Rik Mayall | |
|---|---|
 Mayall in 1999 | |
| Born | Richard Michael Mayall (1958-03-07)7 March 1958 |
| Died | 9 June 2014(2014-06-09) (aged 56) Barnes, London, England |
| Resting place | Pasture Farm,East Allington,Devon |
| Education | King's School, Worcester |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1978–2014 |
| Medium | Film,stand-up,television |
| Genres | Alternative comedy,dark comedy,character comedy,physical comedy,surreal humour |
Richard Michael Mayall (/ˈmeɪɔːl/; 7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English comedian, actor and writer. He formed a close partnership withAdrian Edmondson while they were students atManchester University, and was a pioneer ofalternative comedy in the 1980s.
Mayall starred in numerous successful comedy series throughout his career, includingThe Young Ones (1982–1984),The Comic Strip Presents... (1983–2012),Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987),The New Statesman (1987–1994),Bottom (1991–1995), andBelieve Nothing (2002). He also starred in the comedy filmsDrop Dead Fred (1991) andGuest House Paradiso (1999). Mayall won aPrimetime Emmy Award for his voiceover performance as Mr. Toad in TVC London's 1996 animated movieThe Willows in Winter (a sequel to TVC's 1995 production ofThe Wind in the Willows, in which Mayall also played Toad). His comedic style, defined by the over-the-top, grotesque and deeply unsympathethic characters he portrayed, was described as energetic "post-punk".[1]
Mayall died of a heart attack at his home in London on 9 June 2014 at the age of 56.BBC Television directorDanny Cohen praised him as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars.
The second of four children, Mayall was born on 7 March 1958 at 98 Pittmans Field,Harlow,Essex, to Gillian (née Harrild; 1930–2018) and John Mayall (1925–2011).[2] He had an older brother, Anthony, and two younger sisters, Libby and Kate.[3] When Mayall was three years old, he and his parents—who taught drama—moved toDroitwich Spa,Worcestershire,[2] where he spent the rest of his childhood and performed in his parents' plays.[4]
He attendedKing's School, Worcester, to which he won a free scholarship. He failed most of hisO-levels and scraped throughA-levels.[5] In 1975, Mayall went to theVictoria University of Manchester (now known as the University of Manchester) to study drama. He claimed that he failed to get a degree, or that he did not even turn up to his finals,[6] but in reality he graduated withlower second-class honours in 1978.[7] It was there that he met his future comedy partnerAde Edmondson;[8]Ben Elton, a fellow student; andLise Mayer, with whom he later co-wroteThe Young Ones.[9]
Edmondson and Mayall gained their reputation atThe Comedy Store, from 1980.[10] Apart from performing in theirdouble act,20th Century Coyote, Mayall developed solo routines, using characters such asKevin Turvey and a pompous anarchist poet named Rick.[11] This led to Edmondson and Mayall, along withcompere of the Comedy StoreAlexei Sayle and other up-and-coming comedians, includingNigel Planer,Peter Richardson,French and Saunders,Arnold Brown, andPete Richens setting up their own comedy club called "The Comic Strip"[12] in theRaymond Revuebar, a strip club in Soho.[13] Mayall's Kevin Turvey character gained a regular slot inA Kick Up the Eighties, first broadcast in 1981. He appeared as "Rest Home" Ricky inRichard O'Brien'sShock Treatment, a sequel toThe Rocky Horror Picture Show. He played Dentonvale's resident attendant as the love interest toNell Campbell's Nurse Ansalong.
Mayall's television appearances as Kevin Turvey led to amockumentary based on the character titledKevin Turvey – The Man Behind The Green Door, broadcast in 1982. The previous year, he appeared in a bit role inAn American Werewolf in London. His stage partnership with Edmondson continued, with them often appearing together as "The Dangerous Brothers", hapless daredevils whose hyper-violent antics foreshadowed their characters inBottom.[14]Channel 4 offered the Comic Strip group six short films, which becameThe Comic Strip Presents..., debuting on 2 November 1982. The series, which continued sporadically for many years, saw Mayall play a wide variety of roles. It was known for anti-establishment humour and for parodies such asBad News on Tour, a spoof "rockumentary" starring Mayall, Richardson, Edmondson and Planer as aheavy metal band.
