Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English satirist, writer and comedian. Cook is widely regarded as the leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as 'the funniest man who ever drew breath'. He is closely associated with an anti-establishment style of comedy that first emerged in the late 1950s. Peter Cook may be: Peter Cook, British comedian (1937–1995) Peter Cook (architect), British architect (born 1936) Peter Cook (Australian politician) (1943-2005), Australian senator Peter Cook, architect and fourth husband of Christie Brinkley Peter Cook (Rugby Union player) For the actor who played Paul Temple in the long-running... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the English town. ... For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... For other places with the same name, see Hampstead (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... List of satirists below - writers, cartoonists and others known for their involvement in satire - humourous social criticism. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... For the documentary about Jerry Seinfeld, see Comedian (film). ... The satire boom is a general term to describe the emergence of a generation of English satirical writers, journalists and performers at the end of the 1950s. ... Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English comedian, writer, actor, humourist, novelist, columnist, filmmaker and television personality. ... Not to be confused with antidisestablishmentarianism. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Life

Cook was born at Shearbridge, Middle Warberry Road, Torquay, Devon, the only son and eldest of the three children of Alexander Edward (Alec) Cook (d. 1984), a colonial civil servant, and his wife (Ethel Catherine) Margaret, née Mayo (d. 1994). He was educated at Radley School and later Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he read French and German. Cook was meant to become a career diplomat, but unfortunately Britain "had run out of colonies", as he put it. It was at Pembroke that he performed and wrote comedy sketches as a member of the prestigious Cambridge Footlights Club, of which he became President in 1960. This article is about the English town. ... For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation). ... Mansion, Originally Radley Hall Radley College Chapel Radley College (St Peters College, Radley) is a famous English public school situated on the edge of the village of Radley near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. ... Full name Pembroke College Motto - Named after Countess of Pembroke, Mary de St Pol Previous names Marie Valence Hall (1347), Pembroke Hall (?), Pembroke College (1856) Established 1347 Sister College(s) Queens College Master Sir Richard Dearlove Location Trumpington Street Undergraduates ~420 Postgraduates ~240 Homepage Boatclub Pembroke College is a... The ADC Theatre is the home of the Footlights. ...

While still at university, Cook wrote professionally for Kenneth Williams, for whom he created a successful West End revue show called "One Over the Eight", before finding fame in his own right as a star of the satirical stage show, Beyond the Fringe, together with Jonathan Miller, Alan Bennett and Dudley Moore. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // West End most commonly refers to: West End of London West End theatre West End may also refer to: West End, Queensland in Brisbane West End, Queensland (Townsville) in Townsville West End, Vancouver of Vancouver, British Columbia West End of New Westminster, in British Columbia West End, Winnipeg of Winnipeg... Album of Beyond the Fringe Published by EMI in 1996 Beyond the Fringe was a British comedy stage revue written and performed by Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller. ... This article is about the British physician, theatre and opera director, and television presenter; for other people named Jonathan Miller, see Jonathan Miller (disambiguation). ... Published by Faber/Profile Books in 2005 Alan Bennett (born May 9, 1934) is an English author and actor noted for his work, his boyish appearance and his sonorous Yorkshire accent. ... Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ...

The show included Cook impersonating the then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan: this was one of the first occasions that political mimicry had been done in live theatre, and caused some shock amongst audiences. During one performance, Macmillan himself was in the theatre, and having spotted him Cook departed from his script and directly attacked him verbally. Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ...

With his star in the ascendant, he opened the The Establishment Club at 18, Greek Street in Soho which gave him the opportunity to present fellow comedians in a nightclub setting, including the highly controversial American Lenny Bruce. Cook befriended and supported Australian comedian and actor Barry Humphries, who began his British career at the club. Humphries would comment in his autobiography "My Life As Me" that he found Cook's lack of interest in art and literature rather off-putting. Cook's chiseled looks and languid manner led him to observe that whereas most people take after their father or mother, Cook reminded one of one's auntie. Dudley Moore's jazz trio (which included Australian-born drummer Chris Karan) played at the club regularly for many years during the early 1960s. The Establishment was a short-lived London nightclub of the early 1960s, based in Soho and famous in retrospect for satire although actually more notable at the time for jazz and other events. ... Cast-iron architecture in Greene Street SoHo is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. ... Lenny Bruce (October 13, 1925 – August 3, 1966), born Leonard Alfred Schneider, was a controversial American stand-up comedian, writer, social critic and satirist of the 1950s and 1960s. ... John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (born 17 February 1934 in Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian comedian, satirist and character actor best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife, and Sir Les Patterson, Australias foul-mouthed cultural attaché to Britain. ...

