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Greatest one-off character in sitcom history

Started by Famous Mortimer, September 13, 2019, 12:54:24 PM

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Utter Shit

Quote from: Benjaminos on September 13, 2019, 03:56:49 PM
Mark Lamarr as the painted statue

"This time it looks like it's going to be custodial", perfect.

Sebastian Cobb

Also Perry Benson's weekend dad with the horse in his flat.


riderhood

Reg trotter - only fools...
Emma's dad - Royle family

madhair60



lipsink

Gary's father in Men Behaving Badly. "Hmm, that'll be nice."

The guy who played him (Richard Pearson) also played Victor's similarly annoying brother in One Foot in the Grave

wosl

Geoffrey Palmer's doctor in Fawlty Towers (The Kipper and The Corpse) is great - a character created in no small part you feel in order to see what sort of sparks occur when two temperamentally exactly matched, worn-down middle-aged fogey grumps come into dispute (especially like the confrontation during which Palmer's haughtily stinging "You mean to tell me you didn't know this man was dead?" gets instantly neutalised by Basil's identically-pitched whine of "Look, I'm just delivering a tray! If the guest isn't singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" I don't immediately think, "Oh there's another one snuffed it in the night.").

Tony Tony Tony

I would nominate Private Cheeseman from Dads Army after he appeared as a press photographer in Series 6(?). The name is almost Dickensian in its description of his character. Though he gets disqualified on account of coming back for a few episodes in the next series.

I did read somewhere that he was brought back to 'replace' Private Walker after the untimely demise of James Beck. I also read that he was dropped with no story line explanation due to him getting on the wrong side of Arthur Lowe by getting bigger laughs than Mainwaring largely by mugging up to the camera.

He did however appear in a single episode of Hi-De-Hi as Gladys Pugh's creepy half brother, Gareth... so does he get in on a separate ticket?   

earl_sleek

Frank's 'Pretty Woman' Roxy from Always Sunny - "ooh, this is tighter than dickskin!" Anyone that Dennis can find "unbearably crass," given the company he usually keeps is the Gang, is something special.

Quote from: NJ Uncut on September 13, 2019, 02:57:15 PM
Country Mac, although I see why he had to die.

Always Sunny has probably killed more great characters than most shows' have main characters.



greenman

Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. rare case of a regular cast member doing two(three if you include Simon Partridge) totally different but equally good Blackadder characters.

Captain Rum as well, arguably launched Baker's comedy career.

oy vey

Quote from: EOLAN on September 13, 2019, 01:17:32 PM
Fawlty Towers could be littered with them. Having watched from a very young age; it was always the older characters that I related to more. The uncle/aunty or grandfather types.

My top two would have to be:

Mr Hutchison: wonderfully played by Bernard Cribbins and instantly annoying, self-absorbed and patronising. A right twat to everyone but still something about Cribbins performance just elicits some joy and vulnerability in his character. (Note Mr Watt was a wonderful supporting one-off).  Would have viewed him as an uncle you meet every so often who really annoys your parents but I would have looked up to in fascination.

Mrs Richards: Probably has the unlikeablity of Mr Hutchison ratcheted up even more. Her banging her head after Fawlty's prank was a great moment and that stare she gives when the vase is dropped is just chilling. Joan Sanderson also is wonderful talking to herself when she is searching for her glasses. Definitely viewed as a gran-aunt that would give you a meagre sweet or 50p when you visit and make a big deal about it.

If watching Cribbins sloshing his ginger beer in that champagne ice bucket was the only comedic scene I was allowed to see for the rest of my life I could live with that.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Famous Mortimer on September 13, 2019, 12:54:24 PM
Thanks to TheBrownBottle, the first hat being thrown into the ring is Clinton Baptiste, the psychic from "Phoenix Nights". From "y'alright" to the nonce bit, he was absolutely fantastic. What say you? Let's talk one-off characters!

