David Spenser (né De Saram; 12 March 1934 – 20 July 2013) was a British actor, director, producer and writer. Spenser played the title role in a 1948 radio production of Richmal Crompton's Just William, and also appeared in popular films and TV series including Doctor Who. His documentary about Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies won an International Emmy Award. He was the elder brother of actor Jeremy Spenser.
Aged 11 he appeared in plays on BBC radio's Children's Hour. He was cast in Just William by the author of the books, Richmal Crompton.
He played Harry in the first production of Benjamin Britten's opera Albert Herring.
Spenser was a regular on television, with appearances in episodes of Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, and The Saint. In 1967 Spenser appeared as Thonmi in the Doctor Who serial The Abominable Snowmen alongside Patrick Troughton. Spenser later worked as a radio producer for the BBC. He produced several radio plays including Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now in 1988, and Christopher Isherwood's Mr Norris Changes Trains in 1984.
Spenser wrote a historical drama about the Egyptian pharaoh Akhnaton, The City of the Horizon. It was broadcast in 1972 and 1976. Spenser subsequently produced documentaries about figures such as Benny Hill, Angus Wilson, Dodie Smith and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies.
He was survived by his brother, and by his partner Victor Pemberton.
1971
as Soldier
1970
1968
as Bungdit Din's Servant
1967
as Thonmi
1967
as Maj. Chai
1967
as Inspector Sung
1966
1966
1964
as Mel
1963
1963
as Thonmi
1963
1962
as South American Guide
1962
as Atar
1962
as Trevor Lomas
1962
as Charles Robinson
1962
as Robert Coster
1962
1959
1959
1959
as Abed
1955
as Chatterjee
1954
as Cpl. Flying Control