Post by Roadhog on Nov 13, 2008 21:41:10 GMT 12
Born in 1929, in a town named after a truck, somewhere in Bedfordshire 
, Ronnie Barker started out as a stage actor in the Bedford Repertory Theatre as a teenager.
From there, he used his knack for making voices to good effect on radio.
In 1956, he was offered a part in the BBC's TV show "I'm not Bothered". This wasnt the start he was hoping for, and in 1958, was offered a walk-on part in the BBC show"Wonderful Things". After only one episode, Ronnie nearly quit TV, however he was convinced by comedian Jon Pertwee, after the two of them featured regularly on BBC radio's "The Navy Lark".
His first regular stint on TV was in sketch show "The Frost Report", which ran for two years, and introduced actors such as David Frost, John Cleese, Ronnie Corbet, Eric Idle and Michael Palin.
As we can see this show, while being less than sucessful, launched a thousand laughs.
In 1968, Barker was given his own show "The Ronnie Barker Playhouse", a sketch show that proved a minor hit, although only 6 episodes were made.
During this time Barker also featured in "The Saint" and "The Avengers", as well as on radio.
It was the silent sound-effects comedy "Futtocks End" (1970) that really propelled Barker into the limelight! The one-off episode was written by Barker and another up-and-coming actor Richard O'Sullivan.
This and the show "Hark at Barker", put Ronnie Barker in the spotlight. Playing the part of "Lord Rustless", a doddery yet pompous aristocrat, to David Jason's smart, yet youthful gardener "Dithers" set a mould that became a trademark of Barker's comedy.
This show was followed by "His Lordship Entertains", a continuation of the "Lord Rustless" series.
It was the 1971 show "Seven of One" which not only marked Barker's future path, but also set a few screen legends in place:
Designed at half-hour sketches, these shows have become legendary.
PRISONER AND ESCORT - An "habitual criminal" (Barker) is on his way to prison with two guards, the relaxed, personable Barraclough and the aggressive, authoritarian Mackay.
(This was later recreated as "Porridge")
OPEN ALL HOURS - A miserly Northern shopkeeper (Barker) divides his time between applying the hard sell to his unfortunate customers, persecuting his naive nephew Granville and chasing the buxom Nurse Gladys Emmanuel. Keith Chegwin and Yootha Joyce have minor roles!
(this was later made into the sitcom of the same name)
MY OLD MAN - An embittered retired train driver (Barker) is forced to move out of his council house due to a redevelopment scheme and live with his snooty son-in-law. An amusing culture-and-generation-gap comedy with a memorable cameo by Leslie Dwyer.
(later revived as a short-lived (and not very good) ITV series with the same name) without Barker in the lead role.
SPANNER'S ELEVEN - A loud-mouthed hot dog chef and chauffeur (Barker) tries to save his cushy job as the trainer of England's worst non-league football team. Bill Maynard and Christopher Biggins have small roles. A good one-off but not really series material.
(a series pilot was made, but without Barker, it wasnt the same)
ONE MAN'S MEAT - An overweight businessman (Barker) is forced to go on a crash diet when his wife prevents him from leaving the house by stealing his trousers. Barker wrote this episode (under the pseudonym Jack Goetz) so it's not thin on laughs, but occasionally feels like an overstretched Two Ronnies sketch. Also stars Sam Kelly, Prunella Scales and Joan Sims.
ANOTHER FINE MESS - A pair of Laurel and Hardy impressionists (Barker and Roy Castle) find themselves wrapped up in an escalating series of events, and respond to the madness by gradually turning into their comic heroes. Well-observed and frequently madly funny, but it could be hard-going if you're not a Laurel and Hardy fan
I'LL FLY YOU FOR A QUID - Barker plays two members of a Welsh family who will gamble on absolutely anything in this comedy about the confusion that ensues when the patriarch dies and nobody can find the winning betting slip (worth nearly £850) he never cashed in. Not really series material but a very good one-off.
After Seven of One, Barker reunited with Ronnie Corbet and set up one of British comedy's most (in)famous tag-teams, "The Two Ronnies".
These two clowns heralded in a wave of comedy genius shows, such as Monty Python, staring Barker's old mates Cleese, Idle and Palin, and later set the groundwork for "Not the Nine O'Clock News", among other shows.
While filming the show, Barker was putting in motion the idea of turning skits from Seven Of One into series production. His favourite, Prisoner and Escort was re-made as "Porridge", with the caracter "Norman Stanley Fletcher" rehashed, and with Brian Wilde as Mr Barrowclough, and Fultom Mackay as Mr Mackay, Barker was on to a winner!
He wasnt going to let the dust settle, either. In 1976, he teamed up with David Jason, again and re-wrote "Open All Hours", the first episode aired in 1976, and the last Porridge episode in 1977, meanwhile, his "Two Ronnies" commitments kept him very busy.
Norman Stanley Fletcher was released in 1978 in the show "Going Straight" and was canned in 1984, and it was "goodnight from him" in 1982, whilst Arkwright finally shut up shop in 1985.
Barker then went behind the cameras, writing and producing comedies. He appeared in The Two Ronnies in Australia" in 1988, and in the comedy doco "The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything" (1999).