Not Only... But Also and other 1960s television

In 1962, the BBC commissioned a pilot for a television series of satirical sketches based on The Establishment Club, but it was not picked up straight away and Cook and the other regulars went to New York for a year. When he returned, Cook discovered that the pilot had been refashioned in his absence as That Was The Week That Was and had made a star out of David Frost, something that Cook later admitted resenting. The 1960s satire boom was coming to a close and Cook quipped that Britain would "sink into the sea under the weight of its own giggling". He later complained that David Frost's success was largely based on copying Cook's stage persona and remarked that his only regret in life had been once saving Frost from drowning (an actual event). For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... That Was The Week That Was, also known as TW3, was a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. ... Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE (born April 7, 1939) is an English television presenter. ... The satire boom is a general term to describe the emergence of a generation of English satirical writers, journalists and performers at the end of the 1950s. ... David Frost during an interview with Donald Rumsfeld. ...

He married the socially well-connected Wendy Snowden in 1963, with whom he had two daughters, Lucy and Daisy. The marriage ended in divorce in 1970, largely due in part to Cook having various affairs.

Along with others such as Eleanor Bron, John Bird, and John Fortune, he broadened the scope of television comedy and pushed out the restricted boundaries of the BBC. Eleanor Bron (born 14 March 1938) is a British stage, film and television actress and author. ... John Bird (born 22 November 1936) is an English satirist, actor and comedian. ... John Fortune (born John Wood on June 30, 1939 in Bristol) is a British satirist, comedian writer and actor, best known for his work with John Bird and Rory Bremner on the TV series Bremner, Bird and Fortune. ...

Peter Cook's first regular television spot was on Granada Television's Braden Beat with Bernard Braden, where he featured his most enduring comic character: the static, dour, and monotonal E.L. Wisty, whom Cook had conceived while still at Radley College. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bernard Braden was a Canadian, actor and comedian. ... Peter Cook as E.L. Wisty E.L. Wisty was a character played by comedian Peter Cook throughout his career. ...

His comedy partnership with Dudley Moore led to the popular and critically feted television show Not Only... But Also. This was initially intended by the BBC as a vehicle for Dudley Moore's musical talents, but when Moore invited Cook to write sketches and appear with him, the show suddenly became hugely popular. Using few props, they created a unique style of dry and absurdist television which was instantly successful and found a place in the mainstream, running for three seasons. Here Cook showcased his characters, such as Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling and the pair's Pete and Dud. Other memorable sketches include "Superthunderstingcar", a send-up of the Gerry Anderson marionette TV shows and Cook's pastiche of 1960s trendy arts documentaries — satirised in a spoof TV segment on Greta Garbo. This article is about the comedy duo. ... Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ... Not Only. ... Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling was a character played by Peter Cook throughout his career. ... Peter Cook and Dudley Moore as Pete and Dud Pete and Dud were characters played by the comedians and entertainers Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. ... Gerry Anderson (MBE), born 14 April 1929, is a British producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called Supermarionation. His first television production was the 1957 Roberta Leigh childrens series The Adventures of Twizzle. ... Greta Garbo (September 18, 1905 – April 15, 1990) was a Swedish-born actress during Hollywoods silent film period and part of its Golden Age. ...

Despite the show's cult status, in the mid 1970s the BBC decided to erase most of the archive master videotapes of the series, with a view to re-using the tapes due to the expense of the format. This was common UK television practice at the time, when agreements with actors' and musicians' unions limited the number of repeats. (This policy ceased in the late 1970s.)

When Cook learned the series was to be destroyed, he offered to buy the tapes from the BBC but was refused due to copyright issues. He then suggested that he purchase new tapes, so that the Corporation would have no need to erase the originals, but inexplicably this was also turned down.

Of the original programmes, only eight of the twenty-two complete episodes survive whole. These comprise the entire first series with the exception of the fifth and seventh episodes, the first and last episodes of the second series, and the Christmas special. Of the 1970 third series, only various short film inserts which were not shot on videotape still survive. The BBC later recovered some of the shows by approaching overseas television networks and buying back copies that had not yet been destroyed. A compilation of six half-hour programmes, The Best of What's Left of Not Only...But Also was shown on television in 1990, and was released on VHS and DVD. Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, is a recording and playing standard. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ...

In 1968 Cook and Moore switched to the commercial channel ATV to produce a series of four one-hour programmes entitled Goodbye Again, based on the "Pete and Dud" characters. The duo knew they were the rationale for the series and as a result, ignored suggestions from the director and other cast. Sketches were therefore often drawn out to fill the running time. With no real interest in the show and a developing drink habit, Cook would also rely on cue cards and ended up garbling parts of the script, forcing Moore to ad-lib. Nonetheless, the series does contain some notable items, including a reprise of the Pete and Dud "Greta Garbo" routine and a sketch in which the pair mostly play themselves, discussing the breakdowns of their respective marriages. The show was not a popular success due in part to the publication of the ITV listings magazine, TV Times, being suspended due to a strike. John Cleese was a supporting cast member and elements of the series can be seen in the early Monty Python programmes of the following year. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Peter Cook and Dudley Moore on the DVD cover for Goodbye Again This article is about the TV series . ... A listings magazine is a magazine which contains information about the upcoming weeks events such as TV Listings, Music, Clubs, Theatre and Film information, examples include Time Out magazine in the UK. These are normally published either with a Saturday or Sunday newspaper or are published weekly to give information... The TV Times is a television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. ... Cleese redirects here. ... Monty Python, or The Pythons,[2][3] is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ...

