Barry Cryer OBE 1935 - 2022

[Typhoon]

Tributes have been paid to comedian and writer Barry Cryer, who has died at the age of 86.

Cryer wrote for comedy giants including The Two Ronnies, Bob Hope, Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise.

He was also a star of the airwaves and the stage in his own right, including on BBC radio panel shows like Just A Minute and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

His son Bob Cryer said the comedian died "peacefully, in good spirits and with his family around him".

He added: "He leaves behind him a life of fun, joy, love and silliness and we'll all be doing our best to maintain that legacy."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60154371

Possibly the last of the great comedy writers. Still active earlier in the month on Broadcasting House (R4).

 

[Cowley]

Oh that’s very sad to hear. One of those people that’s made me laugh my entire life.

 

[Gloster]

R.I.P. the Jokemeister. And the world will no longer be so funny.

 

[Busaholic]

Very sad news. He was 'live' on Radio 4's Broadcasting House within the last month. Favourite joke of his? How about:

'' Man drives down a country road, runs over a cockerel. Knocks on farmhouse door, woman answers. Man says 'i'm very sorry. I've killed your cockerel and I'd like to replace him.' Woman replies 'please yourself, the hens are round the back.' '' RIP

 

[southern442]

I've been listening to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue with my dad for as long as I can remember, so over the past few years we've had to say goodbye to several of our comedy favourites, and this one is just as much of a shame. RIP Barry.

 

[yorksrob]

Very sad news indeed.

Radio 4 will never be the same again !

 

[baz962]

Used to get on the Overground on the Euston to Watford DC. Had the pleasure of driving him once. Rip

 

[Bertone]

Used to get on the Overground on the Euston to Watford DC. Had the pleasure of driving him once. Rip

My daughter in the early 2000’s used the same service from Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone and happened to sit opposite him.
On alighting at H & W, and walking up the footbridge stairs side by side, she said “Hello, Mr Cryer” and mentioned that her Dad (me) was a great fan of his and had recently read his book.
They chatted more and he offered to sign the book if my daughter could drop it round to him.
My daughter’s car was parked at the station and as they both lived at Hatch End, she offered to give him a lift which he accepted “if she could wait while he went for a pee”.
He was very entertaining during the 15 minute trip to his home, she says.
My daughter subsequently dropped the book at his house to one of his family and within a day or so, he rang her to tell she could collect it.
A lovely unassuming funny man who we saw many times at various theatre shows.
RIP Barry

To add to the above, we went to a charity tribute “show” to celebrate Barry’s 80th birthday at the Palace theatre in the West End and it was a great evening that went on for a very enjoyable good few hours.
By the time we got back to CityThameslink station it had closed!
Fortunately, Blackfriars wasn’t too far to walk back to.

 

[Bald Rick]

Met him almost exactly two years ago. Comedy hero (and I told him so). Will be sadly missed. RIP Barry / Hamish.

 

[Strathclyder]

A true comedy hero. The world is that much less funny now. RIP Barry.

Favourite joke of his? How about:

'' Man drives down a country road, runs over a cockerel. Knocks on farmhouse door, woman answers. Man says 'i'm very sorry. I've killed your cockerel and I'd like to replace him.' Woman replies 'please yourself, the hens are round the back.' '' RIP

Brilliant. Genuinely made me burst out laughing.

 

[davehsug]

Made me very sad seeing the clips of ISIHAC on the TV. Humph, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton. There's only Grame Garden left, and Samantha of course!

 

[pdq]

Made me very sad seeing the clips of ISIHAC on the TV. Humph, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton. There's only Grame Garden left, and Samantha of course

And not forgetting, at the piano, Colin Sell.

 

[Welshman]

Favourite joke of his? How about:
i'' Man drives down a country road, runs over a cockerel. Knocks on farmhouse door, woman answers. Man says 'i'm very sorry. I've killed your cockerel and I'd like to replace him.' Woman replies 'please yourself, the hens are round the back.' '' RIP

Mine is:-

A man and wife are out walking in London when the woman stops and asks her husband:-
"Look - is that the Archbishop of Canterbury over there?"
" I don't know" he replies.
"Well, go on. Go over and ask him. Ask him if he's the Archbishop of Canterbury. Go on"
He comes back a few moments later.
"Well, what did he say?" she enquires.
"He just said 'F__ck off....' he replies.
"Oh, well then I suppose we shall never know" she says.

 

[Bald Rick]

^^ Brilliant!

One of his best, that I’ve just been sent, and I must share.

A woman walks past a pet shop, and sees a magnificent parrot in the window.

She rushes inside and say “How much is the Parrot?”

”£5” says the shopkeeper.

”Only £5? I must have it,” says the woman, “but why so cheap?”

”Well, I must confess, it was brought up in a brothel,” says the shopkeeper, “and to put it politely it has quite an extensive vocabulary.”

