BARRY CRYER OBE

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Barry Cryer was born in Leeds & educated at Leeds Grammar School & Leeds University. While appearing in a University revue, he was offered a week's work at the famous City Variety Theatre, home of The Good Old Days, the longest-running television entertainment show in the world. In later years, Barry Cryer was to appear on the show many times. He appeared all over the country in what were known as The Number Threes.

Barry Cryer's variety work led him to the Windmill Theatre in London, a legendary school for comedians whose graduates include Sir Harry Secombe & Peter Sellers & it has since taken him to theatres around the UK.

Barry performed in Expresso Bongo, a musical savaging the pop music scene of the day starring Paul Schofield, Millicent Martin & Susan Hampshire. It was during this period he started making records & had the rare distinction of being No. 1 in Finland. He believes that his may have had something to do with the fact that they gave away a car with each record! After this, he commenced writing for revues at The Fortune Theatre, home of Beyond The Fringe. This led to writing & appearing in night club shows with Danny La Rue, an association that was to last for 13 years.

While still working with Danny, he mat David Frost who invited him to join the writing roster on the BBC program, The Frost Report - an amazing group of writers who included what was to become the whole of Monty Python, Marty Feldman, David Nobbs (author of Reginald Perrin series & a future writing partner) & many more.

He moved with Frost to ITV and wrote & appeared in The Frost Programme, Frost on Sunday, etc.. until he returned to the BBC as one of the original Two Ronnies writers.

His association with Ronnie Corbett had begun in the Danny La Rue shows & continued with Barry writing for Small Talk.

Highlights of his career include nightclubs shows with Danny La Rue, charity shows at the Players' Theatre Old Tyme Music Hall & Two Old Farts In The Night, a collaboration with Willie Rushton which performed to full houses until Willie's untimely death in 1996. More recently, he has delighted audiences with his one-man show, The First Farewell Tour, accompanied by pianist Colin Sell.

As a writer, Barry Cryer has written for practically every top comedian - past & present - in the country, including Morecambe & Wise, Bruce Forsyth, Tommy Cooper, Kenny Everett, Stanley Baxter, Dick Emery, Dave Allen, Frankie Howard, Les Dawson, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, Mike Yarwood, Billy Connolly, Russ Abbot, Bobby Davro, Jasper Carrott & many others.

He has contributed to some of the top entertainment shows, which have won many awards including the Pye Light Entertainment, BAFTA, the Royal Television Society & The Press Guild.

As a performer he has appeared on practically every panel game on television & radio including Countdown, That's Showbusiness, Blankety Blank, Punch Lines & I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. ISIHAC started in 1972 & has had over 30 series broadcast. The show has won many awards including; British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Programme, Broadcasting Press Guild for Radio Programme of the Year, The Voice of the Viewer & Listener Award for Radio Programme of the Year, Gold Award for Spoken Word Audio of the Year plus numerous Sony Radio awards.

In 1990 Barry teamed up with old friend, the late Willie Rushton in their own show, Two Old Farts in the Night. They played for two seasons at the Edinburgh Festival & a 40 date UK tour as well as releasing a video.

In 1995, Barry joined an illustrious list by becoming a victim on This Is Your Life.

In 1998, Barry wrote his autobiography, You Won't Believe This But..., which has been broadcast on Radio 4. Over the past few years, Barry has regularly performed his own one-man show, That Reminds Me, which has been released on CD.

Barry has established a reputation for nurturing new comedy talent, having hosted The Stand-up Show on BBC Television & the BBC New Comedy Awards.

In 2002 Barry performed in his show Rock of Ages with Ronnie Corbett & The Rex at The Traverse Theatre - the show was a sell-out.

Barry has become one of the country's most popular after dinner speakers & hosts for corporate events.

In November 2001 Barry was awarded an OBE.

 

For more information on Barry Cryer, Contact Arena. Tel: 0113-239-2222