John Howard Davies (b. March 9, 1939) is a British film actor, television director and producer. His credits as a child actor include the title role in David Lean's Oliver Twist. He is now best known for his adult career as a director and producer of several highly successful British sitcoms. Davies was the original producer and director of Monty Python's Flying Circus, Fawlty Towers, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, and Mr. Bean. He also directed several episodes of The Vicar of Dibley.