Actor Howard Lew Lewis, best known for his appearances as Rabies in Maid Marian & Her Merry Men and as the barman Elmo Brush Strokes (pictured) has died. He was 76.

Maid Marian star Tony Robinson tweeted the news earliee today: "RIP Rabies. The kind,funny and gentle Howard Lew Lewis died on Saturday. Much missed #maidmarianandhermerrymen".

He seemed to carve out a niche in historical comedies. He also appeared in C4's Roman Empire sitcom Chelmsford 123 and in the BBC's The Black Adder, the first series of the classic Rowan Atkinson sitcom set in 1485.