Ronnie Barker died at his home in Oxfordshire in 2005. Gone but not f.f.f.f.fer.f.fer..f.gotten!
, Ronnie Barker started out as a stage actor in the Bedford Repertory Theatre as a teenager.From there, he used his knack for making voices to good effect on radio.
In 1956, he was offered a part in the BBC's TV show "I'm not Bothered". This wasnt the start he was hoping for, and in 1958, was offered a walk-on part in the BBC show"Wonderful Things". After only one episode, Ronnie nearly quit TV, however he was convinced by comedian Jon Pertwee, after the two of them featured regularly on BBC radio's "The Navy Lark".
His first regular stint on TV was in sketch show "The Frost Report", which ran for two years, and introduced actors such as David Frost, John Cleese, Ronnie Corbet, Eric Idle and Michael Palin.
As we can see this show, while being less than sucessful, launched a thousand laughs.
In 1968, Barker was given his own show "The Ronnie Barker Playhouse", a sketch show that proved a minor hit, although only 6 episodes were made.
During this time Barker also featured in "The Saint" and "The Avengers", as well as on radio.
It was the silent sound-effects comedy "Futtocks End" (1970) that really propelled Barker into the limelight! The one-off episode was written by Barker and another up-and-coming actor Richard O'Sullivan.
This and the show "Hark at Barker", put Ronnie Barker in the spotlight. Playing the part of "Lord Rustless", a doddery yet pompous aristocrat, to David Jason's smart, yet youthful gardener "Dithers" set a mould that became a trademark of Barker's comedy.
This show was followed by "His Lordship Entertains", a continuation of the "Lord Rustless" series.
It was the 1971 show "Seven of One" which not only marked Barker's future path, but also set a few screen legends in place:
Designed at half-hour sketches, these shows have become legendary.
PRISONER AND ESCORT - An "habitual criminal" (Barker) is on his way to prison with two guards, the relaxed, personable Barraclough and the aggressive, authoritarian Mackay.
(This was later recreated as "Porridge")
OPEN ALL HOURS - A miserly Northern shopkeeper (Barker) divides his time between applying the hard sell to his unfortunate customers, persecuting his naive nephew Granville and chasing the buxom Nurse Gladys Emmanuel. Keith Chegwin and Yootha Joyce have minor roles!
(this was later made into the sitcom of the same name)
MY OLD MAN - An embittered retired train driver (Barker) is forced to move out of his council house due to a redevelopment scheme and live with his snooty son-in-law. An amusing culture-and-generation-gap comedy with a memorable cameo by Leslie Dwyer.
(later revived as a short-lived (and not very good) ITV series with the same name) without Barker in the lead role.
SPANNER'S ELEVEN - A loud-mouthed hot dog chef and chauffeur (Barker) tries to save his cushy job as the trainer of England's worst non-league football team. Bill Maynard and Christopher Biggins have small roles. A good one-off but not really series material.
(a series pilot was made, but without Barker, it wasnt the same)
ONE MAN'S MEAT - An overweight businessman (Barker) is forced to go on a crash diet when his wife prevents him from leaving the house by stealing his trousers. Barker wrote this episode (under the pseudonym Jack Goetz) so it's not thin on laughs, but occasionally feels like an overstretched Two Ronnies sketch. Also stars Sam Kelly, Prunella Scales and Joan Sims.
ANOTHER FINE MESS - A pair of Laurel and Hardy impressionists (Barker and Roy Castle) find themselves wrapped up in an escalating series of events, and respond to the madness by gradually turning into their comic heroes. Well-observed and frequently madly funny, but it could be hard-going if you're not a Laurel and Hardy fan
I'LL FLY YOU FOR A QUID - Barker plays two members of a Welsh family who will gamble on absolutely anything in this comedy about the confusion that ensues when the patriarch dies and nobody can find the winning betting slip (worth nearly £850) he never cashed in. Not really series material but a very good one-off.
After Seven of One, Barker reunited with Ronnie Corbet and set up one of British comedy's most (in)famous tag-teams, "The Two Ronnies".
These two clowns heralded in a wave of comedy genius shows, such as Monty Python, staring Barker's old mates Cleese, Idle and Palin, and later set the groundwork for "Not the Nine O'Clock News", among other shows.
While filming the show, Barker was putting in motion the idea of turning skits from Seven Of One into series production. His favourite, Prisoner and Escort was re-made as "Porridge", with the caracter "Norman Stanley Fletcher" rehashed, and with Brian Wilde as Mr Barrowclough, and Fultom Mackay as Mr Mackay, Barker was on to a winner!
He wasnt going to let the dust settle, either. In 1976, he teamed up with David Jason, again and re-wrote "Open All Hours", the first episode aired in 1976, and the last Porridge episode in 1977, meanwhile, his "Two Ronnies" commitments kept him very busy.
Norman Stanley Fletcher was released in 1978 in the show "Going Straight" and was canned in 1984, and it was "goodnight from him" in 1982, whilst Arkwright finally shut up shop in 1985.
Barker then went behind the cameras, writing and producing comedies. He appeared in The Two Ronnies in Australia" in 1988, and in the comedy doco "The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything" (1999).
Ronnie Barker died at his home in Oxfordshire in 2005. Gone but not f.f.f.f.fer.f.fer..f.gotten!
