september october english actor comedian writer known roles british comedy television series began acting theatre decided best suited comic roles success roles west end including real inspector period cast bbc radio television comedies got television break satirical sketch series frost report met future collaborator joined production company starred itv shows including short film rejoining bbc found fame sketch starred sequel wrote comedy written material adopted including avoid pre writing talent won bafta best light entertainment performance times awards received later television successful retired following year opened shop wife joy appeared smaller non comic roles films died heart failure october aged early life born september known tim known elder sister born younger sister born father clerk job saw family oxford biographer described childhood happy time marred family tensions apart occasional wet child enjoyed dressing particularly father outfit films comics animals developed love theatre attending plays family play saw cottage let school frequently stood outside stage doors collect actress grew area oxford went oxford city chemistry textbook oxford previously owned found talent humour school developed musical ability singing choir local church got sixth form year early gaining felt learning use later life left soon leaving school trained architect gave months feeling skilled took sister job bank clerk left nurse dreams actor took amateur initially saw chance meet girls months bank worked actor stage manager making appearance murder arranged musical director play play eventually gave job professional actor father support acting ambition career theatrical career failed joined based taking comic roles weekly shows initially employed assistant assistant stage manager earning week debut professional actor november lieutenant performance quality street went play married role charles realised wanted comic actor described talent great straight actor noted want people laugh mind hamlet forget richard second aunt mission life crystal clear appeared stage adaptations red riding hood getting leading role working class boy public school production moved followed closed company shortly aged spent time porter distressed contact patients opted persona charlie male nurse entertained patients comedy routines found work performing folk music dance soon folded way oxford worked famous players met actor firm friends stated taught learned comedy joined worked years appearing plays gets clown worked oxford gave break casting production mourning london time west end appeared estimated plays remained west end actor years appearing numerous plays included performances night played gypsy listen wind peasant later evening roles included double image directed hall french gangster years lord real inspector appeared productions including night dream early media career theatrical success enabled radio work previously known birth referred shortened form director changed credits tell radio appearance playing lord went play multiple characters primarily able johnson lieutenant commander navy based sitcom bbc light programme ran featuring episodes featured radio spin camera operator chef crowd roles soon began working film television acting job television bothered appeared roles comedy series seven faces jim alongside parts bold russian embassy worker followed dramatic parts tale cities single episode roles saint played cat lover appeared gentle comedy cousin pike film work time included doctor distress father came home got break satirical sketch series frost report having recommended producer starred future comedy partner met near friends stated autobiography similar backgrounds attended university cast writers episode performed broadcast live focused single topic principally revolved continuous monologue frost sketches went starred alongside best known sketch british class system representing middle class series special produced winning golden rose television festival second series announced frost recognising potential signed production company deal given comprised separate thirty minute plays starred piece different character series frost report bbc totalling half hour episodes frost moved itv helping set frost hosted frost sunday following performing sketches programme began writing sketches programme pseudonym greater role felt aware began pseudonym writing sketches wished pieces accepted merit star programme written continued tradition material wrote later career brought sketches claiming come agent received maintain deception criticised material submitted pseudonym credited sketch poorly received audience told let occasion looking script don understand line getting sketches wrote called doctor waiting room main written encouraged buy rights sketch maintaining myth told reject request expensive giving sketch free speculation began identity rumoured second series frost sunday cast crew invited chinese restaurant said reveal told earlier day stood announced initially believed able write produce star film featured dialogue designed find successful idea sitcom episode introduced aristocratic character lord chosen character returned series main character wrote wrote series dates despite success itv programme controller opted fire frost company frost sacked board contracted company network lost job bbc soon performed sketch henry_viii playing henry audience entertained minutes stopped technical difficulties performance award impressed bbc controller bbc sitting audience knowing essentially unemployed contracted cotton signed duo series later joked offered money wished avoid remembered primarily duo felt work way conventional double act like wise maintained solo careers given variety special called featured sketch month year time constraints cut reprised character lord sitcom wrote seven episodes pseudonym sketch aired series specials immediate success described independent cocktail comedy sketches songs parodies long monologue singing star opening closing news usual format consisted sketches ongoing filmed serial solo character sketch monologue musical number special guest joke news items delivered desk style ending good night good night set format entirety run end characters devised found difficult appear explained private man quiet man found impossible talk directly audience solo segments help ensure totally associated double act filming took place months year outdoor serial sketches filmed location studio material filmed sunday evenings live audience musical finale filmed day audience wrote material roughly quarters heavily involved production especially serial explained wrote knew wanted shot look filming day spent evenings helping technician edit filming location look potential material studio recording rest content decide running order got noting people refuse believe don rows tensions private wars strange thing years actually marriage bad patches sense humour perception good rubbish tune took turns play parts good lines writers said write knowing brilliantly weren double act men worked careers material included sketch came known candles airing original script entitled annie sees customer ask series things hardware store sketch humour derives similarities word pronunciation leading confusion store owner include confusion candles fork handles idea