At the timeThe Comic Strip Presents... was negotiated, theBBC took an interest inThe Young Ones, a sitcom written by Mayall and his then-girlfriendLise Mayer, in the sameanarchic vein asComic Strip. Ben Elton joined the writers. The series was commissioned and first broadcast in 1982, shortly afterComic Strip. Mayall played Rick, a pompous sociology student andCliff Richard devotee. Mayall maintained his double-act with Edmondson, who starred as violent heavy punk metal medical student Vyvyan.Nigel Planer (as hippie Neil) andChristopher Ryan (as "Mike the cool person") also starred, with additional material written and performed by Alexei Sayle.
The first series was successful, and a second was screened in 1984. The show owed a comic debt toSpike Milligan, but Milligan disapproved of Mayall's style of performance. Milligan once wrote: "Rik Mayall is putrid – absolutely vile. He thinks nose-picking is funny and farting and all that. He is the arsehole of British comedy."[15]
In 1986, Mayall played the private detective in the video of "Peter Gunn" byArt of Noise featuringDuane Eddy.[16][17]
Mayall continued to work onThe Comic Strip films. He returned tostand-up comedy, performing onSaturday Live—a British version of the AmericanSaturday Night Live—first broadcast in 1985. He and Edmondson had a regular section as "The Dangerous Brothers", their earlier stage act. In 1985, Mayall debuted another comic creation. He had appeared in the final episode of the first series ofBlackadder (1983) as "Mad Gerald". He returned to playLord Flashheart in theBlackadder II episode titled "Bells". A descendant of this character, Squadron Commander Flashheart, was in theBlackadder Goes Forth episode "Private Plane". In the same episode, he was reunited with Edmondson, who played German flying aceBaron von Richthofen the "Red Baron", in a scene where he comes to rescue Captain Blackadder from the Germans. A decade later, Mayall also appeared inBlackadder: Back & Forth asRobin Hood.[18]
In 1986, Mayall joinedNigel Planer, Edmondson and Elton to star as Richie Rich inFilthy Rich & Catflap, which was billed as a follow-up toThe Young Ones. The idea ofFilthy Rich & Catflap was a reaction to comments made byJimmy Tarbuck aboutThe Young Ones. The series' primary focus was to highlight the "has been" status of light entertainment. While Mayall received positive critical reviews, viewing figures were poor and the series was never repeated on the BBC. In later years, release on video, DVD and repeats on UK TV found a following. Mayall suggested that the series did not last because he was uncomfortable acting in an Elton project, when they had been co-writers onThe Young Ones.[19]
In the same year, Mayall had a No. 1 hit in theUK Singles Chart, when he and his co-stars fromThe Young Ones teamed withCliff Richard to record "Living Doll" for the inauguralComic Relief campaign.[20] Mayall played Rick one last time in the Comic Relief stage-show and supported the Comic Relief cause for the rest of his life. 1987 saw Mayall co-star with Edmondson in one episode of theITV sitcomHardwicke House, although adverse reaction from press and viewers saw ITV withdraw the series after two episodes, leaving their appearance unbroadcast.[21][22] He appeared on the children's television seriesJackanory. His crazed portrayal ofRoald Dahl'sGeorge's Marvellous Medicine proved memorable.[23] However, the BBC received complaints "with viewers claiming both story and presentation to be both dangerous and offensive".[24]
Interested in pivoting away from roles similar toThe Young Ones, Mayall approached writersLaurence Marks andMaurice Gran, inquiring if they wanted to use him for a new project of theirs.[25] By 1987, Mayall would play fictionalConservative politician Alan Beresford B'StardMP in Marks and Gran's sitcom,The New Statesman. The character was a satirical mockery of Tory politicians from the era. The programme ran for four series—incorporating two BBC specials—between 1987 and 1994, and was successful both critically and in the ratings.[26] In a similar vein to his appearance onJackanory, in 1989, Mayall starred in a series of bit shows for ITV calledGrim Tales, in which he narratedGrimm Brothersfairy tales while puppets acted the stories.
