Louis Felix Danner Mahoney (; 8 September 1938 – 28 June 2020) was a Gambian-born British actor, based in Hampstead in London. He was an anti-racist activist and long-time campaigner for racial equality within the acting profession. He represented African-Asian members on the council of the actors' union, Equity, and served as joint Vice-President between 1994 and 1996.
Early life Mahoney was born in Bathurst (now Banjul), the Gambia, in 1938, the eldest of six children to James Mahoney and Princess (née Danner). Mahoney attended the Methodist Boys' High School. In 1957, he moved to England to study medicine at University College London. He also joined the university's cricket team and played for Essex and Ilford. However, he left to pursue drama at the (now Royal) Central School of Speech and Drama in the 1960s.
Career After graduating, Mahoney worked with Colchester Rep and the Mercury Theatre before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967 – he was one of the first black actors in the Company. He worked regularly on the stage throughout his career including shows at the National Theatre, Young Vic, Royal Court, Almeida and his final stage performances were in Alan Bennett's Allelujah! at the Bridge Theatre in 2018.
He helped found Performers Against Racism in the 1980s to campaign against apartheid in South Africa and was Joint Vice President of Equity between 1994 and 1996.
He was seen most frequently on television in series such as: Danger Man, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Special Branch, The Troubleshooters, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Doctor Who (in the stories Frontier in Space, Planet of Evil and "Blink"), Quiller, Fawlty Towers (as Dr Finn in The Germans, 1975), The Professionals (as Dr Henry in the episode "Klansmen", never transmitted on terrestrial TV in the UK, and in "Black Out", again as a doctor), Miss Marple, Yes, Prime Minister, Bergerac, The Bill, Casualty, Holby City and Sea of Souls.
His films included The Plague of the Zombies (1966), Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), Rise and Fall of Idi Amin (1981), White Mischief (1987), Cry Freedom (1987), Shooting Fish (1997), Wondrous Oblivion (2003) and Shooting Dogs (2005).
He featured in the Channel 4 documentary Random (2011), and in the BBC Three drama Being Human (2012) as Leo, an aged and dying werewolf.
Mahoney's last TV appearance was in the Tracy Beaker CBBC spin-off, The Dumping Ground, as Henry Lawrence, the grandfather of Charlie Morris (Emily Burnett).
Campaign work Mahoney was a long-standing campaigner for racial equality within the acting profession, as a member of the Equity Afro-Asian Committee (previously called the Coloured Actors Committee until he renamed it), founding Performers Against Racism to defend Equity policy on South Africa, and as co-creator, with Mike Phillips and Taiwo Ajai, of the UK's Black Theatre Workshop in 1976.
Personal life Mahoney was married in 1971 and later divorced, and had daughters. For decades a resident in Hampstead, London, Mahoney lived on the corner of Gayton Road and Willow Road, and was a regular in local pubs. He was athletic and played cricket as a fast bowler, joining the Gentlemen of Hampstead club.
Death In 2016, Mahoney was diagnosed with cancer. He died on 28 June 2020, aged 81. His funeral took place at Hampstead Parish, attended by his friends and community.
Legacy The Louis Mahoney Scholarships at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama were initiated in his memory to encourage applications from Black and global majority students, beginning from the academic year 2021/22, supporting one undergraduate and one postgraduate candidate in each of the following three years.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1964 Guns at Batasi Soldier Uncredited1965 Curse of Simba African expert 1966 The Plague of the Zombies Coloured Servant 1967 Prehistoric Women Head Boy 1970 Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition Julius 1973 Live and Let Die Fillet of Soul Patron (New York) UncreditedDoctor Who Newscaster Serial: Frontier in Space, 2 episodes1974 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Frank Episode: "In Harm's Way"1975 Doctor Who Ponti Serial: Planet of Evil, 2 episodes Fawlty Towers Doctor Finn Episode: "The Germans" The Fight Against Slavery Olaudah Equiano 1981 Omen III: The Final Conflict Brother Paulo Rise and Fall of Idi Amin Freedom fighter Ofumbi 1984 Sheena Elder 1 1987 Cry Freedom Lesotho government official White Mischief Abdullah 1987 The Lenny Henry Show Jake 1997 Shooting Fish Magistrate 2003 Wondrous Oblivion Mr. Johnson 2005 Shooting Dogs Sibomana Holby City Raymond Opoku 1 episode2007 Doctor Who Old Billy Episode: "Blink"2012-13 Being Human Leo 2 episodes2013 Captain Phillips Maersk Alabama Crew 2016 Holby City Thomas Law 1 episode2018 National Theatre Live: Allelujah! Neville The Dumping Ground Henry Lawrence
Theatre Year Show Role Theatre? Talking To You Various Duke of York's Theatre? Cato Street Conspirator Young Vic? Jesus Christ Superstar Caiaphas Gaiety Theatre, Dublin ? Murderous Angels Diallo Diop Gaiety Theatre, Dublin1967 Coriolanus Lieutenant to Aufidius Royal Shakespeare CompanyRomeo and Juliet Musician Royal Shakespeare Company1970 Robinson Crusoe Friday Mercury TheatreNight and Day President Mageeba Watford Palace TheatreHutch Builder to Her Majesty Various Theatre Royal, Drury LaneWhite Devil Antonelli Oxford PlayhouseI am Tomarienka Various Watermill Theatre1990 Desire Kindo Almeida1997 Romeo & Juliet Friar John and Monatague Royal Shakespeare Company 2007 Generations Grandfather Young Vic2009 As You Like It Adam and Sir Oliver Martext Leicester Curve The Observer Muturi and Dr Durami Royal National Theatre2010 Love Thy Sinner Paul Royal National Theatre2011Truth & Reconciliation Rwandan Grandfather Royal Court2013 Feast Papa Legba Young Vic and Royal Court2018 Allelujah Neville Bridge Theatre
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