homeless Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 rip ronnie barker one of the greatest ever comedians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Yes, a huge talent. Fletcher has to be one of the best comic characters of all time. I can watch Porridge time and time again. I only have one thing to say: FORK HANDLES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Yes a great loss for british comedy but look on the bright side - we might get a few weeks of repeats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penbat1 Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Yes a great loss for british comedy but look on the bright side - we might get a few weeks of repeats! Explains why he didnt make it to the recent ITV awards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrentyieldmakessense(honest!) Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 rip ronnie barkerone of the greatest ever comedians and he could act Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzMosiz Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Sad indeed to see another one of the greats pass on. Think this should be in 'Off Topic' forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backtoparents Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Four candles anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Card Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 "no it isn't, it's a tin of pineapples" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
since the beginning Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Is his house going to be sold on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrentyieldmakessense(honest!) Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Is his house going to be sold on? tasteful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
right_freds_dead Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 he has been missed from our screens for some time. i dont think they repeat enough of barker as it is. hes a classic. he will always live on through his work, which is still relevant today. looking forward to a run on the back catalogue. he will be missed. he finally got hit by the curse of the phantom rasberry blower of old london town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Dude Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Have to agree with all the other posters here. Porridge is without doubt one of the best sitcoms ever and Fletcher was an absolute diamond. Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais were brilliant scriptwriters but undoubtedly Ronnie Barker brought Norman Stanley Fletcher to life. My fave book at the moment is Porridge: The Scripts. I have seen Porridge so many times and I never get bored. Reading the scripts from this book brings it to life again. One of my fave Porridge moments: Norris, having been sold a fake treasure map, digging up Elland Road. And yes, I did fancy Ingrid... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil D Possitt Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 With a decent broadband connection & a Bittorrent client you can download 2 entire series of Porridge from here; Digital Distractions Not that I condone downloading copyrighted material for free of course..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catch22 Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 (edited) Ronnie Barker was to comedy what Freddie Mercury was to music, bloody fantastic and they will both live on for ever through their talent. Edited October 4, 2005 by Catch22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penbat1 Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 (edited) Ronnie Barker was to comedy what Freddie Mercury was to music, bloody fantastic and they will both live on for ever through their talent. He did break the mould in quite a few ways but he was still "mainstream comedy" rather than "new wave" comedy. Ref Open all Hours was pretty mainstream although better than most. Edited October 4, 2005 by penbat1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddyboy Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 The definition of classic comedy is when you laugh when you already know the punchline. Barkehh! done this. The news section at the end of their show has jokes that are still told today. A true genius that contributed so much joy to millions. God Bless Ronnie Barker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew McP Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 He did break the mould in quite a few ways but he was still "mainstream comedy" Barker's incredible talent was to write and perform comedy (huge amounts of it!) which was genuinely "safe" for the whole family and yet still guaranteed to make just about anyone laugh. Modern comedy is no less entertaining, but it's rarely so broad in its appeal. It's a sad day, but it's still hard not to smile when you think of what he left behind for us. Thanks Ronnie. Andrew McP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnieDarker Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 You're all showing your age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrentyieldmakessense(honest!) Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 You're all showing your age! 37 how old is peter kay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodCrosby Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 One of the very few actor/comedians who could crease you up without even having to open his mouth. Only Peter Sellers and Leonard Rossiter come to mind in the same class... Irreplaceable geniuses all.. "The man who invented the zip fastener was today honoured with a lifetime peerage. He will now be known as the Lord of the Flies." "The toilets at a local police station have been stolen. Police say they have nothing to go on." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 He was indeed a genius. When Saturday nights in were something to treasure. RIP. "A consignment of wigs was stolen this evening from a lorry on the M1, Police say they are combing the area." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted October 4, 2005 Author Share Posted October 4, 2005 porridge was a british classic in the same mold as monty python and fawlty towers and the good life, its a national treasure that wont ever be forgotten. most of the cast now are dead, only a few months ago the scots guard died, and fletchers cellmate goper died very young indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest muttley Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 most of the cast now are dead, only a few months ago the scots guard died, and fletchers cellmate goper died very young indeed. Fulton MacKay died? I didn't know! I recently saw Tony Osoba,who played Scottish hard case McLaren,in a production of "The King and I" of all things. Ronnie Barker was a true comedy genius,and a great comedy actor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodCrosby Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Fulton MacKay died? I didn't know! Long Gone: died 1987, aged 64 AFAIR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portent Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 One of our greatest comics (and actors as has been said). RIP To make this at least semi-house related, I'd been told that he once lived down my old street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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