Rik Mayall (was Casting... Peeves?)

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 5958

Heidi wrote:

>I'm thinking that the younger listies (especially those outside the 
>UK) might not know who the completely insane Rik Mayall is - he was 
>one of the 4 guys in The Young Ones - a VERY british comedy back in 
>the 80s which was on Mtv in the middle of the night on Sundays. I 
>think I watched it all through high school.
>He also played the title character in Drop Dead Fred, which also 
>starred Phoebe Cates - she played a slightly messed up young woman - 
>and Drop Dead Fred was her "imaginary" friend from childhood, 
>released from the Jack in teh Box in which her mother had imprisoned 
>him - his role was VERY Peevesish. And do I remember him being on an 
>episode or 2 of Blackadder?

Rik Mayall first came to notice on TV as part of The Comic Strip, a troupe
of alternative comedians who presented bizarre comedy playlets, which
launched most of them into mainstream careers.  Dawn French and Jennifer
Saunders were also part of the troupe (I guess people will have heard of
Jennifer Saunders through Absolutely Fabulous), as was Saunders' husband Ade
Edmondson and Nigel Planer (who played Vivian and Neil in The Young Ones),
and Robbie Coltrane made regular cameo appearances.  Mayall and Edmondson
did another childish sitcom (Bottom) and Mayall went on to play a corrupt
Tory (right-wing) MP in the sitcom The New Statesman.  As Heidi says, he did
pop in Blackadder as well.
     
Mind you, the Peeves thing is just a rumour :-)

Neil


            Flying-Ford-Anglia

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