RIP Barry Cryer
January 27, 2022 3:14 PM Subscribe
The great Barry Cryer has died. Barry Cryer, comedy writer, has died at the age of 86. He wrote for many of the giants of British comedy but is possible best known for the long-running BBC radio comedy show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, the antidote to panel games.
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Anyone up for a commemorative game of Mornington Crescent?
posted by fight or flight at 3:41 PM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Anyone up for a commemorative game of Mornington Crescent?
posted by fight or flight at 3:41 PM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by sizeable beetle at 4:13 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by sizeable beetle at 4:13 PM on January 27, 2022
Barry's appearance on Richard Herring's Leicester Theatre Podcast from last autumn.
posted by juv3nal at 4:16 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by juv3nal at 4:16 PM on January 27, 2022
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posted by doctor_negative at 4:45 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by doctor_negative at 4:45 PM on January 27, 2022
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posted by lalochezia at 5:26 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by lalochezia at 5:26 PM on January 27, 2022
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posted by flabdablet at 5:31 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 5:31 PM on January 27, 2022
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posted by Lesser Spotted Potoroo at 6:23 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by Lesser Spotted Potoroo at 6:23 PM on January 27, 2022
Willy, Humph, Tim, and now Barry. Only Graeme left. :(
ISIHAC, and British comedy, will never be the same.
posted by Pouteria at 6:29 PM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
ISIHAC, and British comedy, will never be the same.
posted by Pouteria at 6:29 PM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Only Graeme left.
And Colin Sell. (Sorry, Colin. Didn't mean to bury you just yet.)
posted by Pouteria at 7:00 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
And Colin Sell. (Sorry, Colin. Didn't mean to bury you just yet.)
posted by Pouteria at 7:00 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I discovered today that he had recently started a podcast, called "Now, Where Were We?", with his son. The first two episodes are with Stephen Fry; they're a good listen and I'm looking forward to hearing the rest. Barry was a superb talent and absolutely hilarious. RIP.
posted by TheDonF at 9:46 PM on January 27, 2022
posted by TheDonF at 9:46 PM on January 27, 2022
Only Graeme left.
And Colin Sell.
Samantha's still with us.
posted by vincebowdren at 1:16 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
And Colin Sell.
Samantha's still with us.
posted by vincebowdren at 1:16 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by crocomancer at 2:10 AM on January 28, 2022
posted by crocomancer at 2:10 AM on January 28, 2022
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" I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" has been a favorite of mine for yonks. Barry was always the stand out star.
posted by james33 at 3:54 AM on January 28, 2022
" I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" has been a favorite of mine for yonks. Barry was always the stand out star.
posted by james33 at 3:54 AM on January 28, 2022
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posted by Mister Bijou at 5:41 AM on January 28, 2022
posted by Mister Bijou at 5:41 AM on January 28, 2022
Here's a story Barry Cryer told in a documentary about the Music Hall era where he first made his bones.
He was in a changing room with Ted Wray, an older comedian, waiting to go on. The other guy sharing the changing room was a ventriloquist called Ron (Reg?) Spicer who was onstage at the time. Ron's act ends and they hear him running up the stairs. The door bursts open and Ron plonks his case on the table, hangs his ventiloquist dummy on the hook on the door and says, "I'm dying for a cup of tea. My throat is burning !" and rushes out to go make one.
Ted Wray eyes the case on the table and in an avuncular manner says, "You know, its very unprofessional to go through another performer's kit". Cryer nodded solemnly. A moment passed and Wray said, "Keep an ear open, I'll see what he's got." Ted rummaged through the bag but there was nothing of any interest in there, a feather boa, some conjuring tricks, and at that moment Spicer's heavy tread could be heard on the stairs. The two comedians quickly refilled the case, placed it exactly where it had been placed on the table and 'looked natural' as Spicer came back in, tea in hand.
The ventiloquist sat down, said, "I've been looking forward to this !" and starts drinking the tea. As he's drinking, the dummy hanging on the hook of the door says, "They've been looking in your bag !".
posted by devious truculent and unreliable at 11:16 AM on January 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
He was in a changing room with Ted Wray, an older comedian, waiting to go on. The other guy sharing the changing room was a ventriloquist called Ron (Reg?) Spicer who was onstage at the time. Ron's act ends and they hear him running up the stairs. The door bursts open and Ron plonks his case on the table, hangs his ventiloquist dummy on the hook on the door and says, "I'm dying for a cup of tea. My throat is burning !" and rushes out to go make one.
Ted Wray eyes the case on the table and in an avuncular manner says, "You know, its very unprofessional to go through another performer's kit". Cryer nodded solemnly. A moment passed and Wray said, "Keep an ear open, I'll see what he's got." Ted rummaged through the bag but there was nothing of any interest in there, a feather boa, some conjuring tricks, and at that moment Spicer's heavy tread could be heard on the stairs. The two comedians quickly refilled the case, placed it exactly where it had been placed on the table and 'looked natural' as Spicer came back in, tea in hand.
The ventiloquist sat down, said, "I've been looking forward to this !" and starts drinking the tea. As he's drinking, the dummy hanging on the hook of the door says, "They've been looking in your bag !".
posted by devious truculent and unreliable at 11:16 AM on January 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
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posted by penguin pie at 3:04 PM on January 28, 2022
posted by penguin pie at 3:04 PM on January 28, 2022
I don't have many regrets in life, but not speaking to Barry Cryer the time he stood next to me on the tube is one of them. I'm British, I don't talk to people on the tube even if I'm related to them, but still...
posted by Hogshead at 3:10 PM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Hogshead at 3:10 PM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by inpHilltr8r at 7:14 PM on February 5, 2022
posted by inpHilltr8r at 7:14 PM on February 5, 2022
Hours of delight. The "I'm sorry I haven't a Christmas Carol" makes me smile still even though I could probably recite it by heart. Thank you, Mr Cryer.
posted by Pentickle at 1:43 PM on February 6, 2022
posted by Pentickle at 1:43 PM on February 6, 2022
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posted by fallingbadgers at 3:37 PM on January 27, 2022 [5 favorites]