Kenneth Williams died from an overdose of barbiturates on 14th April 1988. Heroes of Comedy s5e1: Kenneth Williams
Upon his death in 1997 Russell Davies took on the massive task of editing his diaries and letters for publication. ibid.
After Share My Lettuce Kenneth starred in Pieces of Eight with Fenella Fielding and One Over Eight with Lance Percival. ibid.
Kenneth starred in 25 of the 30 Carry On films, more than any other member of the team. ibid.
Between 1971 and 1985 Johnnie Hamp produced ten series of The Comedians for Granada Television. Heroes of Comedy s5e2: Bernard Manning
Bernard John Manning was born in Ancoats, Manchester on 13 August 1930. ibid.
Bernard is a rare recipient of two silver hearts for charitable services from the Variety Club of Great Britain. ibid.
[Rory Bremner]: Mike Yarwood absolutely dominated the 70s. Heroes of Comedy s5e4: Mike Yarwood
He did the real apprenticeship – the pubs and the clubs. ibid. Mike Yarwood
Sid eventually became a stalwart of the post-war British film industry and starred or featured in no less than 113 movies. Heroes of Comedy s6e2: Sid James
The first radio series of Hancock’s Half Hour also featured Bill Kerr and Moira Lister. ibid.
Citizen James, by Alan Simpson and Ray Galton, reunited Sid with Bill Kerr, his colleague from Hancock days. ibid.
George and the Dragon was the first of several series written and created for Sid by Vince Powell and Harry Driver. ibid.
Sid’s Carry On career extended from Carry On Constable in 1960 to Carry on Dick in 1974. ibid.
Spike, the son of an army NCO from Southern Ireland, was born in India on 16th April 1918. Heroes of Comedy s6e3: Spike Milligan
Spike’s World War II memoirs have been acclaimed as one of the most vivid accounts of that conflict. ibid.
The Goon Show, starring Spike, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers was first broadcast on 28th May 1951 and ran on BBC Radio until 1960. Michael Bentine, a founder member of the group, left after the second series. ibid.
Hattie was born Josephine Edwina Jacques in Sandgate Kent on 7th February 1922. Heroes of Comedy s6e4: Hattie Jacques
Hattie joined the company of the Players Theatre shortly after World War II. ibid.
Hattie joined Hancock’s Half Hour as Hancock’s secretary Miss Grizelda Pugh during the fourth series in 1956. ibid.
Hattie’s television partnership with Eric Sykes ran for sixteen series between 1960 and her death. ibid.
Hattie died of a heart attack on 6 October 1980. ibid.
[John Lithgow]: A style that I can’t really compare to anybody else. Heroes of Comedy s6e5: Ronnie Corbett
I was in drag very early, and that was a turning point. ibid. Ronnie
He was from a variety background. ibid. Ronnie Barker
You’ve heard of the Great Wall of China: that was my grandfather. Heroes of Comedy s7e1: Max Wall
This performance of Max’s one-man show was recorded at the Greenwich Theatre, the scene of many of his later triumphs. ibid.
Max was a featured attraction on Larry Adler’s Road Show in Variety in the thirties. ibid.
‘At the age of six I lost both my parents. Yes. What a card game that was.’ ibid. Max Wall, An Evening With Max Wall
‘I enjoy my act more than anyone.’ ibid. Max Wall
The Pyjama Game ran for 578 performances at the London Coliseum between 1955 and 1957. ibid.
‘I can think of twelve to fourteen woman tearing their hair out to get to know me ... Who wants to go out with bald-headed women?’ ibid. Max
‘I’m dead behind these eyes.’ ibid. Max on stage
‘I’m very well known in the field of classical music. I’m also well known in the field behind the gas-works. But my visits there get fewer.’ ibid.
Comedy is learning to be funny, and you learn to be funny in small rooms with young audiences. Joan Rivers
My routines come out of total unhappiness. My audiences are my group therapy. Joan Rivers
What are people going to do? Fire me? I’ve been fired before. Not book me? I’ve been out of work before. I don’t care. Joan Rivers
Forty years in the fucking business and this is where you end up. Joan Rivers, A Piece of Work, 2010
Anybody call? No! ibid. Joan with secretary
Staff, I’m lonely. Who’s gonna fuck me tonight, staff? ibid.