Both Peter Cook and Dudley Moore acted in films, e.g., The Wrong Box (1966). Their best work in this medium was the cult comedy Bedazzled (1967), now widely regarded as a classic. Directed by Stanley Donen, the film's story is credited to Cook and Moore jointly, and its screenplay to Cook alone. A comic parody of the Faust story, it starred Cook as George Spigott (The Devil) who tempts a frustrated, short-order chef called Stanley Moon (Moore) with the promise of gaining his heart's desire — the love of the unattainable beauty Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron) — in exchange for his soul, but repeatedly tricks him in a variety of ways. The film features cameo appearances by Barry Humphries ('Envy') and Raquel Welch ('Lust'). Moore's jazz trio backed Cook on the theme, a parodic anti-love song, which Cook delivers in a monotonous, deadpan voice, and which includes his now classic putdown, "You fill me with inertia". Moore went on to Hollywood stardom in the 1970s and 1980s, which prompted occasional barbed comments from his former comedy partner. This article is about motion pictures. ... The Wrong Box is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Bryan Forbes based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Stanley Donen (born April 13, 1924) is an American film director and choreographer hailed by David Quinlan as the King of the Hollywood musicals. His most famous work is Singin in the Rain, which he co-directed with Gene Kelly. ... For other uses, see Faust (disambiguation). ... Eleanor Bron (born 14 March 1938) is a British stage, film and television actress and author. ... John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (born 17 February 1934 in Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian comedian, satirist and character actor best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife, and Sir Les Patterson, Australias foul-mouthed cultural attaché to Britain. ... Jo Raquel Tejada (born September 5, 1940), best known by her stage name Raquel Welch, is an American actress who reached fame during the 1960s. ... ...

1970s

In 1970, Cook took over a project initiated by David Frost for a satirical film about an opinion pollster who rises to become President of Great Britain. Under Cook's guidance, the character became modelled on Frost himself. The resulting film, The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, was not a great commercial success, although the cast contained many notable names of the period. Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE (born April 7, 1939) is an English television presenter. ... The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer is a British 1970 cult satire film staring and written by Peter Cook. ...

Though he was eventually to become a favourite on the British chat show circuit, his own effort at hosting one in 1971, entitled "Where Do I Sit?" was generally agreed by the critics to have been a disappointment. The BBC seem to have agreed: he was replaced after two episodes by a (then) little known TV presenter Michael Parkinson (for the next series the show bore Parkinson's name, and was the beginning of his career as a chat show host). Cook would take sweet revenge when Parkinson asked him what his ambitions were (schoolboyishly inquiring whether he had any "big ones")by replying "Well, my main ambition in life is to shut you up". A talk show (U.S.) or chat show (Brit. ... Michael Parkinson CBE (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster and journalist. ...

Peter Cook also provided financial backing for the satirical magazine Private Eye, supporting the publication through a number of difficult periods, particularly when the magazine was punished financially in the wake of a number of high-profile libel trials. Cook both invested his own money and solicited for investment from his showbusiness friends and colleagues. For a time, the magazine was produced from the premises of The Establishment Club. March 4, 2005 cover of Private Eye; this is a typical example of the magazines front cover. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ...

Towards the end of the 1960s, Cook's developing alcoholism placed a strain on his personal and professional relationships. He and Moore fashioned sketches from Not Only....But Also and Goodbye Again with new material into the stage revue Behind the Fridge. This toured Australia in 1972 before transferring to New York in 1973 as Good Evening. In front of audiences during the extended stage runs, Cook frequently appeared drunk and incapable, to the consternation of Dudley Moore. However, Good Evening won the pair Tony and Grammy Awards. When its run finished, Moore announced he was staying in the U.S. to pursue a solo career. In 1973, Cook married the actress Judy Huxtable. They were married for sixteen years and she was the love of his life. Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ...

Later, the more risqué humour of the Pete and Dud characters was taken to excess on long-playing records under the names "Derek and Clive". The first such recording was initiated by Cook to alleviate the boredom of a long Broadway run of Good Evening, and used material that was conceived years before for the two characters but was then considered far too outrageous. One of these audio recordings was also filmed, and the long-running tensions between the duo are seen to rise to the surface. Originally intended for their own amusement, Chris Blackwell circulated bootleg copies to friends, and they soon gained a cult following. The popularity of the bootleg recording convinced Cook that it would be profitable to release it commercially, although Moore was initially reluctant to agree to this, fearing that his recently achieved fame as a Hollywood movie star would be undermined by the tape's outrageous content. Two further Derek and Clive albums were released, the last accompanied by a film. A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... Dudley Moore (left) and Peter Cook as Derek and Clive Derek and Clive are controversial cult characters created by double act Dudley Moore and Peter Cook respectively on the records Derek and Clive (Live), 1976; Derek and Clive Come Again, 1977 and Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam, 1978 and a... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Bootleg. ...

