Les Dennis

[Tony Tony Tony]

Watching CaB fave Richard Herring

Spoiler alert

finally get his trophy

[close]

on Pointless yesterday it struck me how much Les Dennis' fortunes have changed. He always seemed the weaker one of the double act with Dustin Gee whose untimely death cut that career path short. I always thought his work on Family Fortunes was solid but not especially funny. His real low seemed to be when Amanda Holden left him though he turned his sad sack persona to good effect in Celeb Big Brother. Reckon his Renaissance was boosted by his game performance in Extras and he seems to have risen from the ashes ever since. Maybe it's about time he was recognised as a national treasure and gets a high profile TV slot.... but my question is just where does he go?

[DrGreggles]

I saw him in a play in Edinburgh a few years ago and he was really good.
I got to chat to him for a few minutes in the bar afterwards and he's the nicest man in the world.

Maybe he's doing a 'Matthew Kelly' and will tread the boards for equity minimum as a labour of love, knowing all that Saturday night telly money is in the bank.

[petril]

yeah, he's like the 90s comedians' punchline celebrity, but he slowly, quietly just turned it round

sort of like Rod Hull without the obvious structure of doing a running gag all series but paying him to come on in the last episode and dish out a thoughtful, intelligent comeuppance


I never call it anything other than Fortune of Family now

[Malcy]

He done an episode of Moving On in the series that's just been on. Was quite good. Should still be on iPlayer.

[Gulftastic]

He was shaping up to be decent Corrie character until they wasted him for the sake of the Phelen bullshit.

[Tony Tony Tony]

Maybe he's doing a 'Matthew Kelly' and will tread the boards for equity minimum as a labour of love, knowing all that Saturday night telly money is in the bank.

It was mentioned on Pointless that he was performing at the RSC a while ago so that's a good shout. Didn't see it so was he any good? Well "I don't really know Rita" which brings us back to Corrie.

[idunnosomename]

Always think of him as "the French fire engine" which isn't a bad legacy I suppose.

[g0m]

Les Dennis is french for The Dennises

[Glebe]

Dustin Gee doing best impression ever by merely pulling a face with a hat and cig.

[Ignatius_S]

Saw Dennis, in the one-man play, Jigsy by Tony Staveacre about a decade ago and he was fantastic in it. In fact, had it not been the last night, we would have gone back to see it again the next day.

Last year, for lockdown, he recorded an abridged version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTOT01mKLqk

When I saw the film, Intimate Relations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimate_Relations_(1996_film)), thought Dennis was good in a (small) supporting role and see that  AmandaHolden was also in the cast. I would like to see it again, but from what I recall, the film's shift from farcical black comedy to a dark drama didn't really work.

Dennis has done a lot of stage work and been in the London cast of shows like Chicago and various touring productions of ones such as Hairspray, which I suspect have been a nice earner.

[Ignatius_S]

Watching CaB fave Richard Herring

Spoiler alert

finally get his trophy

[close]

on Pointless yesterday it struck me how much Les Dennis' fortunes have changed. He always seemed the weaker one of the double act with Dustin Gee whose untimely death cut that career path short. I always thought his work on Family Fortunes was solid but not especially funny. His real low seemed to be when Amanda Holden left him though he turned his sad sack persona to good effect in Celeb Big Brother. Reckon his Renaissance was boosted by his game performance in Extras and he seems to have risen from the ashes ever since. Maybe it's about time he was recognised as a national treasure and gets a high profile TV slot.... but my question is just where does he go?

I think Dennis has said it was really through Celebrity BB that he got the Extras gig and I think you've made a good point about that impact. I certainly know quite a few people who when mentioning about a celeb guest in the series being good, who automatically mention Dennis - also, with Life's Too Short, most people who I know who saw it, loved the trinity of Chegwin, Williamson and Dennis.

Gervais is very positive about the people he works with in interviews. I remember a RT interview with Gervais and the interviewer made a comment about Williamson must have been grateful for the work on Extras and Gervais wasn't having any of it, pointing out how busy he was/is and that they were lucky to get him. I suspect that positivity when talking about actors in that way, doesn't hurt someone's image.

[Ignatius_S]

Dustin Gee doing best impression ever by merely pulling a face with a hat and cig.

Who needs the voice with an impression that good?

[DrGreggles]

Saw Dennis, in the one-man play, Jigsy by Tony Staveacre about a decade ago and he was fantastic in it.

That was it!

[Ignatius_S]

That was it!

Ah, I wondered if that was the one you were talking about and meant to ask!

[DrGreggles]

Couldn't remember the name of it.
Kept thinking it was called 'Limmy', then realised that was probably wrong.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Dustin Gee doing best impression ever by merely pulling a face with a hat and cig.

Gee whizz! I remember seeing that at the time and being blown away by it. I still feel the same way, it's incredible.

[Glebe]

Who needs the voice with an impression that good?

Gee whizz! I remember seeing that at the time and being blown away by it. I still feel the same way, it's incredible.

Obviously a talented bloke... think I saw this when it went out as a young 'un meself.

[Cuellar]

I found myself thinking fondly of Les Dennis just the other day and it took me slightly by surprise.

[Shaky]

I found myself thinking fondly of Les Dennis just the other day and it took me slightly by surprise.

I read his wikipedia page again and felt a weird sense of pride that he's done so much frequent, varied in recent years.

[banana]

This Dennis / Kelly talk reminded me of this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD85YLJ2TTo

I remembered it in my head with Kelly coming off better and less performative but I watched it at the time, but it's still interesting, pulling someone up on something on (possibly) live TV must have been quite a risk / interesting at the time and it's almost more special with the mangled quality

This is re: Skinner basically calling Kelly a child molester and Kelly confronting him about it in an acceptable 90's showbiz manner.

At the time I remember thinking Kelly was very awesome for basically making Skinner eat his own sick on TV.

[thr0b]

This Dennis / Kelly talk reminded me of this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD85YLJ2TTo

I remembered it in my head with Kelly coming off better and less performative but I watched it at the time, but it's still interesting, pulling someone up on something on (possibly) live TV must have been quite a risk / interesting at the time and it's almost more special with the mangled quality

This is re: Skinner basically calling Kelly a child molester and Kelly confronting him about it in an acceptable 90's showbiz manner.

At the time I remember thinking Kelly was very awesome for basically making Skinner eat his own sick on TV.

It's one of my favourite chat show interviews ever. I think both come off well.

Kelly justifiably angry, Skinner standing his ground and pointing out it was his job to make jokes about things in the news.

[The Culture Bunker]

Main memories of Dennis when I was a kid in the 80s would have been in the Russ Abbott show (I think?) and hosting Family Fortunes, which was always a favourite in his house.

Enjoyed his appearance in 'The Club' on Vic and Bob's 'Bang Bang' series, being the target of lust from Chris' fat mam.