Oddly enough Alex Lowe has decided to take the character on tour this year - https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/tours/2019/clinton_baptiste_the_paranormalist_returns/

Rolf Lundgren

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on September 13, 2019, 06:24:16 PM
Oddly enough Alex Lowe has decided to take the character on tour this year - https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/tours/2019/clinton_baptiste_the_paranormalist_returns/

I saw him do about 20 mins as Clinton Baptiste a couple of years ago. It's a great act with a lot of audience interaction as you might expect.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: lipsink on September 13, 2019, 05:28:41 PM
Gary's father in Men Behaving Badly. "Hmm, that'll be nice."

The guy who played him (Richard Pearson) also played Victor's similarly annoying brother in One Foot in the Grave

There's probably a thread in people who only ever play annoying melts; Tony Gardner and Richard Kind spring to mind.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: earl_sleek on September 13, 2019, 06:03:39 PM
Frank's 'Pretty Woman' Roxy from Always Sunny - "ooh, this is tighter than dickskin!" Anyone that Dennis can find "unbearably crass," given the company he usually keeps is the Gang, is something special.

Always Sunny has probably killed more great characters than most shows' have main characters.

Also Roddy Piper turning up as 'The Maniac'.

rasta-spouse

Artie's son in Larry Sanders

Martin Short in Arrested Development (I think he was only in it once, maybe not though)


Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Rolf Lundgren on September 13, 2019, 06:36:22 PM
I saw him do about 20 mins as Clinton Baptiste a couple of years ago. It's a great act with a lot of audience interaction as you might expect.

That's good to hear, if I can afford it I might go and see him when he's in London in March then.

Cuellar

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on September 13, 2019, 07:03:19 PM
Also Roddy Piper turning up as 'The Maniac'.

The Maniac was great, but he came back and made a killing on their pyramid scheme didn't he?

Cuellar

Quote from: earl_sleek on September 13, 2019, 06:03:39 PM
Frank's 'Pretty Woman' Roxy from Always Sunny - "ooh, this is tighter than dickskin!" Anyone that Dennis can find "unbearably crass," given the company he usually keeps is the Gang, is something special.

Always Sunny has probably killed more great characters than most shows' have main characters.

I would have also nominated the guy who pretends to be Donovan McNabb, but he reappears in that Pretty Woman episode. Also being great.

Brundle-Fly

Roger, Phoebe's shrink boyfriend from Friends.

Roger when he first encounters Chandler: HA-HA HA-HA ha-ha ha-ha! You're...you're so funny.  *turns to Phoebe* He's really funny! *pause* Wouldn't wanna be there when the laughter stops...

https://friends.fandom.com/wiki/Roger


EbbyVale

Quote from: wosl on September 13, 2019, 05:30:31 PM
Geoffrey Palmer's doctor in Fawlty Towers (The Kipper and The Corpse) is great - a character created in no small part you feel in order to see what sort of sparks occur when two temperamentally exactly matched, worn-down middle-aged fogey grumps come into dispute (especially like the confrontation during which Palmer's haughtily stinging "You mean to tell me you didn't know this man was dead?" gets instantly neutalised by Basil's identically-pitched whine of "Look, I'm just delivering a tray! If the guest isn't singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" I don't immediately think, "Oh there's another one snuffed it in the night.").

See also the wonderful pre-deflated pomposity of "I'm a doctor and I want my sausages!"


neveragain

Quote from: Kalabi on September 13, 2019, 02:28:01 PM
Wasn't it his son?

Yes, my mistake. Shows how little I regard that episode. It's just such a shame to even mention the character again, since he's presented so perfectly in Homer's Enemy; jam-packed with great details like his second job at the foundry and that he had to teach himself to feel pain again after being blown up on his birthday.

PeterCornelius

Pat Mustard in Father Ted

"Don't worry Mrs Doyle, there's plenty more where THAT came from!"

Catalogue Trousers

The Witchsmeller Pursuivant from The Black Adder.

The Oggmonster in The Office. Great performance.

idunnosomename

Quote from: shh on September 14, 2019, 11:43:55 AM
The rt revd bishop of bath & wells

I mean it's a funny name and concept, but also raised by the performer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Lacey

Jockice

Quote from: thecuriousorange on September 15, 2019, 01:52:26 PM
The Oggmonster in The Office. Great performance.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I watched the whole first series of The Office last night. So I would like to nominate Rowan, the training day guy.

beanheadmcginty

The pissing donkey from One Foot in the Algarve.