Mayall starred alongsidePhoebe Cates in 1991'sDrop Dead Fred as the eponymous character, a troublesomeimaginary friend who reappears from a woman's childhood. The movie was a modest commercial success, but received negative reviews upon release, though it has since gone on to become acult classic.[27] He'd also star alongsideCrispin Glover andTatum O'Neal in the 1991 filmLittle Noises in a supporting role, filmed inHoboken,New Jersey, during Mayall's temporary stay in the United States amid production ofDrop Dead Fred.[28]
In 1991, Edmondson and Mayall co-starred in the West End production ofBeckett'sWaiting for Godot at theQueen's Theatre, with Mayall playing Vladimir, Edmondson as Estragon andChristopher Ryan as Lucky.[29] Here they came up with the idea forBottom, which they said was a cruder cousin toWaiting for Godot.[30]Bottom was commissioned by the BBC and three series were shown between 1991 and 1995. Mayall appeared inBottom as Richard 'Richie' Richard alongside Edmondson's Eddie Elizabeth Hitler. The series featuredslapstick violence taken to new extremes, and gained a strong cult following.[31] In the early 1990s, Mayall starred in humorous adverts forNintendo games and consoles. With money from the ads, he bought his house in London which he called "Nintendo Towers".[11]
In 1993, following the second series, Mayall and Edmondson decided to take a stage-show version of the series on a national tour,Bottom: Live. It was a commercial success, filling large venues. Four additional stage shows were embarked upon in 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003, each meeting with great success. The violent nature of these shows saw both Edmondson and Mayall ending up in hospital at various points. A film version,Guest House Paradiso was released in 1999. A fourth TV series was also written but not commissioned by the BBC.
Mayall would provide the voice of the character Froglip, the prince of thegoblins, in the1991 animated film adaption of the 1872 children's taleThe Princess and the Goblin byGeorge MacDonald. In 1993, he appeared inRik Mayall Presents, six individual comedy dramas (Micky Love / Briefest Encounter /Dancing Queen / The Big One / Dirty Old Town / Clair de Lune). Mayall's performances won him a Best Comedy Performer award at that year'sBritish Comedy Awards, and a second series of three was broadcast in early 1995. He provided the voice for Little Sod inSimon Brett'sHow to Be a Little Sod, written in 1991 and adapted as ten consecutive episodes broadcast by the BBC in 1995. In the early 1990s, he auditioned for the roles of Banzai, Zazu, and Timon inThe Lion King (1994); he was asked to audition by lyricistTim Rice but the role of Zazu went toRowan Atkinson.
In 1995, Mayall featured in a production ofSimon Gray's playCell Mates alongsideStephen Fry. The play would receive poor reviews, with many critics panning Fry's performance especially.[32] Not long into the run, Fry had anervous breakdown and fled to Belgium, where he remained for several days, eventually leading the play to close early.[33] Gray would later publish adiary that same year entitled "Fat Chance" detailing the incident, recalling Fry's departure left Mayall "distraught, in tears of grief, tears of anger" as he continued to perform with Fry'sunderstudy until the play's premature cancellation.[34] In 2007, Mayall said of the incident: "You don't leave the trenches ... selfishness is one thing, being a cunt is another. I mustn't start that war again."[35] Edmondson would mine theCell Mates event for comedic effect during theirBottom stage tours, such as duringBottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour, where, after Mayall had given mocking gestures to the audience and insulted their town, Edmondson would quip, "Have you finished yet? It's just I'm beginning to understand why Stephen Fry fucked off."[36] Towards the end of theCell Mates run, Mayall revealed a replica gun—a prop from the play—to a passer-by in the street. Mayall was cautioned over the incident and later conceded that this was "incredibly stupid, even by my standards".[37]
In 1998, Mayall was involved in a seriousquad bike accident. The pair wrote the first draft of their feature filmGuest House Paradiso while Mayall was still hospitalised. They planned to co-direct, but Edmondson took on the duties himself. Mayall returned to work doingvoice-overs. His first post-accident acting job was in the 1998Jonathan Creek Christmas special, as DI Gideon Pryke, a role he later reprised in 2013.Jonathan Creek also featured Adrian Edmondson in a recurring role, though the two did not appear in any episodes together.
