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From: C.H.A.Wong@bradford.ac.uk (Andrew Wong)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.uk
Subject: Adrian Edmondson FAQ
Date: 7 Mar 1995 14:07:45 GMT
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ADRIAN EDMONDSON FAQ (v1.32)
============================
1. Who is he?
2. How about some personal details?
3. Press Release
4. Other information
5. Contributions and thanks
1. Who is he?
=============
A British comedian and an actor, he became famous co-starring with Rik Mayall
in The Young Ones, a hit BBC cult sitcom. Since then, he's starred in Bottom, and occasionally pops up in Absolutely Fabulous as a food reviewer.
2. So, what about his life before hitting the big time?
He was born on January 24 1957 in Bradford (I think...) His father taught
abroad for the Armed Forces, and he lived with his father until the age of
12. He then entered Pocklington Public (i.e. privately-funded) boarding
school, and went off to Manchester University to study Drama. He was in the
same year as Rik Mayall, and eventually got a 2-1 (equivalent to a 'B')...
3. How did he hit the big time?
Well, I now hand you over to a press release:
Adrian Edmondson Biography
==========================
Adrian trained in studio drama at Manchester University, where he met Rik
Mayail and formed the partnership that was to become Twentieth Century
Coyote. In 1977 he took a one-man show to the National Student Drama
Festival, and Twentieth Century Coyote appeared at the Edinburgh Festival
to great critical acclaim and media interest; the show was recorded for
Radio 4.
After Edinburgh came a period of touring with various two-man shows
throughout Britain, until Adrian joined the number of talented artists
then appearing at London's Comedy Store. Throughout 1979 and 1980, Ade
made numerous appearances on the growing comedy circuit before going on to
co-found The Comic Strip at the Boulevard Theatre in late 1980.
After their hugely successful premiere at the Boulevard, The Comic Strip
made an album and a short film in the summer of 1981 and set out on a
national tour in September. In 1982 they toured Australia, including a
two-week season at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts.
Adrian scripted one and played leading parts in all episodes of THE COMIC
STRIP PRESENTS, seen on Channel 4. He went on to play `Vyvyan' in BBC TV's
hugely successful THE YOUNG ONES, written by his Twentieth Century Coyote
partner and star Rik Mayall, Ben Elton and Lise Mayer. He also appeared in
FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY MORNING and BOOM BOOM, OUT GO THE LIGHTS before
going on to film his first starring role in Sandy Johnson's THE
MAGNIFICENT ONE.
In 1983, Adrian toured in KEVIN TURVEY AND THE BASTARD SQUAD for Pola
Jones Associates, and then played Trofimov and Gayev in THE WHITE GLOVE at
the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.
After another series of THE YOUNG ONES and appearances in THE LENNY HENRY
SHOW and in two further episodes of THE COMIC STRIP, Adrian went on to
play the title role in The Comic Strip feature film SUPERGRASS, released
in 1985.
Early in 1985, Adrian played the lead role of Alun in HONEST, DECENT AND
TRUE, a play devised by Les Blair and produced by Graham Benson, and 'Guy'
(again, the lead) in the Paul Jackson produced and directed HAPPY FAMILIES
for BBC TV. Ade and Rik Mayall then wrote ten episodes of THE DANGEROUS
BROTHERS, a strand within a ten week series of SATURDAY NlGHT LIVE, and
co-starred in FILTHY, RICH AND CATFLAP - another Paul Jackson production
for BBC TV. In the same year, he played Tiny in Central Tv's HARDWICKE
HOUSE.
In 1989, Adrian starred alongside John Gordon-Sinclair in Lawrence Marks and
Maurice Gran's SNAKES AND LADDERS, a six-part series for Yorkshire TV directed
by Baz Taylor, before playing a guest lead, Von Richtofen, in BBC TV's
BLACKADDER GOES FORTH.
