BARKER, Ronnie 1929–
(Jonathan Cobbald, Bob Ferris, David Huggett, Gerald Wiley)

PERSONAL

Full name, Ronald William George Barker; born September 25, 1929, in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England; son of Leonard William and Edith Eleanor (maiden name; Carter) Barker; married Joy Tubb, 1959; children: Charlotte, Larry, Adam. Avocational Interests: Writing songs, collecting postcards.

Addresses: Contact —c/o British Actors' Equity Association, Guild House, Upper St. Martin's Lane, London WC2 9EG, England.

Career: Actor, comedian, and writer. Performer with Ronnie Corbett as "The Two Ronnies"; appeared in commercials; appeared in the comedy trailer The Comedy Trail: A Shaggy Dog Story, BBC, 1999; Oxford Playhouse, Oxford, England, worked as stagehand. Also operator of an antiques business.

Member: British Actors' Equity Association.

Awards, Honors: Variety Club Awards, 1969, 1974, and 1980; Television Award (with Ronnie Corbett), British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best light entertainment performance on television, 1971, for The Two Ronnies; Society of Film and Television Arts Award, 1971; Radio Industries Club Awards, 1973, 1974, 1977, and 1981; Television Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best light entertainment performance on television, 1975, for Porridge; Royal Television Society Award, outstanding creative achievement, 1975; Water Rats Award, 1975; Television Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best light entertainment performance on television, 1977, for Porridge and The Two Ronnies; Television Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best light entertainment performance on television, 1978, for Going Straight and The Two Ronnies; decorated officer, Order of the British Empire, 1978; Lifetime Achievement Award (with Corbett), British Comedy Awards, 1990; Lifetime Achievement Award, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 1996; subject of a tribute by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 2004.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

It's a Square World, BBC, c. 1960–1964.

Ron and other roles, The Seven Faces of Jim, BBC, 1961.

Ron and other roles, Six More Faces of Jim, BBC, 1962.

Ron and other roles, More Faces of Jim, BBC, 1963.

Grischa Petrovich, Foreign Affairs, Granada Television, 1964.

Mr. Oakroyd, Bold as Brass, BBC, beginning 1964.

Voice, How to Be an Alien, Associated Rediffusion elevision, beginning 1964.

Jerry Cruncher, A Tale of Two Cities, BBC, beginning 1965.

Member of ensemble, The Frost Report, BBC, 1966–1967.

Before the Fringe (later known as More before the Fringe ), [Great Britain], beginning 1967.

Multiple roles, The Ronnie Barker Playhouse, Associated Rediffusion Television, 1968.

Frost on Sunday, London Weekend Television, 1968–1970.

Lord Rustless, Hark at Barker, London Weekend Television, 1969–1970.

Six Dates with Barker, London Weekend Television, 1971.

Himself, The Two Ronnies, BBC, 1971–1986, PBS, 1978.

Lord Rustless, His Lordship Entertains, BBC–2, 1972.

Seven of One, BBC–2, 1973.

Norman Stanley Fletcher, Porridge (also known as Doing Time ), BBC, 1974–1977.

Arkwright, Open All Hours, BBC–2, 1976 and 1981–1982, Entertainment Channel, 1982, BBC, 1985.

Norman Stanley Fletcher, Going Straight, BBC, 1978.

Plantagenet Evans, The Magnificent Evans, BBC, 1984.

Himself, The Two Ronnies in Australia, 9 Network, 1987.

Clarence Sale (title role), Clarence, BBC, 1987–1988.

Television Appearances; Movies:

The general, The Picnic, BBC, 1975.

Himself, The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything, BBC, 1999.

David Inches, The Gathering Storm, HBO, 2002.

David Inches, The Lonely War, HBO, 2002.

The general, My House in Umbria, HBO, 2003.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Frost over England, BBC, 1967.

Charley's Aunt (also known as Play of the Month: Charley's Aunt ), BBC, 1969.