No man has ever put his hand up a woman’s dress looking for a library card. ibid. Johnny Carson show
Fox Fires Joan Rivers. ibid. magazine article
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the best act in her price range … Joan Rivers, Don’t Start With Me, backstage self-introduction, Netflix 2012
$35 million dollars? I wish I had a son. Come on, one night with Michael. ibid.
It was so horrible: we swam with sharks. $250 to swim with a fucking shark. I went over to the fattest woman I could find, and I said, I hope you have your period. ibid.
The Chinese brought two things to this country. They brought the railroads and they brought anal sex. Oh, sidebar, sidebar – don’t you love anal sex? Can we talk here. Oh for a busy woman I mean multi-tasking at its finest, it’s so great, you can have him fucking you away – and you can do your internet: you can answer all your email. And now that you can get Netflix – oh! Take your time. ibid.
Thin people, get the fuck out. I hate you. I hate thin people – does this tampon make me look heavy? And you know who you are – your fingers smell of vomit. ibid.
Don’t swallow sperm. 148 calories a swallow – New York Times. Or if you go on Weight Watchers – two points. ibid.
They have the best giftshop at Auschwitz. They have, here it comes, yes, yes, smoked ham, a Hitler watch – they hands when they get to noon – Heil! – And they have a pen – watch the Jews go in the over, watch the Jews comes out of the over – too much? Then I won’t tell you my Whitney Houston joke. ibid.
36-hour erections and these poor old dried out old wives, and these guys on top of them – in and out, in and out, in and out – they’re gonna catch them on fire! Yes! That’s what happened two years ago in Malibu. ibid.
‘So here she is and I know you’ll enjoy her – Joan Rivers.’ Joan Rivers: Queen of Controversy, Ed Sullivan
‘How to you describe my mom? Wow.’ ibid. Melissa, daughter
By the end of the ’60s she was a regular on the biggest variety shows of the era, including the hugely popular Ed Sullivan Show. ibid.
By the mid-’80s Joan was one of most in-demand comedians on the planet. Her grit and determination in such a tough male-dominated industry had paid off. ibid.
Shocking America with her caustic, self-deprecating humour. ibid.
And when it did come out, the biggest celebrities of the day would feel the full force of her brutally funny put-downs. ibid.
Over the course of 21 years she had appeared on the Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show a staggering 288 times. ibid.
Joan Rivers was the undisputed queen of stand-up comedy, renowned for her unique brand of fast talking and sexually charged wit she was a fixture on stage and television for five decades. Autopsy: The Last Hours of … s5e3: Joan Rivers, Channel 5 2016
Even in her 80s Joan was connecting to a much younger audience with her show Fashion Police. ibid.
Following an earlier simple exploratory examination of her throat, Joan Rivers was pronouced dead. ibid.
Joan became a pioneer for female comedians. ibid.
Joan hasn’t given written consent to this new procedure. ibid.
‘This is putting a big strain on the heart of an elderly lady.’ ibid. pathologist
On August 11th 2014 Robin Williams was found dead in a bedroom of his home. Autopsy: The Last Hours Of … s4e1: Robin Williams, Channel 5 2015
His moods had been controlled by a variety of prescription drugs. ibid.
Robin Williams lived with Parkinson’s Disease for many years. ibid.
Robin Williams was suffering from undiagnosed dementia. ibid.
John Belushi was a comedy genius. The grossout characters he created in Animal House and The Blues Brothers were iconic. But on March 5th 1982 John Belushi was found dead. Autopsy: The Last Hours Of … s6e2: John Beliushi
‘His obesity is a stresser on his heart … John Belushi has lung disease … an enlarged heart … ’ ibid. pathologist
John was in grave danger of cardiac arrest. ibid.
He wakes up coughing blood … Belushi is battling a serious cocaine habit. ibid.
A 4-day drug binge that would result in Belushi’s death. ibid.
‘Puncture wounds in both arms … He had a morphine level of 2.1 mg %.’ ibid. pathologist