Saddest Deaths In Comedy?

[oy vey]

I'd definitely class Ramis as a comedian - he wrote and acted in Second City sketches before moving onto films.

Works for me.

[phantom_power]

Harris Wittels

Yeah this one hit me pretty hard. I think it was because he was one of the first comedians I got to know through podcasts so a) none of my friends knew who he was and b) you got a sense of knowing him as a person from the podcasts. Because of that, I felt an odd sense of him being someone I knew rather than just a distant celebrity

Another vote for Rik obviously. I think the only one that could hit me as hard is when Bob goes (a long time from now obv)

[sponk]

I've not heard much of her stuff but Debbie Barham went in a horrible way, at such a young age too.

[Bad Ambassador]

If only Derek Jarman had cast him as Prospero in the Tempest, as originally planned, it might have began a resurgence of his career.

The sort-of happy ending is that Richard Briers organised a benefit concert that paid for him to be privately cared for for his remaining months.

[EOLAN]

Another one for Harris Wittels. Really struck me.

And if we are going for older comedians whose time was close anyway; I would have to go with Albert Einstein's brother Bob. Went down a wonderful wormhole of his podcast appearances and Super Dave bits; as well as sharing many of his best Curb Your Enthusiasm scenes with friends.

Although mentioning Bob Einstein in this; his father Harry (stage name Parkes) death at the Friars Club elicited a great bit by him about how annoying all the people were who said it was great he died that way. 

[wosl]

Barry Evans from Mind Your Language, Doctor At Large.

By the latter half of the 1980s, Evans youthful appearance was working against him, and he found it difficult to obtain mature acting roles in keeping with his age. By the mid–1990s Evans was working as a minicab driver in Leicestershire.

In February 1997, Barry Evans, 53, was found dead in his home by police. The police discovered Evans's body in his living room after going to the house to tell him they had recovered his stolen car which had been reported missing the day before. The cause of his death has never been confirmed. The Coroner found a blow to Evans's head and also found high levels of alcohol in his system. There was also a short written will found on a table next to his body and a spilt packet of aspirin (bearing a pre-decimalisation price tag indicating that the pack was at least 26 years old) was found on the floor, although the Coroner concluded that he had not taken any of these. An open verdict was eventually given. An 18-year-old man was arrested but later released without charge due to insufficient evidence. Evans was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.

Yeah, this one can really eat at you.  Recently visited his wiki and whatnot after getting hold of the BFI Flipside issue of Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (an archetypal Swinging Sixties coming-of-age romp based on Hunter Davies' book, with lots of established or soon-to-be established character actors over-egging their respective "'Ere, wot you talkin' baht?" or "Oh I say, rather" roles: Christopher Timothy, Diane Keen, Nicky Henson, Denholm Elliot; Evans, though, gives a really measured, natural performance).  The start of his life is as bleak as its end, being abandoned as a baby and brought up in orphanages.  There's a mad Barry Evans fan-created tribute site somewhere, which comprises little piles of rambling, tail-chasing stuff about his strife and times.  I found out from there that his last theatre performance was apparently on the stage of the long since razed Lichfield Civic Hall/Arts Centre, where I was once sent to attend a 'Job Club'; more associative desolation for me to have to shoulder on top of the other stuff.  RIP, Baz.

[Bennett Brauer]

Kenny Everett

These two clips were posted on Twitter today. What a lovely chap.  https://twitter.com/nathanturvey/status/1172536817029173250

[purlieu]

Rik is the only one whose death actually floored me. Linda Smith, Douglas Adams, Victoria Wood, Robin Williams all way before their time and sad indeed, but Rik - despite not having really produced anything worthwhile for several years - should have just been there forever. The aforementioned funeral image of Ade was really traumatic.

2point 4 Children does weird things to my brain, it's right in the sweet spot of the days when things seemed like they might end up being okay.

Yes, I suppose the 1990s is the biggest death in comedy and, probably, optimism. 2point4 Children's lack of existence on DVD (or even availability on torrent sites) is a crime. And yeah, Gary Olsen was great in everything I've ever seen him in.

I'm sure OFITG has a few. The bit in Timeless Time where there seem to be talking about their deceased son is a pretty sad one that can have a pretty big impact on how you choose to read Margaret and Victor.

Yeah, that's a beautifully understated moment. The blind guy who gets killed in Who Will Buy is incredibly tragic. And Victor's death still brings tears every time I watch it.

[Brundle-Fly]

Yeah, this one can really eat at you.  Recently visited his wiki and whatnot after getting hold of the BFI Flipside issue of Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (an archetypal Swinging Sixties coming-of-age romp based on Hunter Davies' book, with lots of established or soon-to-be established character actors over-egging their respective "'Ere, wot you talkin' baht?" or "Oh I say, rather" roles: Christopher Timothy, Diane Keen, Nicky Henson, Denholm Elliot; Evans, though, gives a really measured, natural performance).  The start of his life is as bleak as its end, being abandoned as a baby and brought up in orphanages.  There's a mad Barry Evans fan-created tribute site somewhere, which comprises little piles of rambling, tail-chasing stuff about his strife and times.  I found out from there that his last theatre performance was apparently on the stage of the long since razed Lichfield Civic Hall/Arts Centre, where I was once sent to attend a 'Job Club'; more associative desolation for me to have to shoulder on top of the other stuff.  RIP, Baz.