From 1999, Mayall was the voice of the black-headed seagull Kehaar, in the first and second series of the animated television programme,Watership Down. In the late 1990s Mayall was featured in a number of adverts forVirgin Trains.[38]
In 2000, Mayall voiced around half of the characters for thePlayStation and Windows PC video gameHogs of War. Also that year, Mayall appeared in the video production ofJesus Christ Superstar asKing Herod. He joked in the "making of" documentary, which was included on the DVD release, that "the real reason why millions of people want to come and see this is because I'm in it! Me and Jesus!" In 2001, Mayall acted as Lt Daniel Blaney in the episode "The White Knight Stratagem" from the seriesMurder Rooms: The Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes. In 2002, Mayall teamed up with Marks and Gran once more when he starred as Professor Adonis Cnut in theITV sitcom,Believe Nothing. However, the sitcom failed to repeat the success ofThe New Statesman and lasted for only one series.
Mayall was originally cast asPeeves the Poltergeist in the first film adaptation of theHarry Potter book series,Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.[39] He had filmed his part for the role, but would be cut inpost-production due to directorChris Columbus and producerDavid Heyman being unsatisfied with the character's design.[40] Columbus later called his decision to exclude Mayall "one of [his] biggest regrets"[41] and campaigned forWarner Bros. to release adirector's cut that would include Mayall's performance during the movie's twentieth anniversary in 2021.[42] Mayall was not made aware of his cut until the film premiere.[43] Mayall, when interviewed about the movie following its release, mentioned how, during filming, the children in the cast were unable to suppress their giggles when he was filming and would frequentlycorpse.[44] He'd derisively call it a "crap film."[45]
Following 2003'sBottom: Live tour,Bottom 5: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts, Mayall stated that he and Edmondson would return with another tour.[46]
In 2004 Mayall had a starring cameo role playing the record boss in the video short "ABBA: Our Last Video Ever".[47]
Mayall voiced Edwin in the BBC showShoebox Zoo. In September 2005, he released an 'in-character' semi-fictionalised autobiography titledBigger than Hitler – Better than Christ (ISBN 0-00-720727-1). At the same time, he starred in a new series for ITV,All About George. In 2006, Mayall reprised the role of Alan B'Stard in the playThe New Statesman 2006: Blair B'stard Project, written by Marks and Gran. By this time B'Stard had left the floundering Conservatives and become aLabour MP. In 2007, following a successful two-month run in London's West End at theTrafalgar Studios, a heavily re-written version toured theatres nationwide, with Marks and Gran constantly updating the script to keep it topical. However, Mayall succumbed to chronic fatigue and flu in May 2007 and withdrew from the show. Alan B'Stard was played by his understudy, Mike Sherman during his hiatus.
Mayall would be cast inEvil Calls: The Raven (2008).[48] ForEvil Calls, Mayall's role as Winston the Butler was shot in 2002, when the film was titledAlone in the Dark. The film was not completed until 2008, and was released under its newEvil Calls title to distance it from theAlone in the Dark computer game film.
Mayall provided the voice of theAndrex puppy in the TV commercials forAndrex toilet paper, and also had a voice part in theDomestos cleaning product adverts. He performed the voice ofKing Arthur in the children's television cartoon seriesKing Arthur's Disasters, alongsideMatt Lucas who playsMerlin,Morwenna Banks as Guinevere, andPhil Cornwell asSir Lancelot. Mayall also had a recurring role in the Channel Five remake of the lighthearted drama series,Minder. He also provided the voice of Cufflingk in the 2005 animated filmValiant.[49]
In September 2009, Mayall played a supporting role in the television programmeMidsomer Murders - shown onITV1 and made byMeridian Broadcasting - as David Roper, a recovering party animal and tenuous friend of the families in and around Chettham Park House.
