Post by Lisa-Marie on Oct 4, 2005 18:18:42 GMT
'WE'VE LOST A NATIONAL TREASURE'
www.mirror.co.uk
RONNIE BARKER was today hailed as one of our greatest ever comedy actors by those who worked with him during his remarkable career.
BBC Chairman Michael Grade said: "We have lost a national treasure.
"In the history of television comic legends, Ronnie stands alongside Morecambe and Wise. He was also a pleasure to work with."
David Jason, who starred alongside Barker in Open All Hours and Porridge, said: "I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Ronnie's death. He was a very dear friend and someone for whom I had the greatest respect.
"Working with Ronnie was always a joy and were without doubt some of the best years of my career. "The world of entertainment has lost a huge talent but my thoughts today have to be for Joy his wife, and his family and close friends who have lost the man they loved so much."
TV veteran Bruce Forsyth said: "You can't call Ronnie Barker a comedian, he was an actor, and a great writer. That made him so very, very special, which is why you can't replace anyone like Ronnie Barker."
Chat show king Michael Parkinson said he was "one of our very greatest comedy actors.
"He was also a generous performer. The people who worked with him regarded themselves as very fortunate."
TV favourite Des O'Connor said Ronnie was one of his heroes.
"Ronnie was such a brilliant and versatile actor, a superb comedian and a wonderful wordsmith," he said. "City toff, country yokel - all his characters were brilliantly observed and so believable. "He was a kind, warm and friendly man and, most of all, a gentleman."
Former Monty Python Michael Palin, who worked with Barker on the Frost Report said: Ronnie was a straightforward man who had this extraordinary ability to make the nation laugh."
Python colleague John Cleese, who also worked on the Frost report, said he was a great comic actor to learn from.
"He was like a chameleon, an amazing character comedian," said writer Barry er. "If you watch him in Porridge and Open All Hours you can't believe it's the same person.
"He was also an enormously professional and meticulous man. Every syllable had to be right."
Comedian Ben Elton said: "Britain has lost one of its greatest comic artists."
Phoneix Nights star Peter Kay added: "I'm so very sad, I think everybody will feel that sadness.
"It leaves a huge hole in our lives when somebody like Ronnie passes. Just like Eric Morecambe, you feel like you've lost a dear friend."
And Sir Peter Hall, who directed Barker in 1955, said he was "not only a great comedian, but also a great actor.
"He illuminated more than 50 years of our lives with laughter."
www.mirror.co.uk
RONNIE BARKER was today hailed as one of our greatest ever comedy actors by those who worked with him during his remarkable career.
BBC Chairman Michael Grade said: "We have lost a national treasure.
"In the history of television comic legends, Ronnie stands alongside Morecambe and Wise. He was also a pleasure to work with."
David Jason, who starred alongside Barker in Open All Hours and Porridge, said: "I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Ronnie's death. He was a very dear friend and someone for whom I had the greatest respect.
"Working with Ronnie was always a joy and were without doubt some of the best years of my career. "The world of entertainment has lost a huge talent but my thoughts today have to be for Joy his wife, and his family and close friends who have lost the man they loved so much."
TV veteran Bruce Forsyth said: "You can't call Ronnie Barker a comedian, he was an actor, and a great writer. That made him so very, very special, which is why you can't replace anyone like Ronnie Barker."
Chat show king Michael Parkinson said he was "one of our very greatest comedy actors.
"He was also a generous performer. The people who worked with him regarded themselves as very fortunate."
TV favourite Des O'Connor said Ronnie was one of his heroes.
"Ronnie was such a brilliant and versatile actor, a superb comedian and a wonderful wordsmith," he said. "City toff, country yokel - all his characters were brilliantly observed and so believable. "He was a kind, warm and friendly man and, most of all, a gentleman."
Former Monty Python Michael Palin, who worked with Barker on the Frost Report said: Ronnie was a straightforward man who had this extraordinary ability to make the nation laugh."
Python colleague John Cleese, who also worked on the Frost report, said he was a great comic actor to learn from.
"He was like a chameleon, an amazing character comedian," said writer Barry er. "If you watch him in Porridge and Open All Hours you can't believe it's the same person.
"He was also an enormously professional and meticulous man. Every syllable had to be right."
Comedian Ben Elton said: "Britain has lost one of its greatest comic artists."
Phoneix Nights star Peter Kay added: "I'm so very sad, I think everybody will feel that sadness.
"It leaves a huge hole in our lives when somebody like Ronnie passes. Just like Eric Morecambe, you feel like you've lost a dear friend."
And Sir Peter Hall, who directed Barker in 1955, said he was "not only a great comedian, but also a great actor.
"He illuminated more than 50 years of our lives with laughter."