This live BAFTA presentation - first broadcast on the BBC
in front of a star-studded studio audience - is to commemorate the lifetime achievement of legendary British comedy-actor, Ronnie Barker
. To host this show is his partner in mirth-dom, Ronnie Corbett, whom introduces wave after wave of comedic talent to sing Ronnie Barkers praise. Ronnie Corbet himself elaborates on Ronnie Barker’s rise in television, orating on their first meeting and subsequent comedy double-act.
To illustrate those whom Ronnie inspired, Peter Kay tells a tale of his own yearnings to follow in Ronnie’s footsteps – To comment on Ronnie eventual retirement, Josephine Tewson describes him proposing to her his last television series, Clarence – To verbalise Ronnie’s writing talents and straight dramatic roles, are Ben Elton and Rob Bydon respectively – And finally David Jason
present the good man himself, Ronnie Barker, on stage, to accept his BAFTA award. All this is praise is done in modesty and good humour, complemented with numerous video inserts by John Cleese – Richard Briers – Linda Baron – Pete Hall – Ian La Franais – Leslie Philips
– Gene Wilder – and many, many more. Ronnie Barker, in turn, accepts this praise with humility and a tear in his eye, showing that a good actor can be a good man as well.
. To host this show is his partner in mirth-dom, Ronnie Corbett, whom introduces wave after wave of comedic talent to sing Ronnie Barkers praise. Ronnie Corbet himself elaborates on Ronnie Barker’s rise in television, orating on their first meeting and subsequent comedy double-act.To illustrate those whom Ronnie inspired, Peter Kay tells a tale of his own yearnings to follow in Ronnie’s footsteps – To comment on Ronnie eventual retirement, Josephine Tewson describes him proposing to her his last television series, Clarence – To verbalise Ronnie’s writing talents and straight dramatic roles, are Ben Elton and Rob Bydon respectively – And finally David Jason
present the good man himself, Ronnie Barker, on stage, to accept his BAFTA award. All this is praise is done in modesty and good humour, complemented with numerous video inserts by John Cleese – Richard Briers – Linda Baron – Pete Hall – Ian La Franais – Leslie Philips – Gene Wilder – and many, many more. Ronnie Barker, in turn, accepts this praise with humility and a tear in his eye, showing that a good actor can be a good man as well.Ronnie Barker started his career in repertory theatre, and as luck would have it, knew - after time - that he wanted to be a comedian. This led him - care of Peter Hall - to London
Thankfully this allowed him to hone his own talents, thus giving him the opportunity to star in numerous other sit-coms such as Porridge
and Open All Hours
. That is until he decided to retire at the age of 58, so that he can live the rest of his life with his wife and children. Since then, Ronnie has been seen fleetingly in a number of other roles, but retired he remained until this BAFTA
tribute. Ronnie Barker died a couple of months after this show, he was 76.
Thankfully this allowed him to hone his own talents, thus giving him the opportunity to star in numerous other sit-coms such as Porridge
and Open All Hours. That is until he decided to retire at the age of 58, so that he can live the rest of his life with his wife and children. Since then, Ronnie has been seen fleetingly in a number of other roles, but retired he remained until this BAFTA tribute. Ronnie Barker died a couple of months after this show, he was 76.THE REVIEW:
It isn’t often that I cry
while watching an award show, but I did with this one because I knew that that the great man they were praising, Ronnie Barker, is no longer with us. I found this show to be especially moving as I remembered what his work did to me. As a child I’d pretend to have a stutter like Ronnie’s character Arkwright
in ‘Open All Hours’ – or I’d mimic his cockney swagger from Fletcher
in ‘Porridge’. But most of all I’d try to become more vocally adventurous with my pronunciations, as he did on the ‘Two Ronnies’.
This came over me then, and this came over me with a tear in my eye upon watching this BAFTA tribute. Now not only did I find this BAFTA tribute moving, but I also found it informative as well. As who could have guessed the adventurous and thought provoking life that Ronnie had! From stage hand – to vaudeville – to radio performer – to television – to film – and to writer! In some way his path is somewhat reminiscent of Peter Sellers, just without the international success
. Thoe you can not judge a man only by the amount of success he had, but rather by the amount of love in which he bestowed onto the world. And for this fact alone, Ronnie Barker a God in my eyes. May his bright spark forever be shown in the flickering light upon the screen, FORK HANDLES!!
while watching an award show, but I did with this one because I knew that that the great man they were praising, Ronnie Barker, is no longer with us. I found this show to be especially moving as I remembered what his work did to me. As a child I’d pretend to have a stutter like Ronnie’s character Arkwright in ‘Open All Hours’ – or I’d mimic his cockney swagger from Fletcher in ‘Porridge’. But most of all I’d try to become more vocally adventurous with my pronunciations, as he did on the ‘Two Ronnies’.This came over me then, and this came over me with a tear in my eye upon watching this BAFTA tribute. Now not only did I find this BAFTA tribute moving, but I also found it informative as well. As who could have guessed the adventurous and thought provoking life that Ronnie had! From stage hand – to vaudeville – to radio performer – to television – to film – and to writer! In some way his path is somewhat reminiscent of Peter Sellers, just without the international success
. Thoe you can not judge a man only by the amount of success he had, but rather by the amount of love in which he bestowed onto the world. And for this fact alone, Ronnie Barker a God in my eyes. May his bright spark forever be shown in the flickering light upon the screen, FORK HANDLES!!THE RATING: A