“Never mind,” says the woman “At that price, I’ll take it.”

She takes that parrot home, puts the cage in the corner of the living room and takes the cover off.

”New place - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s two daughters walk in.

”New place, new girls - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s husband walks in, and the parrot says ”Oh hello Keith!”

 

[Cowley]

^^ Brilliant!

One of his best, that I’ve just been sent, and I must share.

A woman walks past a pet shop, and sees a magnificent parrot in the window.

She rushes inside and say “How much is the Parrot?”

”£5” says the shopkeeper.

”Only £5? I must have it,” says the woman, “but why so cheap?”

”Well, I must confess, it was brought up in a brothel,” says the shopkeeper, “and to put it politely it has quite an extensive vocabulary.”

“Never mind,” says the woman “At that price, I’ll take it.”

She takes that parrot home, puts the cage in the corner of the living room and takes the cover off.

”New place - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s two daughters walk in.

”New place, new girls - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s husband walks in, and the parrot says ”Oh hello Keith!”

 

[Busaholic]

^^ Brilliant!

One of his best, that I’ve just been sent, and I must share.

A woman walks past a pet shop, and sees a magnificent parrot in the window.

She rushes inside and say “How much is the Parrot?”

”£5” says the shopkeeper.

”Only £5? I must have it,” says the woman, “but why so cheap?”

”Well, I must confess, it was brought up in a brothel,” says the shopkeeper, “and to put it politely it has quite an extensive vocabulary.”

“Never mind,” says the woman “At that price, I’ll take it.”
joke joke
She takes that parrot home, puts the cage in the corner of the living room and takes the cover off.

”New place - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s two daughters walk in.

”New place, new girls - very nice” says the parrot.

Then the woman’s husband walks in, and the parrot says ”Oh hello Keith!”

His other much-repeated parrot joke (heard it from him on radio three times):

Woman bangs on man's front door.

''Your parrot in the window just shouted 'fat old cow' at me as I walked past''

''I must apologise most profusely, I'll get on to it immediately''

So the man goes to parrot, wags his finger at him and says ''any repetition and you're a gonner''

The parrot sulks and mutters to himself

The next day the woman walks past again and slows down to see the parrot's reaction

All she gets is an icy stare and a sotta voce ''you know what I think''.

 

[bspahh]

There are some clips with the parrot fridge joke at https://isihac.net/barry-cryer/ (he tells it better than I can type it)

He started a really good podcast just before Christmas, with him, his son and a guest chatting in a pub

Now, Where Were We? with Barry Cryer and Bob Cryer

Listen to episodes and learn more about Now, Where Were We? with Barry Cryer and Bob Cryer. Now, Where Were We? is the show that Barry Cryer has been waiting 86 years to make! Alongside his son, actor and writer Bob Cryer, Barry's booked a room at a favourite London pub, called up a bunch of...

shows.acast.com

There are recordings of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at

imsoihaacl : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

imsoihaacl

archive.org

I really like You'll Have Had Your Tea

Hamish & Dougal - You'll Have Had Your Tea podcast | Fourble

BBC Radio 4 sitcom starring Graeme Garden & Barry Cryer, 18 half-hour episodes

fourble.co.uk

 

[DunsBus]

"Binge - what Sean Connery putsh his rubbish in."

Farewell, Baz.

 

[nlogax]

Made me very sad seeing the clips of ISIHAC on the TV. Humph, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton. There's only Grame Garden left, and Samantha of course!

She looked ravishing when I went to see a couple of the episodes hosted by Stephen Fry after Humph passed away. Between her and the laser display screen I don't know what dazzled me more.

Barry Cryer was an absolute legend, nothing less. His legacy in TV comedy just can't be matched. Rest in peace.

 

[Busaholic]

Mine is:-,

A man and wife are out walking in London when the woman stops and asks her husband:-
"Look - is that the Archbishop of Canterbury over there?"
" I don't know" he replies.
"Well, go on. Go over and ask him. Ask him if he's the Archbishop of Canterbury. Go on"
He comes back a few moments later.
"Well, what did he say?" she enquires.
"He just said 'F__ck off....' he replies.
"Oh, well then I suppose we shall never know" she says.

The best bit about that one is that he relayed it to the Bishop of Leeds when the latter phoned Barry asking for a joke in his Easter sermon!


Another B.C. clerical one:-
A priest goes into the confessional box, after a couple of minutes he hears someone enter the adjoining box, then silence.
After two minutes the priest knocks on the adjacent box, but still no response.
A further minute, then he knocks again, more urgently.
''It's no good you knocking, mate, there's no bog roll in here either.''

 

[Welshman]

The best bit about that one is that he relayed it to the Bishop of Leeds when the latter phoned Barry asking for a joke in his Easter sermon!

