Rik Mayall obit

British comedian Rik Mayall dead at 56

He was not on the list.

Tributes are flowing in for much-loved British actor and comedian Rik Mayall, who died in London Monday at age 56.

Mayall, one of the leading lights of Britain's alternative comedy scene in the 1980s, is best known for starring roles in hit TV series "Blackadder," "The Young Ones," "The New Statesman" and "Bottom."

His agent, Kate Benson, of Brunskill Management, told CNN Mayall died suddenly Monday; she did not know the cause of his death.

Mayall first found widespread fame in student sitcom "The Young Ones," which ran for two years on the BBC, and was later shown on MTV in the United States.

The series, which he co-wrote, focused on the lives of four roommates at "Scumbag College." Mayall played politics-obsessed poet Rick alongside his long-term comedy partner Ade Edmondson as violent punk Vyvyan.

Edmondson led the tributes to Mayall Monday, telling Britain's Press Association news agency: "There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing.

"They were some of the most carefree, stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him. And now he's died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard."

Writer and comedian Ben Elton told the Press Association Mayall had "changed his life" by asking him to work on "The Young Ones." "He always made me cry with laughter, now he's just made me cry."

In cult favorite "Blackadder" -- also co-written by Elton -- Mayall was memorably cast in the guest role of the womanizing Lord Flashheart, who steals the anti-hero's fiancé from under his nose -- at the altar. His lines were regularly repeated in schoolyards and student pubs.

In the 1990s, he reunited with Edmondson for "Bottom," a slapstick-filled series about two unemployed flatmates who spend most of their time attacking each other violently with anything that comes to hand; the pair are reported to have come up with the idea for the show while starring in a production of Samuel Beckett's nihilistic "Waiting for Godot."

On Twitter, writer Hugo Rifkind suggested that fans of the show should pay homage to Mayall in true "Bottom" style: "Go home tonight, find someone you love, and hit them with a frying pan."

Mayall also branched out into movies, taking the lead role in 1991's "Drop Dead Fred," in which he played the imaginary friend of Phoebe Cates, returning years later to wreak havoc in the now grown-up Cates' life.

Mayall survived a near-fatal quad bike accident in 1998; he was in a coma for five days after the crash, on his farm in Devon, southwest England, and developed epilepsy as a result of the severe head injury he suffered when he was crushed under the bike.

In an interview several years later, he joked that he "beat Jesus" by coming back from the dead after so long. In 2006, he told Britain's Observer newspaper: "I was dead for five days. Jesus was only dead for three, so I beat him -- 17 April 1998 was the day I was sent back from heaven."

He said the accident left him "more aware of being alive."

House star Hugh Laurie, who worked with Mayall on "Blackadder," took to Twitter to recount a story about his co-star: "A young girl, stricken with terminal cancer, once asked Rik Mayall for an autograph. He wrote: 'Young Ones are never afraid.'"



Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

1981 Eye of the Needle Sailor on train

1981 An American Werewolf in London 2nd Chess Player

1981 Shock Treatment "Rest Home" Ricky

1981 The Orchard End Murder Policeman Uncredited

1981 Fundamental Frolics Himself


1982 "Northern lights "

1986 Whoops Apocalypse Specialist Catering Commander

1987 Eat the Rich Micky Feature film from The Comic Strip Presents...

1988 Managing Problem People. Behavioral skills for leaders Big Mouth Billie

1991 Little Noises Mathias

1991 Drop Dead Fred Drop Dead Fred

1991 The Princess and the Goblin Prince Froglip Voice, Dubbed voice for the 1992 English language version

1992 Carry On Columbus The Sultan

1993 The Thief and the Cobbler Brigand Voice

1994 Asterix Conquers America Cacofonix English version, Voice, Uncredited

1995 The Snow Queen The Robber King Voice

1995 The Wind in the Willows Mr. Toad Voice, TV movie

1996 The Willows in Winter Voice, TV movie, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance

1997 Remember Me? Ian

1997 Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis Marty Starr

1999 A Monkey's Tale Gerard the Gormless Voice, Dubbed voice for the 2000 English language version

1999 Guest House Paradiso Richard Twat

2000 Blackadder: Back & Forth Robin Hood Short, Commissioned especially for showing in the Millennium Dome

2000 Great Performances King Herod Episode: "Jesus Christ Superstar"

2000 Merlin: The Return Merlin

2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Peeves Cut from final edit of movie