In 1979 Cook recorded comedy-segments which were released as b-sides to the Sparks 12" singles Number One In Heaven and Tryouts For The Human Race. The combination was not so surprising, for the latter's main songwriter Ron Mael would often start off with a banal situation in his lyrics, and then go off at surreal tangents a la Cook and the even zanier S.J. Perelman. The word sparks can refer to a number of things: Sparks (band) a rock band led by Ron Mael and his brother Russell Mael Sparks (Coldplay song), a song by British band Coldplay from their debut album Parachutes. ... Ron Mael (born J Ronald Day on August 12, 1947 in Culver City, California) is the elder of the brothers in the popular band Sparks. ... Sidney Joseph Perelman, almost always known as S. J. Perelman (February 1, 1904 – October 17, 1979), was a United States humorist, author, and screenwriter. ...

Performances for Amnesty International

Cook made noteworthy appearances at the first three of the fund-raising galas staged by John Cleese and Martin Lewis on behalf of Amnesty International. The series of benefits were retrospectively dubbed The Secret Policeman's Balls though it wasn't until the third show in 1979 that the Secret Policeman's Ball title was used. Cleese redirects here. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience... The Secret Policemans Ball — The Complete Edition (2004 DVD box set - cover) The Secret Policemans Balls is the collective name informally used to describe a long-running series of benefit shows staged in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. ... The Secret Policemans Ball is the collective name for a series of fund raising performances featuring big-name comedians and musicians and other celebrities, held at various London venues, and once at a Nottingham television studio, to raise money for (and awareness of) Amnesty International. ...

He performed on all three nights of the first show in April 1976, A Poke in the Eye (with a Sharp Stick), both as an individual performer and as a member of the cast of Beyond The Fringe, which reunited for the first time since the 1960s. He also appeared in a Monty Python sketch taking the place of Eric Idle who did not partake in the performances. Cook was prominently featured on the cast album of the show (which carried the same title) and in the film of the event, which was titled Pleasure At Her Majesty's. Monty Python, or The Pythons,[2][3] is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... Eric Idle (born March 29, 1943) is an English comedian, actor, author and composer of comedic songs. ... Pleasure At Her Majestys was the name given to the filmed release of A Poke In The Eye With A Sharp Stick, the first of the Amnesty International comedy benefit shows. ...

He was similarly prominent in the second Amnesty gala held in May 1977, An Evening Without Sir Bernard Miles. (It was retitled The Mermaid Frolics for the cast album and TV special.) Cook performed monologues and skits with Terry Jones. Terence Graham Parry Jones (born in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on February 1, 1942) is a British comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, childrens author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host. ...

In June 1979, Cook performed on all four nights of The Secret Policeman's Ball - memorably teaming for a skit with John Cleese. Cleese was quoted as saying that he was thrilled to be working with someone he admired so much, and can be seen nearly "corpsing" at Cook during much of the "Interesting Facts" sketch, which opened both the stage show and the resulting film. Cook performed a couple of solo pieces and a skit with old friend Eleanor Bron. He also led the ensemble in the grand finale - the "End Of The World" sketch from Beyond The Fringe. The Secret Policemans Ball was the third of the benefit shows staged by the British Section of Amnesty International to raise funds for its research and campaign work in the human rights field. ... Cleese redirects here. ... Eleanor Bron (born 14 March 1938) is a British stage, film and television actress and author. ...

In response to a critical barb in the Daily Telegraph's review of the show's first night - complaining that the show consisted mostly of recycled material, Cook wrote a savage satire of the summing-up by the Judge (Mr Justice Cantley) in the just-concluded trial of former Liberal Party leader, Jeremy Thorpe — a summary that had attracted almost universal condemnation for its blatant bias in favour of Thorpe. Cook performed it for the first time that same night (Friday 29th June - the third of the four nights) and reprised it the following night. The nine-minute opus — subsequently titled Entirely a Matter for You — is considered by many fans and critics to be one of the finest works of Cook's career. Cook and show producer Martin Lewis rushed out a 12" mini-album on Virgin Records titled Here Comes the Judge: Live of the live performance together with three specially-recorded studio tracks that further lampooned the Thorpe trial. [1] [2] This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... John Jeremy Thorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. ... Martin Lewis. ... Virgin Records was a British recording label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ...

Although unable to take part in the 1981 gala, Cook supplied the narration used over the animated opening title sequence of the 1982 film of the show. With Martin Lewis, he co-wrote and voiced a series of radio commercials used to advertise the film in the UK. He also hosted a spoof film awards ceremony that was part of the World Premiere of the film in London in March 1982.

Following Cook's successful 1987 stage reunion with Dudley Moore for the annual U.S. benefit for the homeless, Comic Relief (not related to the UK Comic Relief benefits), Cook repeated the reunion for a British audience by performing with Moore at the 1989 Amnesty benefit The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball. The crowd's positive reaction to seeing Cook and Moore reunited was evident in each of their appearances together during the show. Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ... For the origin of the term, see comic relief. ...