In April 2010, Motivation Records released Mayall's England Football anthem "Noble England" for the2010 FIFA World Cup which he recorded with producer Dave Loughran atBrick Lane Studios in London.[50] The release, on 26 April, was designed to coincide withSt George's Day and the baptism ofShakespeare. On the track, Mayall performs an adapted speech from Shakespeare's Henry V. In June 2010, the official BBCMatch of the Day compilation CD (2010 Edition) was released by Sony/Universal featuring Noble England. After Mayall's death in 2014, a campaign led byJon Morter began to get "Noble England" to No. 1 during the2014 FIFA World Cup. It rapidly climbed the official charts in the United Kingdom and reached No. 7.[51]
In September 2010, an audiobook, narrated by Mayall,Cutey and the Sofaguard was released by Digital Download. The book was written by Chris Wade and released by Wisdom Twins Books. In the same month, Mayall played the voice of Roy's Dad and recorded five episodes of animation[52] In November 2010, Mayall provided narrative for five different characters for CDs accompanying children's books published by Clickety Books. The books aid speech and language development by bombarding the child with troublesome sound targets. He recorded introductions and narratives for the titles.
On 5 March 2011, Mayall appeared onLet's Dance for Comic Relief in which he came on stage and attacked Ade Edmondson with afrying pan during his performance ofThe Dying Swan ballet.[53] Edmondson mentioned backstage that it was the first time in eight years they had done something like that together and claimed Mayall had left with a small bump on his head. It would be the last time the duo performed together in public.
In April 2011, Mayall again revived the character of Alan B'Stard to make an appearance in a satirical television advertisement for theNo2AV campaign prior to the 2011 voting reform referendum in the UK. The character is shown being elected under the alternative vote system, then using his newly gained position of power to renege on his campaign promises. In his personal life, Rik Mayall did not support the alternative vote. In May 2011 Mayall became the eponymous 'Bombardier' in a TV advertising campaign forBombardier Bitter in the UK.[54] The adverts landed broadcasterDave in trouble withOfcom when they were found to breach the Ofcom code for linking alcohol with sexual attractiveness or success.[55]
On 23 August 2012, the BBC announced that Edmondson and Mayall's characters of Richie and Eddie would be returning in 2013 inHooligan's Island, a television adaptation of their 1997 tour of the same name.[56] However, on 15 October 2012, Edmondson announced during an interview with BBC radio presenterMark Powlett that the project was cancelled prior to production as he wished to pursue other interests.
In September 2012, Mayall starred inThe Last Hurrah, a six-episode, full-cast audio series that he also co-wrote with Craig Green and Dominic Vince.[57] In November, Mayall narrated several children's books on the Me Books app, such asThe Getaway andBanana! by children's illustrator and author Ed Vere.
In October 2013, he appeared in theChannel 4 sitcomMan Down, playing the father ofGreg Davies's protagonist—despite being only ten years older. Davies, a longtime fan of Mayall's since seeingThe Young Ones as a child, had Mayall pegged as a fantasy pick to play his fictional father, saying: "During the development ofMan Down, it was a running joke that 'obviously' he would play my dad. The part, inspired by my own dad's sense of mischief, was clearly one that Rik could play with his eyes closed, but I didn't think for a second he'd say yes".[58]
On 7 May 2014, Mayall made one of his last recorded performances in the form of poetry and voice-overs read on English rock bandMagic Eight Ball's second album,Last Of The Old Romantics (released on 10 November 2014). Mayall's final TV appearance was in the first episode of the second series ofCrackanory, which was broadcast posthumously on 24 September 2014 onDave.
