Ryan Davies

Ryan Davies (22 January, 1937-22 April, 1977) was a popular Welsh entertainer of the 1960s and 1970s.

He was born in the Black Mountains of mid-Wales, and made his name on Welsh language television shows such as Fo a Fe and Ryan a Ronnie, in which he appeared with Ronnie Williams. Ryan had a simultaneous solo career as a singer, pianist and songwriter.

Ryan and Ronnie's show became so popular that it was moved to BBC1 and broadcast in English, winning them a much wider audience, and three series were shown between 1971 and 1973. Ryan's speciality was dressing up as a "typical" Welsh housewife. In 1975, the duo split (the official reason being Ronnie's ill-health), with Ryan continuing to appear extensively on television and making a traditional Christmas appearance in pantomime at the Grand Theatre, Swansea. However, it was Ryan who died suddenly of an asthma attack while visiting the USA. The story goes that he had just been offered the part of Compo in Last of the Summer Wine.