious interest in theatre, through entertaining his fellow prisoners. He also made three escape attempts, all of which failed. Following his military service and being released from the prison camp, he returned home to England and pursued his acting career further. He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Critias-Zeus' in the comedy film drama, "The Thracian Horses" (1946). The film which was directed by Maurice Valency, which was produced by Philip Bate, also starred Donald Bain, Barbara Birchenough, Jean Byam, Andrew Cruikshank, Brian Worth, and George Cormack. During this time he also began appearing in in several stage productions including, "Spring, 1600" (1945-1946), "The Thracian Horses" (March 11, 1946-June 1, 1946), "King Stag" (1946-1947, 1947-1948), "The Return Of The Prodigal" (February 21, 1950-March 18, 1950), "Mary Rose" (March 21, 1950-April 5, 1950), as 'Daughter's Husband' in "Love In A Labyrinth" (April 18, 1950-May 6, 1950), "Augustus In Search Of A Father" (April 18, 1950-May 6, 1950), "Hobson's Choice" (May 9, 1950, to June 3, 1950), "The Doctor's Dilemma" (June 6, 1950-July 1, 1950), "School" (July 4, 1950-July 22, 1950), "Bartholomew Fair" (1950-1951), "Captain Brassbound's Conversion" (1950-1951), as 'Williams' in "Henry V" (1950-1951), "The Merry Wives Of Windsor" (1950-1951), "Twelfth Night" (1950-1951), "The Other Heart" (1951-1952), "Othello" (1951-1952), as 'Snout, a Tinker' in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1951-1952), as 'The Colonel' in "The Rough And Ready Lot" (May 18, 1959-June 27, 1959), "The Successor" (February 25, 1964-March 14, 1964), as 'Maigret' in "Maigret And The Lady" (August 23, 1965-November 6, 1965), as 'Rafe Crompton' in "Spring And Port Wine" (November 19, 1965-October 12, 1968), as 'Dr. Phinceas Runcie' February 6, 1967-February 25, 1967), "When One Is Somebody" (June 18, 1969-June 28, 1969), as 'Joseph Dobbs' in "Child's Play" (February 23, 1971-July 1971), as 'Father' in "A Voyage Round My Father" (February 20, 1973-June 2, 1973), and as 'David Preston' in "Home At Seven" (September 8, 1975-December 6, 1975). He also appeared in William Shakespeare's play, "Macbeth" (1947), at the Aldwych Theatre in London, England, and at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle, Tyne & Wear, England, in Thornton Wilder's play, "A Life In The Sun" (1955), at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland, and on Broadway in New York City, New York, in a stage production of the play, as 'Agamemnon' in "Troilus And Cressida" (December 26, 1956-January 12, 1957). During his impressive stage career he also worked with or appeared at such locations as Bristol Old Vic-Theatre Royal in Brighton, England, Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith), in London, England, Birmingham Repertory Theatre in Birmingham, England, Birmingham Repertory Company of Birmingham, England, Old Vic in London, England, London and Olympia Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, Strand Theatre, in London, England, (now Novello Theatre, in London, England), John Gale Productions Ltd, Allan Davis Ltd, Memorial Enterprises, Calabash Productions Ltd, Theatre Royal in Windsor, England, Windsor Theatre Company of Windsor, England, Theatre Royal in York, England, York Festival in York, England, Queen's Theatre, (Shaftesbury Ave), in London, England, (now Sondheim Theatre, in London, England), Theatre Royal, in Bath, England, Theatre Royal, in Norwich, England, Civic Theatre, in Scunthorpe, England, Malcolm Knight Productions, Mermaid Theatre Trust Ltd, Albion Productions, Bill Kenwright for David Gordon Productions, and Grand Theatre, in Wolverhampton, England. He also worked on stage with the likes of, Irene Worth, Robert Hardy, Peter Bayliss, Michael Bates, Robert Speaight, Michael David, John Kidd, Geoffrey Dunn, Jack MacGowran, Patrick Allen, Ronald Harwood, June Brown, Alan Dobie, Paul Rogers, Mark Dignam, Leo McKern, Richard Pasco, Douglas Wilmer, Alec Clunes, Dorothy Tutin, Robert Eddison, Ursula Jeans, Dorothy Green, Roger Livesey, Sheila Ballantine, William