R.i.p Ronnie Barker

[Chris.S]

Comedy legend Ronnie Barker dies

Ronnie Barker entertained millions during his career

British TV comedy actor Ronnie Barker, who starred in Porridge and The Two Ronnies, has died aged 76.

One of the most loved and respected comedy performers of his generation, he was best known as one half of a double act with Ronnie Corbett.

But he also proved himself as an outstanding sitcom actor and script writer, winning four Bafta TV awards.

Chat show host Michael Parkinson told BBC News 24 he was "one of our very greatest comedy actors".

Barker's agent said the actor died peacefully on Monday with his wife Joy by his side, after a long period of heart trouble.

Laughs, big laughs, and laughs that you will always remember

Michael Hurll, The Two Ronnies producer

David Jason, his friend and co-star for many years in Open All Hours, was said to be "absolutely shocked and distressed".

His agent said she had spoken to Jason on Monday when he was told the news but he was still too distraught to speak.

John Cleese, who began his career with Barker on The Frost Report, said he was a "warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when I started in television.

"He was also a great comic actor to learn from."

Former Monty Python star Michael Palin said: "I can't think of anyone who knew how to play comedy better than Ronnie Barker and I count myself enormously fortunate to have known and worked with him."

Last year Barker was awarded a lifetime achievement Bafta for his TV work and was honoured by a raft of contemporary comedians including Peter Kay.

That LED to a return for The Two Ronnies on BBC One, 34 years after the show first appeared on TV screens and 17 years after he first retired from showbusiness.

Paying tribute on Tuesday, Kay said: "He made me laugh so much and I'm just so lucky to have been able to get to know my hero and the person that I aspire to be, my thoughts go out to Joy and the rest of his family".

Barker starred in two of the most popular sitcoms in BBC history - Porridge and Open All Hours, creating two classic characters, the laconic inmate Fletcher and the stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright.

The Two Ronnies ran for 15 years on the BBC

At the peak of his career Barker, along with his diminutive cohort Corbett, entertained 17 million people every Saturday night

The Two Ronnies ran for 15 years and delivered comic sketches, funny songs and old-fashioned tall tales.

The most popular light entertainment programme of its day, every programme ended with Corbett bidding the audience "goodnight from me", to which Barker would add "and it's goodnight from him".

I put him in the same league as Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers

Barry Cryer

Paying tribute Michael Hurll, producer of The Two Ronnies, said the comedian delivered "laughs, big laughs, and laughs that you will always remember.

"We will never see his like again."

The BBC head of comedy Jon Plowman said Barker was "just a genius".

Michael Parkinson added: "He was not just a comedian. He had a writer's ear for a good script and was a very good writer himself."

Writer Barry Cryer, who had known Barker for 40 years, said: "He was a one-off. I put him in the same league as Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers."

Barker leaves his wife and three children, actress Charlotte Barker, the actor Adam Barker and Larry Barker

[waddy]

Just got this through on a Sky Newsflash on the laptop.

A true comedy legend.

"I want Fork Handles" :D

[Anees]

What a genious! Such a shame. I have loved everything he has starred in.

it was nice to see the two ronnies back on TV recently too. :)

RIP

[kam05]

RIP

This man was a comic genius

I used to watch the Two Ronnies when I was a little kid

[terdancam]

another of lifes warm security blankets has gone.

it really sucks when people of that calibre die; that twinkle and innocent humour are impossible to replace nowadays.

Rip RB

[Mr Morse]

Along with Peter Sellars, Eric Morecombe and Tommy Cooper, Ronnie was one of the true greats of British comedy. Sadly missed

[LennyLexus]

R.I.P

[Adie]

Along with Peter Sellars, Eric Morecombe and Tommy Cooper, Ronnie was one of the true greats of British comedy. Sadly missed

←

Agree with the above.. RIP Ronnie Barker

[Zee007]

Along with Peter Sellars, Eric Morecombe and Tommy Cooper, Ronnie was one of the true greats of British comedy. Sadly missed

←

Hear, hear.

RIP.

[Rillo]

RIP - the fact we can still watch Porridge etc 30 years later and still laugh sums it up really.

[Bob King]

*** bless you Ronnie, your "4 candles /fork handles " sketch ,will last forever.

[eXOBeX]

RIP Ronnie.

[MartinC]

A real shame the guy was a comic genius.

We never tire of his humour.....Open all Hours......Porridge.... etc

[MrADeveci]

Rest In Peace .....

[chips229]

RIP Ronnie.

[Dave-Ellen]

funny & genuine guy

[ColinBarber]

Very sad. R.I.P Ronnie.

[gandollf00]

He was a legend and will always be remembered (four candles - fork handles)

R.I.P Ronnie

[shorty]

He will be sadly missed a total comic genius Arkrite \ Fletcher still funny 30 years on

[MacRS200]

F U N E M N X? V F N 10 E

2 Ronnies sketch on how to speak English using letters.

Brilliant man.