Music hall performer, "Wiltons "—The Handsomest Hall in Town, 1970.

Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream (also known as Play of the Month: A Midsummer Night's Dream ), BBC, 1971.

Multiple characters, The Ronnie Barker Yearbook, [Great Britain], 1971.

Multiple characters, Ronnie Corbett in Bed, 1971.

George Idle, Idle at Work (also known as Comedy Playhouse: Idle at Work ), BBC, 1972.

Johnnie Wetherby, Franklyn and Johnnie (also known as Comedy Playhouse: Franklyn and Johnnie ), BBC, 1974.

When We Are Married (also known as Play of the Month: When We Are Married ), BBC, 1975.

Twenty Years of the Two Ronnies, 1986.

Christmas Night with the Two Ronnies, 1987.

(In archive footage) Life of Python, Showtime, 1990.

The Two Ronnies at the Movies, BBC, 1999.

Two Ronnies Night, BBC, 1999.

Himself, Night of a Thousand Shows, BBC, 2000.

Himself, Richard Briers: A Good Life, 2000.

Himself, A Tribute to the Two Ronnies, 2000.

Himself, Unforgettable Richard Beckinsale, 2000.

(In archive footage) I Love a 1970's Christmas, BBC, 2000.

(In archive footage) Norman Stanley Fletcher, The 100 Greatest TV Characters, Channel 4, 2001.

(In archive footage) A Perfect Two Ronnies Show, [Great Britain], 2001.

(In archive footage) The Unforgettable Yootha Joyce, ITV, 2001.

Himself, The Sitcom Story, 2003.

I'm Dreaming of a TV Christmas, 2003.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Himself, The BAFTA TV Awards 2003, BBC, 2003.

Himself, Ronnie Barker: A BAFTA Tribute, BBC, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Chef, "A Pair of Socks," Benny Hill, BBC, c. 1961.

Alphonse, "The Better Mousetrap," The Saint, Incorporated Television, 1966.

Cheshire, "The Hidden Tiger," The Avengers, Associated British Picture Corporation, 1967.

Host, A Christmas Night with the Stars, BBC, 1971.

Himself, The Sketch Show Story (also known as Victoria Wood's Sketch Show Story ), BBC, 2001.

Appeared as himself in Not Only—But Also…, BBC–2; appeared in Sorry!, BBC; and in Whatever Happened to … Clement and La Frenais?, [Great Britain].

Television Appearances; Other:

The Keys of the Cafe, [Great Britain], 1965.

Film Appearances:

The Silent Witness (also known as Scotland Yard: The Silent Witness ), 1954.

(Uncredited) Wonderful Things!, Associated British/Pathe, 1958.

Burton (Hook's assistant), Kill or Cure, Metro– Goldwyn–Mayer, 1962.

(Uncredited) Man at railway station, Doctor in Distress, 1963.

Yossle, The Cracksman, Warner Bros./Pathe, 1963.

Cement mixer, A Home of Your Own, 1964.

Josh, Father Came Too! (also known as We Want to Live Alone ), Rank, 1964.

Ronnie, The Bargee, Warner Bros./Pathe, 1964.

Mr. Galore, Runaway Railway, Children's Film Fund, 1965.

George Venaxas, The Man Outside, Allied Artists, 1968.

Ghost of a Chance, 1968.

General Futtock, Futtock's End, 1970.

"Sloth" segment, The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins, 1971.

Friar Tuck, Robin and Marian, Columbia, 1976.

Himself, To See Such Fun, 1977.

Norman Stanley Fletcher, Porridge (also known as Doing Time and Porridge: The Movie ), ITC Film Distributors, 1979.

The general, By the Sea, 1982.

(In archive footage) … And It's Goodnight from Him, 1996.

Stage Appearances:

Lieutenant Spicer, Quality Street, Aylesbury Repertory Theatre, Aylesbury, England, 1948.

