Ronnie Barker died today after a long illness. It feels very strange, the sense of loss for someone I never knew. I suppose it's the memories of laughter shared with family, sitting round the TV to watch Porridge. Top bloke.
Very sad news indeed. I did have the great fortune to know him well (he and Joy were my brother's godparents) and he was a wonderful, funny, sunny chap (and also very small - I have never met Ronnie Corbett but I imagine he must be miniscule). We will miss him very much.
...and it's good night from him...
I loved Ronnie B. Loved "Open all Hours". He was a master of innuendo which I think is so much more clever than some of the clumsy vulgar humour you get today (can't believe I'm saying that, I'm only 29!)
I seem to be surrounded by death right now. Am at a funeral on Saturday and another next week.
But on the bright side I'm all fit and well apart from this bastard cold. Aaaachooo.
Do you know any other famous persons Rach?
I'm only 33 (yes, only!) & I was just saying to my other half yesterday that Ronnie B (on his own & with Ronnie C) was far better at characters that many of todays comedians. I'm thinking, for example, of Catherine Tate, who I like, generally, but it does get a bit repetitive. The Two Ronnies were always coming up with something new, rather than resting on the laurels of established characters. Or where RB did have an established character (e.g. Fletch or Arkwright), they never got boring or felt like they were just repeating themselves. These young'uns could learn a lot from the Old Masters!
"P"
to be fair to Katherine Tate, the whole 'catchphrase' thing is the norm nowadays so she's just following the trend started by the likes of the fast show where the phrase replaces the punchline. Her material is still very funny and her character acting second to none in the current climate.
you never heard anyone 'quoting' lines from Ronnie B because that wasn't the style of his day. He wrote sketches with punchlines etc and if they fitted a certain kind of situation then he'd repeat a character but not to establish any kind of catchphrase.
His situation comedies (porridge, open all hours, the short sighted guy one) were approached from a different POV to the sketches and that's what made them so much better than modern sitcoms that are a series of set up lines every few seconds. The depth of Fletch was immense and his character had unspoken values that were hinted at and established morals that were never as black and white as our own.
Ronnie Barker was more than yet another of the greats of comedy who have died... Spike Milligan, Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecombe... etc. He was something of an enigma of entertainment and can never be replaced unfortunately.
The All New Pepsoid the Second!
The All New Pepsoid the Second!