sketch came owners hardware shop wrote describe amusing events store happy sketch final line male assistant asking sort want changed female assistant asking sort looking stage version totally satisfied sketch considered famous voted best special placing fifth channel_4 original script hand written sold auction featured episode previous year considered national institution audiences million regularly tuning episodes won bafta ended christmas special performed stage version london lasting months followed format old sketches new material supported variety acts appearing stage led create version play instead second stage series took place reportedly offended sketch called bbc mocked act based dated based humour tip opted families sydney australia year exploit tax avoid paying year income tax performed stage weeks sydney melbourne existing popularity australia terms australian audiences comedic soul related changes routine appearances year spent time writing engaging recreational activities following success commissioned episode series australia network comprised material shown australia new content targeted australian audience returned second series starred short silent films picnic sea sea tribute seaside humour personal work widely syndicated north_america pbs appeared short lived nbc variety big glad objected use laughter american networks open hours work following success bbc let decide wanted took year produce allowing time solo project opted produce sitcom pilots shown seven pilots open hours written prisoner escort written series prisoner escort airing starring cynical prisoner sitcom place prison times said took survive prison little day day system kept prisoners opening sequence programme showed directed cell prison doors locked judge heard judgement sentence judge voice performed huge success attracting million viewers earning bbc described chorus critical acclaim public remains classic british produced times called finest creation privately regarded series finest work career won bafta performance played film robin directed year determined remembered opted end series instead focused second pilot open hours alongside starred money grabbing script inspired use performance use play performed palace theatre called hot water open hours aired series bbc renewed low ratings result earlier decision produced series film adaptation followed spin sitcom focused release prison popular won bafta plans ended star died heart attack aged repeats open hours earning high ratings bbc bbc commissioned series continued ratings success shows placed poll determine britain best sitcom finished seventh open hours eighth sitcom welsh photographer aired successful final sitcom played removal man failing sight aired wrote pseudonym time retirement appearances aired rejecting hall offer production retired business aged height fame citing decline writing quality lack ambition ideas desire damage legacy concerns state heart decided retire decision kept secret years knowing decision public appearance chat retired opened ran shop called resisted calls come retirement onwards joked lose money week hobby cheaper skiing safer age shop sold years wrote autobiography dancing early years stage released wrote complete scripts wrote play daughter performed king head theatre garnered negative response stating got worst notices play history theatre decade retiring persuaded occasional appearances appeared driving stage motorcycle fat ladies reunited bbc following year tribute director persuaded appear winston_churchill butler bbc hbo drama gathering storm cast larger role general film house alongside early careers advised acting felt success year briefly reprised role spoof documentary life box received lifetime achievement awards won award outstanding creative achievement sir presented lifetime achievement honour inaugural british comedy awards received honour given special bafta lifetime achievement award bafta tribute televised celebratory tribute evening people given stars london avenue stars previous awards included following success bafta tribute wanted return television bbc commissioned clip best sketches newly recorded introductions recorded day declining health aired project announced met professional critics episode drew million viewers eat words final special final appearance christmas recorded july result failing health aired posthumously december acting writing style comic actor theatre days noting think better people laugh cry described times comedian actor talent comedy slipped characters apparent ease felt funny character bbc wrote able deliver great tongue twisting speeches required characters pronounced completely boring script spoke skills dramatic actor calling great actor lost lamented unable role productions preferred comedy felt good important work actor compared saying matter performance element reality praised skill playing authority figures saying absurd things verbal energetic performances writing style times based precise scripts perfect timing involved playing language including humour involving linguistic items double guardian wrote preferred explicit restraint demanded imagination audience essence comedy said mastery english language private copy book nonsense edward punch lines title page wrote old fossil named verses boring lines worst tried improve copy book signed dated november auctioned personal life met cambridge stage manager plays married months later july children sons larry born adam born actor daughter charlotte born actress larry named idol family lived years subsequently converted mill according foremost family man joy died january aged received avid collector books posters amassed collection produced compilation books including book bathing art sauce rarely appeared public character said known haven personality happy actor suppose heavy gave habit having pre growth removed throat took drinking wine cigarettes maintain concentration help sleep underwent heart bypass survived following year death opted heart valve replacement surgery health rapidly declined recording christmas died heart failure october aged joy news death billing television news sun ran page headline image glasses cremated private funeral attended family close friends public memorial service held march people attendance read service attendance included dawn french recording slang sermon played cross procession aisle abbey accompanied candles instead usual reference candles sketch comedy professional given memorial westminster abbey legacy following death writer year award british comedy awards renamed honour voted 16th greatest comedy act fellow comedy poll find comedian comedian bbc described leading figures british television comedy loved admired independent called master television sitcom guardian said loved actor writer recognised master surreal behaviour public private places cross chat concluded says decline british television industry creative comic talents turned long died age eulogy reverend stated undoubtedly greatest television comedy actors performer comedy look funny stage play adapted directed broadcast afternoon play starring home town oxford pub george street named candles sketch oxford bronze statue sculpted showing character unveiled entrance september widow joy filmography films television radio self productions honour
Ronnie Barker