It's depressing how these once bright stars fade into obscurity and meet such grim fates. Some of Barry's peers all died of heart attacks comparatively young, Robin 'Doctor At Large' Nedwell a'la Rod Hull, fell off a ladder into a rosebush, suffered massive coronary age 53. Dino 'Mind Your Language' Shafeek keeled over before his upcoming wedding, age 53, even Richard 'Robin's Nest' O'Sullivan had three strokes at age 53, had to take early retirement and has lived in a care home since the mid-nineties.
As a man of a certain age myself, I'm going to have to watch the lager and bun intake now. And stay off of ladders.

[sponk]

Rik is the only one whose death actually floored me. Linda Smith, Douglas Adams, Victoria Wood, Robin Williams all way before their time and sad indeed, but Rik - despite not having really produced anything worthwhile for several years - should have just been there forever. The aforementioned funeral image of Ade was really traumatic.
Yes, I suppose the 1990s is the biggest death in comedy and, probably, optimism. 2point4 Children's lack of existence on DVD (or even availability on torrent sites) is a crime. And yeah, Gary Olsen was great in everything I've ever seen him in.
Yeah, that's a beautifully understated moment. The blind guy who gets killed in Who Will Buy is incredibly tragic. And Victor's death still brings tears every time I watch it.

Some episodes are on Dailymotion
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x597wah

[sponk]

https://www.dailymotion.com/search/2%20point%204%20children/videos

[sponk]

Graham Linehan

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I assume Bob Grant, from On the Buses, has been mentioned?  Can't be bothered to read all four pages right now.

[Cheesewogg]

Rik's death is an all time... but he was a changed performer after the quad bike accident.

And I have to admit, loving 'Bottom' as I do, I walked out of 'Hotel Paradiso' what shite it was.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I assume Bob Grant, from On the Buses, has been mentioned?  Can't be bothered to read all four pages right now.

Don't think it has been, but yeah, it's truly tragic stuff. I've read his wikipedia page before on his death, and just refreshed my memory now, and it really is shocking and saddening. Years of no acting work, debts and a succesful suicide attempt on the third go (the first one was as far back as 1987, when he travelled from his Leicestershire home to Birmingham ("I wanted to end it all, either by jumping in the River Liffey, or, ironically, under a bus").

I mean, I know "On The Buses" was a load of unfunny old shite, but come on.

[Jockice]

https://www.dailymotion.com/search/2%20point%204%20children/videos

I'd never seen this show in my life until around three weeks ago. It seemed okay actually.  Was it big when it was on? I can't remember anyone ever mentioning it.

[a duncandisorderly]

+1s:
shandling
hicks
williams,r.
mayall
smith, l.

[sponk]

I'd never seen this show in my life until around three weeks ago. It seemed okay actually.  Was it big when it was on? I can't remember anyone ever mentioning it.

"The show regularly picked up large audiences of up to 14 million in the early 1990s, with an average of between 6 and 9 million. The final episode was viewed by 9.03 million people.[2]"

And now if has 885 ratings on IMDB.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Gary Holton was a shame. Rewatching Auf Wiedersehn Pet the dedication on the last episode of series 2 is really depressing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai09ZUWHfMg

[mr. logic]

Phil Hartman, for the circumstances and the impact it had on The Simpsons.

[Brundle-Fly]

Michael Staniforth - Timothy Claypole from Rentaghost  One of the first celebrity AIDS casualties in 1987. He seemed like he had a lot more to offer but I suppose by dying when he did he avoided the inevitable ironic appearnces in reality shows and a cameo in a French & Saunders sketch parodying The Sixth Sense or something?

[MattD]

Robin Ince performing to a crowd.

[Bobtoo]

This at the end of the first post-Rik episode of Man Down got me.



I expected Rik's name to come up but I didn't realise he'd lost his dad in real life too.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Michael Staniforth - Timothy Claypole from Rentaghost  One of the first celebrity AIDS casualties in 1987. He seemed like he had a lot more to offer but I suppose by dying when he did he avoided the inevitable ironic appearnces in reality shows and a cameo in a French & Saunders sketch parodying The Sixth Sense or something?

I was shocked when I learnt he was supposed to have been in some gay porn flick.

[Brundle-Fly]

I was shocked when I learnt he was supposed to have been in some gay porn flick.

Rentaboy?

[Brundle-Fly]

Emma Chambers at 53 was a bit of a shock. What is it about that age?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Don't think it has been, but yeah, it's truly tragic stuff. I've read his wikipedia page before on his death, and just refreshed my memory now, and it really is shocking and saddening. Years of no acting work, debts and a succesful suicide attempt on the third go (the first one was as far back as 1987, when he travelled from his Leicestershire home to Birmingham ("I wanted to end it all, either by jumping in the River Liffey, or, ironically, under a bus").

I mean, I know "On The Buses" was a load of unfunny old shite, but come on.

Why the fuck did my dumbass tablet render Dublin as fucking Birmingham ?

[Phil_A]

Emma Chambers at 53 was a bit of a shock. What is it about that age?

Charlotte Coleman also, although worse in that case as she was only 33.

[Twed]

2point4 Children's lack of existence on DVD (or even availability on torrent sites) is a crime. And yeah, Gary Olsen was great in everything I've ever seen him in.

All of them are on TVChaos. I'm going to give them a good hard downloading.

[wosl]

Emma Chambers at 53 was a bit of a shock. What is it about that age?

Another of the It Ain't Half Hot team, Christopher Mitchell, who played 'Parky' (and who also appeared in Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush), also checked out at that age.