Adrian co-starred, this time with Alison Steadman, in NEWS HOUNDS, directed by
Les Blair for Working Title and BBC TV, which won the British Academy of Film
and Television Arts Award for Best Single Television Drama of 1990. Later that
year, Adrian starred as Brad In Robin Lefevre's West End revival of the cult hit THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW at the Piccadilly Theatre, before going to Yugoslavia to film THE POPE MUST DIE, directed by Peter Richardson for Palace Pictures.
Adrian and Rik Mayall have written and starred in two (now three) series of BOTTOM, a five-part series produced and directed by Ed Bye for BBC TV. They co-starred in the 1991 West End production of Samuel Beckett's WAITING FOR GODOT at the Queen's Theatre
. In June 1992, Adrian appeared with the Ballet du Rhin at Sadlers Wells Theatre as narrator of CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS. He has recently finished recording IF YOU SEE GOD, TELL HIM for Marcus Mortimer at BBC TV, in which he stars opposite Richard Briers.
Adrian started a film company with other leading members of The Comic Strip, for which he has written and directed BAD NEWS, MORE BAD NEWS and PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE. He wrote CONSUELA and MR JOLLY LIVES NEXT DOOR, both of which were
directed by Stephen Frears. He also starred in and wrote DIRTY MOVIE. Most
recently, he played John Major in THE RED NOSE OF COURAGE, screened (after the
polls closed) on election night In 1992.
In another development Adrian has also directed several successful pop videos
including the controversial PRIME MOVER for Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love
Reaction, HOURGLASS, TRUST ME TO OPEN MY MOUTH and 853 5937 for Squeeze, The
Pogues' FIESTA, Sandie Shaw's PLEASE HELP THE CAUSE AGAINST LONELINESS and LIKE
THE WEATHER by 10,000 Maniacs
(January 1993)
------
Since then, he toured with Rik Mayall in the stage version of BOTTOM between
April 14th and June 21st 1993. It's available on PAL VHS video from the BBC.
The third series of BOTTOM has just started screening in the U.K.
He also features in ABSOULTEY FABULOUS as a food reviewer, and starred in IF
YOU SEE GOD, TELL HIM (a 1993 sitcom) with Richard Briers. He was also in an
Anna Lee mystery called The Cook's Tale as.... The Cook.
He also appeared with Rik Mayall and Nigel Planer in THE COMIC STRIP PRESENTS
EAT THE RICH, and numerous other Comic Strips.
He's married to Jennifer Saunders (Edina in Absolutely Fabulous)
Once appeared on stage at the Hysteria AIDS benefit gig with the words
"You might remember me ... I used to be very funny."
His agent is: Jonathan Altaras
Jonathan Altaras Association Limited
2 Goodwins Court
LONDON WC2N 4LL
United Kingdom
Tel : +44 (0) 171 497 8878
Fax : +44 (0) 171 497 8876
--------
Thanks go to Adam Davies and Simon Young for supplementary information..
Other files available include the Young Ones FAQ, the Ben Elton FAQ and the Rik Mayall FAQ. These files can be found by FTPing to:
cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/
src.doc.ic.ac.uk/public/media/tv/collections/tardis/
Or using your WWW browser and pointing it to:
http://cathouse.org/BritishComedy/
http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/public/media/tv/collections/tardis/
http://www.brad.ac.uk/~achwong/index.html
You can throw your brickbats, comments and additions to me via:
E-mail: achwong@bradford.ac.uk
WWW: http://www.brad.ac.uk/~achwong/index.html
Also, if you want any British items, E-mail me. I sometimes go to the
States and can accept American currency. Indeed, I'll be there this Easter!
Andrew Wong WWW: http://www.brad.ac.uk/%7Eachwong/index.html
-----x----- Internet: achwong@bradford.ac.uk
Rick: "Honestly, I don't know why I Compiler of the Young Ones FAQ
bother sometimes..." and other biographies.
Vyv: "I don't know why you bother ever." Ask me for more details !