Barry Cryer

Barry Cryer

Date of birth: 23-03-1935
Date of death: 25-01-2022

While appearing in university revue, Barry was offered a week's work at the famous City Varieties Theatre, where he was spotted by a London agent.

His variety work led him to the Windmill Theatre in London, a legendary school for comedians, whose graduates include Sir Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers.

After seven months of six shows a day, six days a week, he left to appear in Expresso Bongo, a musical satirising pop music, and started making records. He was once Number One in Finland.

He then started writing for revues at the Fortune Theatre and for Danny La Rue.

While doing this, he met David Frost who invited him to join the writing roster on The Frost Report.

He has writtengags for some of the true legends of comedy, including Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper, Stanley Baxter, Dick Emery, Dave Allen, Les Dawson, Bob Hope, George Burns, the Two Ronnies, Kenny Everett, Sir Harry Secombe, Billy Connolly, Jasper Carrott and Richard Pryor.

He was made an OBE for services to comedy drama in 2001.

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© Steve Ullathorne

Barry Cryer's 'incredible life' – as revealed by his son

'Witty and affectionate' biography out this autumn

Barry Cryer’s son has written a biography of his much-loved father.

Publishers Bloomsbury say that Bob Cryer is ‘doing what Barry’s humility did not allow: revealing the story of the man behind the jokes’.

The book will be titled Same Time Tomorrow? – the phrase Barry often used to sign off conversations – and is set to be published in October.

In their latest catalogue of upcoming releases, Bloomsbury say the book is  ‘not just a wonderfully witty and affectionate biography of a father by a son, but a heartwarming insight into a vanishing era of comedy’.

They add that the book is ‘laced with candour, warmth and filled with [Barry’s] trademark humour’ and serves as ‘an ode to both Barry’s incredible life and to the lessons he so generously imparted on the art of comedy’.

‘Bob shares a range of exclusive material – including family photos, oral recordings, interviews with friends and colleagues (among them Sandi Toksvig, Rob Brydon and Judi Dench) – as well as Bob’s own personal reflections on living and working with a comedy icon.’

Bob is an actor who has appeared in Coronation Street and Hollyoaks and helped compile his father’s 2010 book of anecdotes, Butterfly Brain. Shortly after, they created the book series Mrs Hudson’s Diaries and Mrs Hudson’s Radio Show followed for Radio 4 in 2018. 

Their joint podcast, Now Where Were We?, launched just before Barry’s death in January last year. 

The book – whose publication was first spotted by the British Comedy Guide – will be priced £20, and can be preordered below,

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Published: 7 Jun 2023

Mad for it | Manchester unveils festival line-up

Mad for it

Barry Cryer, Daniel Kitson (pictured) and Charlie…
2/10/2002

Clued behaviour

Veteran radio producer David Hatch put in an appearance…
8/04/2002

Ho, ho, owe

Joan Collins has refused to pay Barry Cryer the full…
22/03/2002

Remembering Willie

A plaque has gone up in Mornington Crescent Tube station…
20/03/2002

Ride the Danny train

Daniel Kitson is to perform a short run of his Perrier-nominated…
1/10/2001

Cryer has heart op

Barry Cryer has undergone a heart bypass. The 66-year-old…
27/09/2001

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Agent

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