Consequences album

There is a cult following among some Cook fans for a little-remembered project that he was involved with in the 1970s. This was his participation — playing multiple roles — on the 1977 concept album Consequences, written and produced by former 10cc members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. In popular music, a concept album is an album which is unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical (Shuker 2002, p. ... Consequences is the debut album of English prog rock artists Godley & Creme. ... 10cc was a British pop band which achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1970s. ... Kevin Godley (born Kevin Michael Godley, 7 October 1945 [1], Prestwich, near Bury, Lancashire, England) is a British musician and music video director. ... Lol Creme (born September 19, 1947 in Prestwich, near Bury, Lancashire, England) is an English musician and music video director. ...

A mixture of spoken-word comedy and progressive rock music with an environmental subtext, Consequences started out as a single that Godley and Creme planned to make to demonstrate their new invention, an electric guitar effect called The Gizmo. The project gradually grew into a triple LP boxed set. The comedy sections of the album were originally intended to be performed by an all-star cast including Spike Milligan and Peter Ustinov, but after meeting Peter Cook, Godley and Creme realised that he could perform most of the parts himself. For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... This article is about the natural environment. ... Two different electric guitars. ... The Gizmo was an effects device for the electric guitar, invented ca. ... Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan KBE (16 April 1918–27 February 2002), known as Spike Milligan, was an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet and playwright. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning English actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ...

The storyline centres on the impending divorce of ineffectual Englishman Walter Stapleton (Cook) and his French wife Lulu (Judy Huxtable). While meeting with their respective lawyers — the bibulous Mr Haig and overbearing Mr Pepperman (also both played by Cook) — the proceedings are interrupted by a series of bizarre and mysterious happenings that are somehow connected with Mr Blint (Cook), a musician and composer living in the apartment below Haig's office, both of which are connected by a large hole in the floor.

Released just as punk was sweeping the UK, the hugely ambitious concept album was a total commercial failure and was savaged by critics, but it gathered (and retains) a small but dedicated cult following. Interestingly, the script and storyline contain many elements that appear to be drawn from Cook's own life -- his second wife, actress Judy Huxtable, plays Walter's wife, Lulu. Cook's own problems with alcohol are comically mirrored in Haig's constant drinking, and there is a clear parallel between the fictional divorce of Walter and Lulu and Cook's own messy divorce from his first wife, Wendy. Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ...

The voice and accent Cook used for the character of Stapleton are remarkably similar to that of Cook's former Beyond the Fringe colleague, Alan Bennett and a recent book on Cook's comedy, How Very Interesting, speculates that the characters Cook plays in Consequences are broad caricatures of the four Beyond The Fringe cast members -- the alcoholic Haig represents Cook, the tremulous Stapleton is Alan Bennett, the parodically Jewish Pepperman is Miller, and the pianist Blint represents Moore.^[1] Album of Beyond the Fringe Published by EMI in 1996 Beyond the Fringe was a British comedy stage revue written and performed by Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller. ... Published by Faber/Profile Books in 2005 Alan Bennett (born May 9, 1934) is an English author and actor noted for his work, his boyish appearance and his sonorous Yorkshire accent. ...

1980s

In 1980, spurred by his former partner Dudley Moore's growing film star status, Cook moved briefly to Hollywood and appeared as an uptight English butler in a short-lived U.S. television sitcom "The Two of Us", also making cameo appearances in a couple of undistinguished films.

In 1980, Cook starred alongside a host of celebrities in the LWT special "Peter Cook & Co.". The show included many sketches including a Tales of the Unexpected spoof titled "Tales Of The Much As We Expected", which involved Cook as Roald Dahl explaining why he dropped the "n" in Ronald, the sketch ends with the fireplace spreading over the room. The cast included John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Beryl Reid, Michael Palin and Terry Jones. The show has never been repeated since its first airing. London Weekend Television logo, 1978-1996 London Weekend Television Limited (LWT) is the ITV contractor for London, Friday 5:15pm to Monday, 5:59am. ... Tales Of The Unexpected is a British television series that originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV. The series was an anthology of different tales, initially based on short stories by author Roald Dahl, that were sometimes sinister, sometimes wryly comedic and usually had a... Roald Dahl (IPA: ) (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a Welsh novelist, short story author and screenwriter of Norwegian parentage, famous as a writer for both children and adults. ... Cleese redirects here. ... Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English comedian, actor and writer, famous for his title roles in the British television comedies Blackadder and Mr. ... Beryl Reid was the daughter of Scottish parents and grew up in industrial Manchester, England. ... Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943) is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries. ... Terence Graham Parry Jones (born in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on February 1, 1942) is a British comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, childrens author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host. ...

In 1983, Cook made a memorable appearance as King Richard III, both before and after death, in "The Foretelling", the first episode of Blackadder. For other uses, see Blackadder (disambiguation). ...

In 1986 he appeared as a sidekick to Joan Rivers on her UK talk show — a role that disappointed many of his fans who felt that such a role was beneath him. Joan Rivers (born June 8, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, talk show host, businesswoman, and celebrity. ...