Chantyman and Joe Silva, Mourning Becomes Electra, Apollo Theatre, London, 1955.

Farmer, Summertime, Apollo Theatre, 1955.

Gypsy man, Listen to the Wind, Arts Theatre, London, 1955.

Mr. Thwaites, Double Image, Savoy Theatre, London, 1956.

Multiple roles, Camino Real, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1957.

Perigord, Nekrassov, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1957.

Lysistrata, Royal Court Theatre, 1957.

Robertoles–Diams, Irma La Douce, Lyric Theatre, London, 1958.

Nikolai Triletski, Platonov, Royal Court Theatre, 1960.

Member of ensemble, On the Brighter Side (revue), Phoenix Theatre, then Comedy Theatre, London, 1961.

Quince, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Royal Court Theatre, 1962.

Bob Acres, All in Love, May Fair Theatre, London, 1964.

Lord Slingsby–Craddock, Mr. Whatnot, Arts Theatre, 1964.

Alf Always, Sweet Fanny Adams, Stratford Theatre Royal, Stratford–upon–Avon, England, 1966.

Birdboot, The Real Inspector Hound, Criterion Theatre, London, 1968.

Sir John, Good–Time Johnny, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham, England, 1971.

Himself, The Two Ronnies (two–man show with Ronnie Corbett), Bristol, England, then London Palladium, London, both 1978.

Major Tours:

Himself, The Two Ronnies (two–man show with Ronnie Corbett), British and Australian cities, both 1979.

Radio Appearances; Series:

Various characters, The Navy Lark, BBC Radio, 1959–1973, 1975–1976.

Radio Appearances; Specials:

Christmas Special for Antarctica (affiliated with The Navy Lark ), 1962.

Christmas Special (affiliated with The Navy Lark ), 1965.

The BBC Are Sending the Bill to Buckingham Palace (affiliated with The Navy Lark ), 1977.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

The Best of the Two Ronnies, BBC Video, 2002.

Appeared in a training film produced by Video Arts, 1970s.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Series:

(As Jonathan Cobbald and Gerald Wiley) Hark at Barker, London Weekend Television, 1969–1970.

(As Wiley; with others) Six Dates with Barker, London Weekend Television, 1971.

(As Wiley; with others) The Two Ronnies, BBC, 1971–1986, PBS, 1978.

(As Cobbald) His Lordship Entertains, BBC–2, 1972.

(As Bob Ferris) Clarence, BBC, 1987–1988.

Teleplays; Other:

(As Gerald Wiley; with others) The Ronnie Barker Yearbook (special), [Great Britain], 1971.

(As David Huggett) The Picnic (movie), BBC, 1975.

The Two Ronnies at the Movies (special), BBC, 1999.

Screenplays:

Futtock's End, 1970.

Videos:

(As Gerald Wiley) The Best of the Two Ronnies, BBC Video, 2002.

Nonfiction:

Ronnie Barker's Book of Bathing Beauties, Hodder & Stoughton, 1974.

Ronnie Barker's Book of Boudoir Beauties, Hodder & Stoughton, 1975.

It's Goodnight from Him: The Best of "The Two Ronnies," Hodder & Stoughton, 1976.

Nice to Be with You Again!, compiled by Peter Vincent, Star Books, 1977.

Sauce, 1977.

Gentlemen's Relish, Hodder & Stoughton, 1979.

Sugar and Spice, Hodder & Stoughton, 1981.

Ooh–la–la!: The Ladies of Paris, Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.

Pebbles on the Beach: A Pictorial Tribute to the Seaside Girl, Hodder & Stoughton, 1985.

A Pennyworth of Art: The Red Album, Herbert Press, 1986.

It's Hello from Him, New English Library, 1988.

Dancing in the Moonlight: Early Years on the Stage (memoir), Trafalgar Square, 1994.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Radio Times, July 10, 1999, pp. 22–24.