[eXOBeX]

In a hardware shop. Ronnie Corbett is behind the counter, wearing a warehouse jacket. He has just finished serving a customer.

CORBETT (muttering): There you are. Mind how you go.

(Ronnie Barker enters the shop, wearing a scruffy tank-top and beanie)

BARKER: Four Candles!

CORBETT: Four Candles?

BARKER: Four Candles.

(Ronnie Corbett makes for a box, and gets out four candles. He places them on the counter)

BARKER: No, four candles!

CORBETT (confused): Well there you are, four candles!

BARKER: No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks!

(Ronnie Corbett puts the candles away, and goes to get a fork handle. He places it onto the counter)CORBETT (muttering): Fork handles. Thought you said 'four candles!' (more clearly) Next?

BARKER: Got any plugs?

CORBETT: Plugs. What kind of plugs?

BARKER: A rubber one, bathroom.

(Ronnie Corbett gets out a box of bath plugs, and places it on the counter)

CORBETT (pulling out two different sized plugs): What size?

BARKER: Thirteen amp!

CORBETT (muttering): It's electric bathroom plugs, we call them, in the trade. Electric bathroom plugs!

(He puts the box away, gets out another box, and places on the counter an electric plug, then puts the box away)

BARKER: Saw tips!

CORBETT: Saw tips? (he doesn't know what he means) What d'you want? Ointment, or something like that?

BARKER: No, saw tips for covering saws.

CORBETT: Oh, haven't got any, haven't got any. (he mutters) Comin' in, but we haven' got any. Next?

BARKER: 'O's!

CORBETT: 'O's?

BARKER: 'O's.

(He goes to get a hoe, and places it on the counter)

BARKER: No, 'O's!

CORBETT: 'O's! I thought you said 'O! (he takes the hoe back, and gets a hose, whilst muttering) When you said 'O's, I thought you said 'O! 'O's!

(He places the hose onto the counter)

BARKER: No, 'O's!

CORBETT (confused for a moment): O's? Oh, you mean panty 'o's, panty 'o's! (he picks up a pair of tights from beside him)

BARKER: No, no, 'O's! 'O's for the gate. Mon repose! 'O's! Letter O's!

CORBETT (finally realising): Letter O's! (muttering) You had me going there!

(He climbs up a stepladder, gets a box down, puts the ladder away, and takes the box to the counter, and searches through it for letter O's)

CORBETT: How many d'you want?

BARKER: Two.

(Ronnie Corbett leaves two letter O's on the counter, then takes the box back, gets the ladder out again, puts the box away, climbs down the ladder, and puts the ladder away, then returns to the counter)

CORBETT: Yes, next?

BARKER: Got any P's?

CORBETT (fed up): For Gawd' sake, why didn' you bleedin' tell me that while I was up there then? I'm up and down the shop already, it's up and down the bleedin' shop all the time. (He gets the ladder out, climbs up and gets the box of letters down, then puts the ladder away) Honestly, I've got all this shop, I ain't got any help, it's worth it we plan things. (He puts the box on the counter, and gets out some letter P's) How many d'you want?

BARKER: No! Tins of peas. Three tins of peas!

CORBETT: You're 'avin' me on, ain't ya, yer 'avin' me on?

BARKER: I'm not!

(Ronnie Corbett dumps the box under the counter, and gets three tins of peas)

CORBETT (placing the tins on the counter): Next?

BARKER: Got any pumps?

CORBETT (getting really fed up): 'And pumps, foot pumps? Come on!

BARKER (surprised he has to ask): Foot pumps!

CORBETT (muttering, as he goes down the shop): Foot pumps. See a foot pump? (He sees one, and picks it up) Tidy up in 'ere.

(He puts the pump down on the counter)

BARKER: No, pumps fer ya feet! Brown pump, size nine!

CORBETT (almost at breaking point): You are 'avin' me on, you are definitely 'avin' me on!

BARKER (not taking much notice of Corbett's mood): I'm not!

CORBETT: You are 'avin' me on! (He takes back the pump, and gets a pair of brown foot pumps out of a drawer, and places them on the counter) Next?

BARKER: Washers!

CORBETT (really close to breaking point): What, dishwashers, floor washers, car washers, windscreen washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners? Floor washers?

BARKER: 'Alf inch washers!

CORBETT: Oh, tap washers, tap washers? (He finally breaks, and makes to confiscate his list) Look, I've had just about enough of this, give us that list. (He mutters) I'll get it all myself! (Reading through the list) What's this? What's that? Oh that does it! That just about does it! I have just about had it! (calling through to the back) Mr. Jones! You come out and serve this customer please, I have just about had enough of 'im. (Mr. Jones comes out, and Ronnie Corbett shows him the list) Look what 'e's got on there! Look what 'e's got on there!

JONES (who goes to a drawer with a towel hanging out of it, and opens it): Right! How many would ya like? One or two?

(He removes the towel to reveal the label on the drawer - 'Bill hooks'!)

1929-2005

[gandollf00]

Classic