I'd love to get hold of a transcript of Nick Baines' sermon if he managed to get that one in to it

 

[DelW]

Made me very sad seeing the clips of ISIHAC on the TV. Humph, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton. There's only Grame Garden left, and Samantha of course!

Don't forget Sven, who seems to alternate with Samantha.

 

[DunsBus]

I'd love to get hold of a transcript of Nick Baines' sermon if he managed to get that one in to it

According to Barry's son, he was cracking that Archbishop of Canterbury joke to the nurses in hospital!

Like another much-missed genius, Bob Monkhouse, Barry had a razor-sharp wit and a joke for every occasion. Denis Norden - who like Barry was an expert on comedy and also a noted gag-writer - said that, in the scriptwriting business, you were asked how soon you could provide a script and the answer was "do you want it good, or do you want it Tuesday?”. He said that, with Barry, it was always a case of you got it good and you got it Tuesday. We'll certainly never see his like again.

 

[tbtc]

Then the woman’s husband walks in, and the parrot says ”Oh hello Keith!”

The great thing about Cryer is that (as well as being a wonderful comedian) he was very interested in *why* some jokes worked and happy to discuss the anatomy of them - I'm sure I heard him directing that parrot joke and why "Keith" was funnier than "Dave" or "Trevor", the little details like that which elevate some jokes above others - so he'd tell a good joke, tell it well, but then also be happy to let daylight in upon the magic and generously discuss the tactics with other comedians

A real loss

 

[Busaholic]

The great thing about Cryer is that (as well as being a wonderful comedian) he was very interested in *why* some jokes worked and happy to discuss the anatomy of them - I'm sure I heard him directing that parrot joke and why "Keith" was funnier than "Dave" or "Trevor", the little details like that which elevate some jokes above others - so he'd tell a good joke, tell it well, but then also be happy to let daylight in upon the magic and generously discuss the tactics with other comedians

A real loss

Heard him tell that joke five times, I think, and yes it was always 'Keith.' I found that especially funny because I had a very boring, but enthusiastic, accountant of that name for thirty years who was later found to be a 'swinger'!

Someone, could have been Rory Bremner, said today that Cryer didn't regard himself as a comedian, and perhaps what did distinguish him from most of them was that he was totally unneurotic. The more I think about it, I'm sure that's spot on.

If anyone is interested, the joke that Barry told that he was most proud of, according to one newspaper obituary today, hasn't been quoted here yet and I'm happy to relay it on request. It's one I already knew, and it's a real corker.

 

[bspahh]

Heard him tell that joke five times, I think, and yes it was always 'Keith.' I found that especially funny because I had a very boring, but enthusiastic, accountant of that name for thirty years who was later found to be a 'swinger'!

Keith being a funny name came up in one of his podcast episodes.

Jon Naismith has used this joke in his warm ups for I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and The Unbelieveable Truth for a few years now.

He was also on the My Time Capsule podcast where it ended up being split into two parts:

Ep. 104 - Barry Cryer - Part 1 | My Time Capsule

Barry Cryer is perhaps best known as a panelist on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue on BBC Radio 4 but his career is so much more than that. Amongst other things, too many to mention, he has written for The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper...

shows.acast.com

Ep. 104 - Barry Cryer - Part 2 | My Time Capsule

Barry Cryer is perhaps best known as a panelist on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue on BBC Radio 4 but his career is so much more than that. Amongst other things, too many to mention, he has written for The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper...

shows.acast.com

I saw Barry Cryer for 13 recordings of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, one of You'll Have Had Your Tea, and at this Barry Cryer at 80 show:

 

[davehsug]

Don't forget Sven, who seems to alternate with Samantha.

Indeed bur Sven isn't an "original". Sadly I'm old enough to have listened from the very first series! I did forget Colin Searle though, thanks to an earlier porster for reminfding me.

 

[Busaholic]

Indeed bur Sven isn't an "original". Sadly I'm old enough to have listened from the very first series! I did forget Colin Searle though, thanks to an earlier porster for reminfding me.

Colin Sell, I think you'll find.

 

[bspahh]

Indeed bur Sven isn't an "original". Sadly I'm old enough to have listened from the very first series! I did forget Colin Searle though, thanks to an earlier poster for reminding me.

The episode guides at http://www.g0akh.f2s.com/isihac/SeriesInfo.php say that as scorer, Samantha first appeared in 1985, Monica in 1987 and Sven in 1991. Colin Sell had been there since 1975.

I only started listening to them a lot from the late 90s, but I've got MP3 files for most episodes (548 to date).

I listened to the ones through to the 1990s in date order. Some bits of the early episodes were a bit of a struggle, but others still worked fine. One song to the tune of another doesn't really work if you don't know either of the songs.

 

[Gloster]

Had it been on the show there would been a comment from Humph on the lines of, “Well, everybody forgets Colin Sell...or at least tries to.”