Denham, whose career spanned six decades, died on Wednesday at Denville Hall in Northwood, north west London, the nursing home for elderly actors, his agent said.

During his long career, Denham made more than 100 television and film appearances.

Denham was rarely out of work

Roles included celebrated movies Day of the Jackal - with Edward Fox - and 84 Charing Cross Road.

He also starred in two of the most popular radio shows of the 1940s.

One was Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh, a comedy set in a ramshackle RAF station.

The other was It's That Man Again, known affectionately as ITMA.

Voices

The show starred comedian Tommy Handley and proved a huge hit.

Maurice Denham films

Animal Farm (1954) Carrington, V.C. (1955) Curse of the Demon (1957) The Mark (1961) Paranoiac (1962) Damn the Defiant (1962) Night Caller From Outer Space (1966) Negatives (1968) The Day of the Jackal (1973) 84 Charing Cross Road (1986)

More than 20 million people listened to the show at its peak.

Catchphrases from the script, such as "I don't mind if I do", became part of the popular language of the day.

Denham's particular skill for putting on voices was highlighted in the show, as he played both charlady Mrs Tickle and Vodkin the Russian inventor.

This talent for imitation came to the fore again in 1955 when he voiced every character in the animated classic Animal Farm.

Prolific

Denham was born in Beckenham, Kent in the south east of England.

Denham's versatility meant he worked equally well on stage and screen

Before taking up acting, he worked as an engineer. Radio roles were followed by his first film role in 1947.

He took a small part in The Man Within, alongside Richard Attenborough.

Other film roles followed in a steady stream of work, including Our Man in Havana in 1959 with Alec Guinness and Julia in 1977 with Vanessa Redgrave.

Honoured

As well as his film and radio work, Denham featured in numerous TV programmes. These included the popular TV series The Lotus Eaters in the 1970s.

He played the Archbishop of Canterbury in the TV miniseries Edward and Mrs Simpson in 1980.

He also featured in classic comedy series Porridge, action series The Professionals and, more recently, medical drama series Peak Practice.

His last role was as an aristocrat in The Beggar Bride in 1997, which starred Spooks actress Keeley Hawes.

Denham, who had been awarded the OBE, was widowed and is survived by two sons and a daughter.