Comedy legend Ronnie Barker dies

British comedy actor Ronnie Barker, known for his television work in Porridge, The Two Ronnies, Open All Hours, The Frost Report and the double Golden Globe winning "The Gathering Storm" has died aged 76.



One of the most loved and respected performers of his generation, he was best known as one half of the double act with Ronnie Corbett.

But he also proved himself as an outstanding sitcom actor and script writer, winning four British Academy TV awards.

His agent said: "He died yesterday after a long period of heart trouble.

"He died peacefully and his wife was with him."

He leaves a wife, Joy, and three children, actress Charlotte Barker, the actor Adam Barker and Larry Barker.

Last year Barker was awarded a lifetime achievement Bafta for his TV work and was honoured by a raft of contemporary comedians.

That led to a return for The Two Ronnies on BBC One, 34 years after the show first appeared on TV screens and 17 years after he first retired from showbusiness.

He starred in two of the most popular sitcoms in BBC history - Porridge and Open All Hours, creating two classic characters, the laconic inmate Fletcher and the stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright.

Barker also delivered a number of dramatic performances, most recently as Winston Churchill's manservant in the award-winning TV film The Gathering Storm and in HBO film My House in Umbria.

At the peak of his career Barker, along with his diminutive cohort Corbett, entertained 17 million people every Saturday night.

The Two Ronnies ran for 15 years and delivered comic sketches, funny songs and old-fashioned tall tales and made great play of the little and large relationship between the two comedians.

"He was also a generous performer and an object lesson to a lot of people who seek the limelight with half his talent," said TV Host Michael Parkinson.

Paying tribute Michael Hurll, producer of The Two Ronnies, said: "We will never see his like again. You felt safe with him. The whole family could watch him."

He said the comedian, actor and writer delivered "laughs, big laughs, and laughs that you will always remember".

The BBC head of comedy Jon Plowman said Barker was "just a genius".

"He had an everyman quality and he loved words. He was an extraordinary guy and an encourager as well as a brilliant performer and writer."

Writer Barry Cryer, who had known Barker for 40 years, said: "He was a one-off. I put him in the same league as Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers."

In an interview with the BBC looking back on his career, Barker once said: "I would like to be remembered as one of the funniest men people have seen on TV."

Last of the big spenders

I've upgraded to a paid account, so now I can do all sorts of cool stuff like... um... well, I get more icons for one.

Apparently the chibi Jono icon was claimed someone else's, so I doubt I'll use that now. Sorry for deleting the comments of the person that pointed that out, but there's a time and a place for everything and bleating about icons in an entry about a death I was particularly moved by WAS NOT THE PLACE, no matter how many times you post the shitty comment.

So, time to create some new icons. Such as:



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And also...

A new look for my LJ...

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