David Daker, the British actor renowned for his role as Harry Crawford in the ITV comedy-drama Boon and for guest appearances in Only Fools and Horses, has died at the age of 90. He passed away on April 30, 2026, but his family delayed the public announcement until June 22.
Career Highlights
Born in Bilston, Wolverhampton, Daker began his acting career in infant school. At 13, he played Long John Silver in a production of Treasure Island. After briefly working as a draughtsman at his parents' insistence, he left after two years and enrolled at the Oxford Playhouse Theatre School. He later said: 'I simply came home one day and announced that I was finished with a nine-to-five job.'
His first major television role was as PC Owen Culshaw in over 80 episodes of the BBC's Z Cars. He then gained widespread fame as Harry Crawford in Boon, which aired from 1986 to 1992 and attracted audiences of up to 15 million viewers across seven seasons.
Notable Guest Roles
In 1982, Daker appeared in the beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses as Tommy Mackay, the violent estranged husband of a woman dating Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst. He also made appearances in Porridge, Coronation Street, and Doctor Who.
No cause of death has been disclosed. The youngest of five children, Daker is survived by his family.