Mayall married Scottishmake-up artist Barbara Robbin in 1985, and the couple had three children. The couple met in 1981 while filmingA Kick Up the Eighties and embarked on a secret affair. At the time, Mayall was in a long-term relationship withLise Mayer. Upon discovering that Robbin was pregnant, Mayall left Mayer (who was also pregnant by him at the time) while on a shopping trip with her andBen Elton, and eloped with Robbin toBarbados. Mayer later suffered amiscarriage. In a 2002 newspaper article, Mayall said that Mayer had since forgiven him.[59]
Mayall twice publicly involved himself in political campaigns. In 2002, he dressed up asAdolf Hitler for a cinema advertisement opposing the United Kingdom abolishing thepound sterling in favour of theeuro as a part of its membership of theEuropean Union.[60] In theUnited Kingdom Alternative Vote Referendum of 2011, he appeared in a television broadcast for the 'No' campaign in character asAlan B'Stard to oppose the adoption of an alternative proportional electoral system forWestminster Parliamentary elections.[61]
On 9 April 1998, Mayall was injured when he crashed aquad bike near his home inDevon.[62] Mayall's daughter Bonnie and her cousin had asked him to take them for a ride on the bike—a Christmas gift from his wife—but he refused because of bad weather approaching, and he went out alone.[63] Mayall remembered nothing about the accident. His wife Barbara looked out of the window and saw him lying on the ground trapped beneath the quad, which had turned over on top of him.[64] Mayall later joked that his wife believed he was fooling around and initially left him for a few minutes. He was airlifted toPlymouth'sDerriford Hospital,[62] with twohaematomas and a fractured skull.[64] During the following 96 hours, he was kept sedated to prevent movement which could cause pressure on his brain. His family was warned that he could die or have brain damage. He was in an induced coma for several days.[64] After five days doctors felt it safe to bring him back to consciousness. In a BBC Radio 2 interview in 2000, Mayall said that when filmingGuest House Paradiso, Edmondson would make sure he had afternoons free to rest from filming following the accident. He was left with epilepsy as a result of the accident for which he had to take daily medication for the rest of his life.[65]
During Mayall's hospitalisation, theComic Strip specialFour Men in a Car was broadcast for the first time. The film involves Mayall's character being hit by a car.[11] Mayall and Edmondson joked about the event in stage versions ofBottom, Edmondson quipping "If only I'd fixed those brakes properly", Mayall referring to "quad bike flashbacks", and Mayall referring to himself: "You must know him, that tosser who fell off the quad bike."[66] In his 2005 spoof autobiography, Mayall claims that herose from the dead.
On 9 June 2014, Mayall died at his home inBarnes,Richmond-upon-Thames, London, following a sudden heart attack after a morning jog, at the age of 56.[67][68] His funeral took place on 19 June 2014, at St. George's Church inDittisham, Devon.[69] Among the attendees wereDawn French,Jennifer Saunders,Peter Richardson,Alan Rickman and Mayall'sYoung Ones co-starsAdrian Edmondson,Nigel Planer andAlexei Sayle, along withYoung Ones co-writerBen Elton. Edmondson also served as apallbearer.[70] In accordance with his wishes, he was buried on his family estate at Pasture Farm,East Allington, Devon.[71][72]
BBC Television directorDanny Cohen praised him as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars.[1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Eye of the Needle | Sailor | |
| An American Werewolf in London | 2nd Chess Player | ||
| Couples and Robbers | Morris David Boyd | ||
| Shock Treatment | "Rest Home" Ricky | ||
| The Orchard End Murder | Policeman | Uncredited | |
| 1986 | Whoops Apocalypse | Specialist Catering Commander | |
| 1987 | Eat the Rich | Micky | |
| Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door | Dreamy Time Escort | Feature film fromThe Comic Strip presents... series | |
| 1991 | Little Noises | Mathias | |
| Drop Dead Fred | Drop Dead Fred | ||
