Reluctant star Ron Moody best remembered as Fagin

Ron Moody, who will forever be associated with the role of Fagin in Oliver!, was on his way to becoming a sociologist when he fell into acting.

The Londoner, who died yesterday, aged 91, got his first taste of showbusiness aged 16 when he worked as a clerk at Elstree Studios.

He had spent the Second World War in the RAF before studying at the London School of Economics.

Years later, he remembered: “I went to the London School of Economics to study sociology and psychology on a serviceman’s grant.

“While there, I got dragged into taking part in a student revue and ended up writing, and appearing in, a few sketches. In short, I got the stage bug.

“Soon after, I was discovered in an end-of-term show by two writers who put me in their stage revue, and I’ve never looked back.”

He honed his craft in a string of theatrical roles before reluctantly auditioning for the role in Lionel Bart’s musical that made him a star.

He said: “At first I never wanted to do it. They told me there was this musical of Oliver Twist so I went to see the Alec Guinness film [of Oliver Twist], which I found to be so anti-semitic as to be unbearable.

“But Bart is as Jewish as I am and we both felt an obligation to get Fagin away from a viciously racial stereotype and instead make him what he really is — a crazy old Father Christmas gone wrong.”

Best actor Oscar nominee Moody also wrote novels and musicals and kept working into his 80s, including a small role in EastEnders.

He once said: “I think I’m a straight actor who occasionally does musicals; most people think I’m an eccentric comedian. It’s amazing how many years you can spend in this business just sorting out something as simple and basic as that.”

His widow Therese said: “He brought joy to his family and to the hearts of many and will be greatly missed. He was singing until the end.”