In 1987, Cook appeared as Mr Jolly in The Comic Strip's Mr Jolly Lives Next Door, playing a disheveled and aggressive assassin who covered the sound of his murders by playing Tom Jones records at full volume. Cook also appeared in The Princess Bride that year, as the "Impressive Clergyman". The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, best known collectively for their television series The Comic Strip Presents. ... Mr Jolly Lives Next Door Mr Jolly Lives Next Door is a 1987 Comedy film made for British television as part of the Comic Strip Presents series. ... This article is about the novel. ...

Also in 1987, he spent time working with Martin Lewis on a political satire about the upcoming 1988 U.S. presidential elections for HBO, but the script went unproduced. It was during this production that Lewis suggested that Cook team up with Dudley Moore for the U.S. "Comic Relief" telethon for the homeless. Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ...

The duo successfully reunited and performed their classic "One Leg Too Few" sketch. Contrary to popular misconception and media speculation, close friends recall that Cook and Moore maintained contact through the years and though there was always sparring between them, the bond was unbroken^{[citation needed]}. Moore attended Cook's memorial service in London in May 1995 and he and Lewis teamed up to present a two-night memorial for Cook in Los Angeles the following November, scheduled to mark the anniversary of Cook's birth. One Leg Too Few is a famous comedy sketch written by Peter Cook and performed by Cook and Dudley Moore. ...

In 1988, Cook appeared as a contestant on the popular improvisation comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Cook was declared the winner of the episode, his prize being to read the end credits in the style of the host's choosing, which was that of a New York cab driver. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (sometimes shortened to Whose Line? or abbreviated as WLIIA?) is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. ...

Cook was an avid media follower, reading nearly all the British daily newspapers and following TV and radio programmes with vigour. He was an occasional caller to Clive Bull's night-time phone-in show on LBC in London, where, using the pseudonym "Sven from Swiss Cottage" he would entertain listeners with his complaints and musings on love, loneliness and herrings, all delivered in a mock Norwegian accent. Clive Bull Clive Bull (born January 23, 1959) is an award-winning radio talk show host on LBC 97. ... LBC Radio (originally the London Broadcasting Company) operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. ...

Following Cook's death, some recordings were issued of him chatting with his Hampstead neighbour and fellow Clive Bull regular, the London eccentric Rainbow George Weiss, mostly about George's political plans for Peter within his Vote for Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket party, which Cook tolerated with amused disdain. In the last few years of his life, Cook had a lower public profile but maintained a robust social life. He was far more concerned with simply enjoying his life than in pursuing traditional career goals. He once famously said, "I ran out of ambition at the age of 27..." Rainbow George Weiss (born 1940) is a fringe UK politician and a foolish wanker, who stood in 13 different constituencies at the 2005 General Election. ... Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket is a United Kingdom Political party which advocates the abolition of parliament in favour of devolution to city states and decision-making by referendum. ...

Revival

In late 1989 Cook married the Malaysian-born property developer Chiew Lin Chong in Torbay, Devon. This marriage brought a beneficial change in the direction of his life, as he reduced his drinking and for a time was teetotal. He lived alone in an 18th-century house in Hampstead, once owned by H.G. Wells. His third wife lived in another house 100 yards away. Cook speculated that their kind of domestic arrangement would be much more popular if more people could afford it. The comedian recounted his favorite pleasures in life -- casual chit-chat, reading, sport, radio, television and the newspapers, food, drink and cigarettes, and pedantry. Writing and performing went unmentioned. Teetotalism is the principle or practice of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. ... For other places with the same name, see Hampstead (disambiguation). ... H. G. Wells at the door of his house at Sandgate Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 - August 13, 1946) was an English writer best known for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. ...

Cook returned as Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling for an appearance with Ludovic Kennedy in A Life in Pieces. The series of twelve ten-minute interviews saw Sir Arthur recounting snippets of his life loosely based on The Twelve Days of Christmas. A set of unscripted interviews with Cook as Streeb-Greebling and satirist Chris Morris were recorded in autumn of 1993 and broadcast as Why Bother on BBC Radio 3, less than a year before Cook's death. In a later interview ([3]), Morris described them as follows: Sir Ludovic Kennedy shown on the cover of his book All In The Mind: A Farewell To God Sir Ludovic Henry Coverley Kennedy (born 3 November 1919) is a British journalist, broadcaster, and author. ... Christopher Morris (born September 5, 1965 in Bristol, England) is an English satirical comedian, writer, director, producer, actor and radio DJ. Morris began his career in radio before moving into television. ...

"It was a very different style of improvisation from what I'd been used to, working with people like Steve Coogan, Doon Mackichan and Rebecca Front, because those On the Hour and The Day Today things were about trying to establish a character within a situation, and Peter Cook was really doing 'knight's move' and 'double knight's move' thinking to construct jokes or ridiculous scenes flipping back on themselves, and it was amazing. I mean, I held out no great hopes that he wouldn't be a boozy old sack of lard with his hair falling out and scarcely able to get a sentence out, because he hadn't given much evidence that that wouldn't be the case. But, in fact, he stumbled in with a Safeways bag full of Kestrel lager and loads of fags and then proceeded to skip about mentally with the agility of a grasshopper. Really quite extraordinary."