| The Princess and the Goblin | Prince Froglip | Voice, dubbed voice for the 1992 English-language version | |
| 1992 | Carry On Columbus | The Sultan | |
| 1993 | The Thief and the Cobbler | Brigand | Voice, uncredited |
| 1995 | The Snow Queen | The Robber King | Voice |
| The Wind in the Willows | Mr. Toad | Voice, TV movie | |
| 1996 | The Willows in Winter | Voice, TV movie Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance | |
| 1997 | Remember Me? | Ian | |
| Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis | Marty Starr | ||
| 1999 | A Monkey's Tale | Gerard the Gormless | Voice, dubbed voice for the 2000 English-language version |
| Guest House Paradiso | Richard Twat | Also co-writer with Ade Edmondson | |
| 2000 | Blackadder: Back & Forth | Robin Hood | Short |
| Jesus Christ Superstar | King Herod | ||
| Great Performances | Episode: "Jesus Christ Superstar" | ||
| Merlin: The Return | Merlin | ||
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Peeves | Cut from final edit of movie |
| Kevin of the North | Carter | Alternatively titledChilly Dogs | |
| 2002 | Day of the Sirens | Domo Childs | |
| 2003 | Chaos and Cadavers | Lennox Crowly | |
| Sindy: The Fairy Princess | Wizard Azbar | Voice | |
| Oh Marbella! | Greg Dubois | ||
| Cold Dark | Vet | ||
| 2004 | Churchill: The Hollywood Years | Baxter | |
| ABBA: Our Last Video Ever | Record Director | Video forEurovision Song Contest 2004 | |
| 2005 | Valiant | Cufflingk | Voice |
| 2007 | Snow White: The Sequel | The Seven Dwarves | Voice, English dub |
| 2010 | Just for the Record | Andy Wiseman | |
| 2011 | Evil Calls: The Raven | Winston Llamata Jr | |
| 2012 | Eldorado | Chef Mario | |
| Errors of the Human Body | Samuel Mead | ||
| 2014 | One by One | Ernest | |
| 2015 | The Escape [nl] | Landlord | Posthumous release |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Wolcott | PC Fell | 1 series |
| A Kick Up the Eighties | Kevin Turvey | ||
| Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind the Green Door | |||
| 1982 | Whoops Apocalypse | Biff | Episode: "Autumn Cannibalism" |
| Northern Lights | Scottish Television play withJudy Parfitt andAnnette Crosbie. First broadcast in May 1982[85] | ||
| 1982–1984 | The Young Ones | Rick | 2 series, also co-writer withBen Elton andLise Mayer |
| 1983 | The Black Adder | Mad Gerald | Episode: "The Black Seal" Note: Character of "Mad Gerald" is credited as playing himself |
| 1983–2012 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Various roles | Several episodes and specials (appears in 19 of the 41 episodes) |
| 1985 | Happy Families | Priest | Episode: "Madeleine" |
| 1986 | Saturday Live | Richard Dangerous | Sketches featuringThe Dangerous Brothers |
| Blackadder II | Lord Flashheart | Episode: "Bells" | |
| Art of Noise:Peter Gunn | Private eye | Music video | |
| 1986–1995 | Jackanory | Narrator | Voice, Episodes:George's Marvellous Medicine, “The Fwog Pwince: The Twuth!” &Jack and the Beanstalk (Christmas Special) |
| 1987 | Filthy Rich & Catflap | Gertrude "Richie" Rich | 1 series |
| Hardwicke House | Lenny | Episode 5, "The Old Boys". Guest appearance. | |
| 1987–1994 | The New Statesman | Alan Beresford B'Stard | 4 series |
| 1989 | Blackadder Goes Forth | Squadron Leader The Lord Flashheart | Episode: "Private Plane" |
| 1989–1991 | Grim Tales | The Storyteller | 2 series |
| 1991–1995 | Bottom | Richard "Richie" Richard | 3 series, also co-creator withAde Edmondson |
| 1993–1995 | Rik Mayall Presents | Various roles | Two series of three episodes |
| 1995 | The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends | Tom Thumb | Voice, Episode: "The Tale of Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town-Mouse" |
| How to Be a Little Sod | Little Sod | Voice | |
| 1997 | The Bill | Patrick Massie | Humpty Dumpty – Parts Two and Three |
| The Canterville Ghost | Reverend Dampier | TV movie | |
| 1998 | In the Red | Dominic De'Ath | |
| Jonathan Creek | Detective Inspector Gideon Pryke | Episode: "Black Canary" (Christmas Special) | |
| Tom and Vicky | Bert/ Squidgy | 26 Episodes[86] | |
| 1998–2003 | Jellikins | Narrator | Voice |