Devlin, James Grout, Michael Redgrave, Ena Burrill, Michael Goodliffe, Douglas Wilmer, John Blatchley, Leslie Sands, Paul Hardwick and Clement McCallin. Besides, playing playing the role of 'Critias-Zeus' in the comedy film drama, "The Thracian Horses" (1946), and playing the role of 'George Smiley' in the classic thriller film drama, "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" (1965), his many other film credits include, "A Night At An Inn" (1946), "Health In Our Time" (1948), "Private Angelo" (1949), "Spring, 1600" (1949), "The Angel With The Trumpet" (1950), "Seven Days To Noon" (1950), "The Warriors" (1955), "Simon's Treasure" (1955), "The Accursed" (1957), "The Honourable Member" (1957), "Legal Action" (1958), "The Key" (1958), "Sea Fury" (1958), "Next To No Time" (1958), "Idol On Parade" (1959), "Breakout" (1959), "Rebound" (1959), "Life In Emergency Ward 10" (1959), "Sapphire" (1959), "John Paul Jones" (1959), "Bobbikins" (1959), "The Rough And Ready Lot" (1959), "Devil's Bait" (1959), "The True Mistery Of The Passion" (1960), "Danger Tomorrow" (1960), "The Concrete Jungle" (1960), "The Uncle" (1966), "The Brides Of Fu Manchu" (1966), "Target For Killing" (1966), "Five Golden Dragons" (1967), "Submarine X-1" (1968), "Witchfinder General" (1968), "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" (1968), "The Crimson Cult" (1968), "The Oblong Box" (1969), "Waterloo" (1970), "The Night Visitor" (1971), "Zeppelin" (1971), "The Firechasers" (1971), and "Danger Point" (1971). Besides, playing the role of 'Chief Inspector Maigret' on television in fifty- two episodes of the crime television series drama, "Maigret," from 1960 to 1963, and in eighteen episodes of the crime television series drama, "Detective," in 1964, his many other television credits include, "Appointment With Drama," "Quartermass II," "Lilli Palmer Theatre," "My Friend Charles," "Aggie," "Folio," "Encounter," "BBC Sunday-Night Theatre," "O.S.S." "Television World Theatre," "The Adventures Of Robin Hood," "Ivanhoe," "The Adventures Of Ben Gunn," "Sailor Of Fortune," "ITV Television Playhouse," "The Invisible Man," "The New Adventures Of Charlie Chan," "World Theatre," "The Third Man," "Interpol Calling," "The Flying Doctor," "Glencannon," "BBC Sunday-Night Play," "Saturday Playhouse," "Suspense," "Danger Man," "Festival," "Here's Harry," "The Wednesday Play," "Front Page Story," "ITV Play Of The Week," "Armchair Theatre," "Man In A Suitcase," "The Champions," "BBC Play Of The Month," "Joe 90," "Never Mind The Quality, Feel The Width," "Two D's And A Dog," "Biography," "Thirty-Minute Theatre," "Man At The Top," "Doctor At Large," "The Man Outside," "War & Peace," "Orson Welles' Great Mysteries," "Arthur Of The Britons," "Marked Personal," "Father Brown," "Play For Today," and "Arena." He was also considered for the part of "Doctor Who," when William Hartnell, the original 'Doctor Who,' left the series in 1966. The actor Patrick Troughton ultimately won the part. His last film role was playing 'Bartley Humboldt' in the comedy horror film, "Frightmare" (1974). The film which was directed by and written for the screen by Pete Walker, which was also written for the screen by David McGillivray, and which also starred Sheila Keith, Deborah Fairfax, Gerald Flood, Leo Genn, and Victoria Fairbrother, tells the story of while escaping a death sentence for her hideous crimes, a seemingly rehabilitated woman settles in an isolated farmhouse with her husband, only to ache, once more, for blood, and a crash-course in surgery. Is, indeed, her old self back? He passed away from cancer at Guy's Hospital in London, England, on November 22, 1976, at the age of 60. Following his death, his funeral services were held at St. Beuno's Church in Pistyll, Wales, and through Griffith Roberts & Sons Funeral Directors in Four Crosses, Wales, and and he was buried in Pistyll Cemetery in Pistyll, Wales. He was married to artist Jessica Isobel Knowles Davies (1914-2004), from 1946 until his death on November 22, 1976. The couple had two children including the late actor Hogan Rupert Howard Davies (1952-2021).