On 17 December 1993, Cook appeared on Clive Anderson Talks Back showcasing four completely new characters, and the following day appeared on BBC2 performing links for Arena's "Radio Night". Many hoped these high-profile appearances marked the beginning of a revival for Cook, but before the end of the next year his mother died, and Cook returned to a life of heavy drinking. His own death, 13 months later at the age of 57 was officially reported as resulting from internal haemorrhaging. The papers lamented the passing of a comic genius who had failed to live up to his promise. A lone voice countered that he gave every impression of a man who had enjoyed life entirely on his own terms with no compromise to the opinions of others. Eric Idle commented that Cook had not wasted his talent but rather that the newspapers had tried to waste him. Stephen John Steve Coogan (born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, impressionist, and comedian. ... Doon Mackichan Doon Mackichan (born 1962, Fife) is a Scottish comedian. ... Rebecca Front (born June 28, 1965) is a British comedian and actress. ... On The Hour double cassette cover featuring Chris Morris, 1992. ... The Day Today is a surreal British parody of television current affairs news programmes. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Clive Anderson (born 10 December 1952) is a former practising barrister turned successful comedy writer as well as a television and radio presenter in the United Kingdom. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 2. ... Arena is a British television documentary series, which has run in occasional seasons on BBC Two, and latterly BBC Four, since 1975, debuting on Wednesday October 1 that year. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Eric Idle (born March 29, 1943) is an English comedian, actor, author and composer of comedic songs. ...

Legacy

Cook's significance to modern British comedy is regarded as immense: he is acknowledged as the main influence on a long stream of comedians who have followed him from the amateur dramatic clubs of British universities to the Edinburgh festival, and thence to the radio and television studios of the BBC. Notable fans include all the members of Monty Python's Flying Circus and The Goodies, and, more recently, the aforementioned Chris Morris. For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... This article is about the television series. ... This article discusses the Goodies trio and the origins of their comedy TV series For information about the television series, see The Goodies (TV series) The Goodies are a trio of British comedians (Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie), who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British... Christopher Morris (born September 5, 1965 in Bristol, England) is an English satirical comedian, writer, director, producer, actor and radio DJ. Morris began his career in radio before moving into television. ...

Many people feel that, like Spike Milligan, Cook broke so much new ground during the 1960 to 1965 period that later comics had relatively little left to break themselves. Some have seen Cook's life as tragic, insofar as the brilliance he exhibited in his youth did not fully lead to the recognition many thought he deserved. In his lifetime, Cook himself was constantly aware that some thought that he had not achieved or continued his early potential. He was disdainful of this view, and had no particular desire to achieve sustained career success as traditionally measured. Instead, Cook assessed his own happiness by the quality of his personal friendships and his overall enjoyment of life. Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan KBE (16 April 1918–27 February 2002), known as Spike Milligan, was an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet and playwright. ...

Ten years after his death, in January 2005, Peter Cook was ranked number one in a list entitled The Comedian's Comedian, a poll of more than 300 comics, comedy writers, producers, and directors throughout the English speaking world and shown on Channel 4 in the UK. He finished ahead of other important, legendary comics such Groucho Marx, John Cleese, Eric Morecambe, Laurel and Hardy, Bill Hicks and Woody Allen. Coincidentally, the same week that programme was shown, Channel 4 broadcast Not Only But Always, a well-received television movie dramatising the relationship between Cook and Moore, with Welsh actor Rhys Ifans portraying Cook. In August 2005 a stage play, written by Chris Bartlett and Nick Awde and examining the relationship from Moore's point of view, Pete and Dud: Come Again, was a sellout hit at the Assembly Rooms as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, before transferring to The Venue in London's West End in March 2006. English actor Tom Goodman-Hill played Cook. This article is about the British television station. ... Groucho redirects here. ... Cleese redirects here. ... John Eric Bartholomew OBE (May 14, 1926 – May 28, 1984), better known by his stage name, Eric Morecambe was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise, formed the double act Morecambe and Wise. ... Laurel and Hardy, in a promotional still from their 1937 feature film Way Out West. ... William Melvin Bill Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian. ... Woody Allen (born Allen Stewart Konigsberg; December 1, 1935) is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director, writer, actor, jazz musician, comedian and playwright. ... Not Only But Always is a British TV movie, originally screened on the Channel 4 network in the UK on December 30, 2004. ... “Telefilm” redirects here. ... This article is about the country. ... Rhys Ifans IPA: (born 22 July 1968) is an award winning Welsh actor. ... Chris Bartlett (born in Bridgend, Wales on August 25, 1976) is a London-based writer and journalist. ... Nick Awde (born in London, UK, December 29, 1961), is a British writer, artist and singer-songwriter. ... A street performer on the Royal Mile, with volunteer (2004). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

A bar at the Melbourne Town Hall, frequently visited by comedians and fans during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, is named the Peter Cook Bar. During the Melbourne International Comedy Festival the Melbourne Town Hall acts as venue to a large number of the performances. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Craig Ferguson was mentored early in his career by Cook. Craig Ferguson (born May 17, 1962) is a Scottish-American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. ...