| 1999 | Watership Down | Kehaar | Voice, Series 1 and 2 |
| 2001 | Tales of Uplift and Moral Improvement[87] | Mrs. Ffine Carmody | One series, all 13 episodes |
| Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes | Lt. Daniel Blaney | The White Knight Stratagem | |
| 2002 | Believe Nothing | Quadruple Professor Adonis Cnut | 1 series |
| 2004 | Violent Nation | Presenter | All 3 episodes (Discovery Channel) |
| 2004–2005 | Shoebox Zoo | Edwin the Eagle | Voice, 2 series |
| 2005 | All About George | George Kinsey | 1 series[88] |
| 2005–2006 | King Arthur's Disasters | King Arthur | Voice |
| 2006 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Lord Reginald | Voice, Episode: "Chimps Ahoy" |
| 2009 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Alec Nicholson | Episode: "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" |
| Midsomer Murders | David Roper | Episode: "The Creeper" | |
| 2011–2013 | Who Let The Dogs Out? | Narrator | Voice, Series 1–3 |
| 2013 | Jonathan Creek | Detective Inspector Gideon Pryke | Episode: "The Clue Of The Savant's Thumb" (Easter Special) |
| Man Down | Richard Davies (Dad) | Season 1 and 2013 Christmas Special | |
| Damo & Ivor | Alistair | ||
| 2014 | Crackanory | Story Teller | |
| Muriel & Floyd | Fritz | Voice, Episode: "Hell in the Pump" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Comedy of Errors | Dromio of Syracuse | Performed at theOxford Playhouse inOxford |
| 1985 | The Government Inspector | Ivan Khlestakov | Performed at theNational Theatre in London |
| 1988 | The Common Pursuit | Nick Finchling | Performed at thePhoenix Theatre in London |
| 1991 | Waiting for Godot | Vladimir | Performed at theQueen's Theatre in London |
| 1993 | Bottom Live | Richard "Richie" Richard | Recorded at theMayflower Theatre inSouthampton |
| 1995 | Cell Mates | Blake | Performed at theAlbery Theatre in theWest End |
| Bottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour | Richard "Richie" Richard | Recorded at theNew Theatre inOxford | |
| 1997 | Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island | Richard "Richie" Richard | Recorded at theHippodrome inBristol |
| 2000 | A Family Affair | Henry | Performed at theTheatre Royal, Brighton |
| 2001 | Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity | Richard "Richie" Richard | Recorded at theRoyal Concert Hall inNottingham |
| 2003 | Present Laughter | Gary Essendine | Performed at theTheatre Royal, Bath |
| Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour | Richard "Richie" Richard | Recorded at theCliffs Pavilion inSouthend-on-Sea | |
| 2006–2007 | The New Statesman | Alan B'Stard | Performed atTrafalgar Studios in London |
| 2007 | The New Statesman | Alan B'Stard | Performed at theChurchill Theatre, Bromley, London |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Bud Tucker in Double Trouble | Dick Tate | |
| 2000 | Hogs of War | Sergeant I.P. Grimly/Narrator; Nobby; Ginger; Den; Basil; Percy; Smith; Bastille; Le Cont; Sanglier; Porc; Yehudi; Duski; Mule; Shogun; Feng Shui; Raw Fish; Herman; Herr Kut; Herr Dry; Herr Raid | Performance to be carried over toremastered version[89] |
| 2014 | LittleBigPlanet 3 | Newton | Recast withHugh Laurie due to death during development |
| Year | Title | Author(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Grim Tales | Brothers Grimm | |
| More Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales | |||
| 1994 | Krindlekrax | Philip Ridley | |
| 1999 | The Sound of Trumpets | John Mortimer | |
| 2000 | The Dr. Seuss Collection | Dr. Seuss | Consists ofThe Lorax,Dr. Seuss's ABC,How the Grinch Stole Christmas, andOne Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish |
| 2006 | Decline and Fall | Evelyn Waugh | |
| 2007 | High Society | Ben Elton | |
| 2008 | The Silver Spoon of Solomon Snow | Kaye Umansky | |
| 2009 | I Tell You It's Burt Reynolds | Galton and Simpson | Radio comedy forBBC Radio 2 as part ofGalton and Simpson's Half Hour |
| 2010 | Cutey and the Sofaguard | Chris Wade | |
| 2012 | The Last Hurrah | Craig Green, Dominic Vince and Rik Mayall | Audio comedy series, also co-wrote scripts |
