This site also gives his death as during 2001. It's probably the best site for finding details of anyone who's been in a film or television show. According to it he was born in Bletchley, Bucks in 1915 so he must have been 86 when he died.

I can remember him from various songs on "Children's Favourites" - along with Shirley Abicair, Burl Ives etc.