Further reading

• Harry Thompson (1998). Biography of Peter Cook. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-64969-0. 
• Peter Cook and Dudley Moore (2003). Dud and Pete: The Dagenham Dialogues. Eyre Methuen Ltd. ISBN 0-413-77347-7. 
• Robert Hewison (1983). Footlights!: A Hundred Years of Cambridge Comedy. Methuen London Ltd. ISBN 0-413-51150-2. 
• Roger Wilmut (1980). From Fringe to Flying Circus: Celebrating a Unique Generation of Comedy 1960–1980. Eyre Methuen Ltd. ISBN 0-413-46950-6. 
• Peter Cook Appreciation Society (2006). How Very Interesting!: Peter Cook's Universe And All That Surrounds It. Snowbooks. ISBN 1-905005-23-7. 
• Alexander Games (1999). Pete & Dud: An Illustrated Biography. Andre Deutsch. ISBN 0-233-99642-7. 
• Wendy Cook (2006). So Farewell Then: The Biography of Peter Cook. HarperCollins Entertainment. ISBN 0-00-722893-7. 
• Lin Cook (2003). Something Like Fire: Peter Cook Remembered. Arrow Books. ISBN 0-09-946035-1. 
• Chris Bartlett and Nick Awde (2006). Pete and Dud: Come Again. Methuen Drama. ISBN 0-413-77602-6. 
• William Cook (2003). Tragically I was an only twin: the complete Peter Cook. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-31891-X ISBN 0-09-944325-2. 

Filmography

• The Wrong Box (1966)
• Alice in Wonderland (1966)
• Bedazzled (1967)
• A Dandy in Aspic (1968)
• Monte Carlo Or Bust (released in the US as Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies) (1969)
• The Bed-Sitting Room (1969)
• The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970)
• Find the Lady (1976)
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978)
• Derek and Clive Get the Horn (1979)
• Yellowbeard (1983)
• Supergirl (1984)
• The Princess Bride (1987): The Impressive Clergyman
• Whoops Apocalypse (1986)
• Without A Clue (1988)
• Getting It Right (1989)
• Great Balls of Fire!(1989)

Amnesty The Wrong Box is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Bryan Forbes based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne. ... Alice in Wonderland (1966) is a more adult television adaptation of the classic novel by Lewis Carroll, directed by Jonathan Miller of Beyond the Fringe fame. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Dandy in Aspic is a 1968 spy film, directed by Anthony Mann, based on a novel of the same name by Derek Marlowe and starring Laurence Harvey. ... The Bed-Sitting Room is a satirical play by Spike Milligan and John Antrobus. ... The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer is a British 1970 cult satire film staring and written by Peter Cook. ... Three card monte, also known as the Three-Card Trick, Follow The Lady or Find the Lady, is a confidence game in which the victim, or mark, is tricked into betting a sum of money that he can find the money card, for example the Queen of Spades, among three... The Hound of the Baskervilles was a 1978 comedy film spoofing The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. ... Yellowbeard poster Yellowbeard is a 1983 comedy film, that was co-written and acted by Monty Python member Graham Chapman and David Sherlock, and directed by Mel Damski. ... Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film. ... The Princess Bride is a 1987 film, based on the 1973 novel The Princess Bride by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance and fantasy. ... Whoops Apocalypse was originally a six-part 1982 sitcom by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, made by London Weekend Television for ITV. Marshall and Renwick later reworked the concept as a 1986 movie with almost completely different characters and plot, although one or two of the original actors returned in... Without a Clue is a 1988 comedy film starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley. ... Great Balls of Fire! is an American 1989 film, directed by Jim McBride and stars Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis. ...

• Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976)
• The Mermaid Frolics (1977)
• The Secret Policeman's Ball
• The Secret Policeman's Private Parts (1981)
• The Best of Amnesty: Featuring the Stars of Monty Python (1999)

UK chart singles:-

• "The Ballad Of Spotty Muldoon" (1965)
• "Goodbye-ee" (1965) with Dudley Moore

Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The elected leader of Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as Footlights, is known as the Footlights President. ...

References

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Peter Cook

• The Establishment: The Peter Cook Appreciation Society
• Peter Cook at the Internet Movie Database
• Mr Blint's Attic
• Official Blue Plaque for Peter Cook campaign
• The Peter Cook Foundation For Helping People With Learning Disabilities
• Tribute to Peter Cook, with texts and commentary
• Good Evening, a Peter Cook Fansite incl. Gallery
• The BBC Guide to Comedy: Not Only...But Also
• Missing-Episodes.com
• Find-a-Grave profile for Peter Cook
• One Leg Too Few, script for one of Cook and Moore's most famous and oft-performed sketches.
• Marriages England and Wales 1984-2005