It's Goodnight From Me,and It's Goodnight From Him

[Falchoon]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=65801

Comedian Ronnie Barker dead at 76

Tuesday Oct 4 19:38 AEST

British comedian Ronnie Barker, half of the famous duo The Two Ronnies and the indomitable Fletch in prison sitcom Porridge, has died aged 76.

A spokeswoman for The British Broadcasting Corporation said the portly star died peacefully on Monday in the presence of his wife.

He had a history of heart trouble.

Many paid tribute to one of Britain's best-loved comics, who was awarded an OBE in 1978 and a lifetime achievement BAFTA last year for his work in television.

"He was hugely talented and had a regard for the written word," said BBC presenter Michael Parkinson.

"He had a writer's judgment about what did and didn't work.

"He was not invented by television. He was the finished article when he appeared on television."

Michael Hurll, a producer on The Two Ronnies, said Barker's partnership with the diminutive Ronnie Corbett ranked alongside that of Morecambe and Wise in importance.

"I don't think we will see their like again," he told the BBC.

"Ronnie Barker meant to comedy in this country laughs, big laughs and laughs that you will always remember."

Ronald William George Barker was born in Bedford in 1929.

At one stage he considered becoming a bank manager, the kind of middle class, respectable profession he would later parody mercilessly in his sketches.

But he chose the theatre instead, appearing in plays and on the radio before breaking into television.

In 1971, he teamed up with Corbett for the first Two Ronnies series, a show which attracted 17 million viewers at its peak.

It ended with a gag that has become a national institution, with Corbett bidding the audience "goodnight from me", to which Barker would add "and it's goodnight from him".

Despite his success in Porridge and Open All Hours, in which he played the stuttering, lascivious shopkeeper Arkwright, Barker was never comfortable in the limelight and spent his retirement running an antique shop in rural England.

"He was very shy, a man uneasy with the fame that came with the job," said Parkinson.

[plonky]

That's a real bummer

The Two Ronnies was part of my evening entertainment when I was a young lad

That, along with the Dave Allan Show (you can get it on DVD now ) Frost and Parkinson.

I wish the ABC would how those good shows again...not that Lefty Australian Crap!!!!!

[dutchie]

Someone made a hole in the nudist camp wall..........

Police are still looking into it............

This one of many that I remember too from so long ago...........

I'm sure he is making them laugh wherever he is...........

Rest in peace.....

[Antisocial]

I always enjoyed him in "open all hours" too...

[JB]

Another quality entertainer Gone, and no-one good enough to follow in their shoes these days.

Coming from a british family I grew up on whatching these guys every week.

R.I.P

[F6 UTE]

..

[turb06]

Well the BBC could start a new series called the one Ronnie, but doubt it would have the same following.

Dazza.

[C.S.I]

Its a damn shame. Quality entertainers like these guys knew how to make you laugh, without resorting to the crap we see nowadays.

[ktford]

Good bye you funny bas*ard, Arkie Arkwright - share shore shopkeeper

[Redhawk]

Yep, sad, probably writing scripts up there with Eric Morcombe.

Fletcher was the best!