Fawlty Towers director dies
Bob Spiers was 63
Bob Spiers, who directed Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous, has died at the age of 63.Born in Glasgow, he began his career in the late Sixties as an assistant floor manager on such shows as Doctor Who before becoming a respected sitcom director.
His earliest directing work included It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Not The Nine O’Clock News and four episodes of Dad’s Army, before landing the second series of Fawlty Towers.
He went on to worked on The Comic Strip Presents... series of films, including the classic Five Go Mad In Dorset, that was aired on Channel 4’s opening night.
Other comedy credits include The Goodies, French & Saunders, Bottom, A Bit Of Fry & Laurie and the unbroadcast pilot episode of Not the Nine O'Clock News.
In 1997, he directed the Spice Girls' movie Spice World and he also worked on Stephen Moffat’s children’s drama Press Gang. His last job was directing Ant & Dec in the ill-fated attempt to revive the Likely Lads in 2001.
Spiers died in Devon, following a long illness, surrounded by his family, the BBC reports.
Published: 8 Dec 2008