2001 Kevin of the North (a.k.a. Chilly Dogs) Carter

2002 Day of the Sirens Domo Childs

2003 Chaos and Cadavers Lennox Crowly

2003 Sindy: The Fairy Princess Wizard Azbar Voice

2003 Oh Marbella! Greg Dubois

2003 Cold Dark Vet

2004 Churchill: The Hollywood Years Baxter

2005 Valiant Cufflingk Voice

2007 Snow White: The Sequel The Seven Dwarves Voice, English dub

2010 Just for the Record Andy Wiseman

2012 Eldorado Chef Mario

2012 Errors of the Human Body Samuel Mead

2014 One By One Ernest

2015 De ontsnapping ("The Escape") Landlord (Mayall died shortly after filming had finished), (final film role)


Television

Year Title Role Notes

1981 Wolcott PC Fell 1 series

A Kick Up the Eighties Kevin Turvey 1 series

Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind the Green Door Kevin Turvey

1982 Whoops Apocalypse Biff Episode: "Autumn Cannibalism"

1982–1984 The Young Ones Rick 2 series

1983 The Black Adder Mad Gerald Episode: "The Black Seal"

Note: Character of "Mad Gerald" is credited as playing himself

1983–2012 The Comic Strip Presents... Various roles Several episodes and specials (appears in 19 of the 41 episodes)

1982 Northern Lights Scottish Television play with Judy Parfitt and Annette Crosbie. First broadcast in May 1982[67]

1985 Happy Families Priest Episode: "Madeleine"

1986-1995 Jackanory Narrator Episodes: George's Marvellous Medicine & Jack and the Beanstalk (Christmas Special)

1986 Saturday Live Richard Dangerous Sketches featuring The Dangerous Brothers

1986 Blackadder II Lord Flashheart Episode: "Bells"

1986 Art of Noise: Peter Gunn Private eye Music video

1987 Filthy Rich & Catflap Gertrude "Richie" Rich 1 series

1987 Hardwicke House Lenny Episode 5, "The Old Boys". Guest appearance with Adrian Edmondson. Was due to be broadcast on 18 March 1987, but never shown. An outtake on YouTube was the only footage available to the public, until all episodes were uploaded to the site in 2019.

1987–1994 The New Statesman Alan Beresford B'Stard 4 series

1989 Blackadder Goes Forth Squadron Leader The Lord Flashheart Episode: "Private Plane"

1989–1991 Grim Tales The Storyteller 2 series

1991–1995 Bottom Richard "Richie" Richard 3 series, also co-creator with Ade Edmondson

1993-1995 Rik Mayall Presents:

Micky Love

Briefest Encounter

Dancing Queen

The Big One

Dirty Old Town

Clair De Lune Various roles Two series of three episodes

1995 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Tom Thumb Voice, Episode: "The Tale of Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town-Mouse"

1995 How to Be a Little Sod Little Sod Voice

1997 The Bill Patrick Massie

1997 The Canterville Ghost Reverend Dampier TV movie

1998 In the Red Dominic De'Ath

1998 Jonathan Creek Detective Inspector Gideon Pryke Episode: "Black Canary" (Christmas Special)

1998-2003 Jellikins Narrator Voice

1999 Watership Down Kehaar Voice, Series 1 and 2 (of 3) only

2001 Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes Lt. Daniel Blaney The White Knight Stratagem

2002 Believe Nothing Quadruple Professor Adonis Cnut 1 series

2004 Violent Nation Presenter All 3 episodes (Discovery Channel)

2005 All About George George Kinsey 1 series [68]

2004–2005 Shoebox Zoo Edwin the Eagle Voice, 2 series

2005–2006 King Arthur's Disasters King Arthur Voice

2006 SpongeBob SquarePants Lord Reginald Voice, Episode: "Chimps Ahoy"

2009 Agatha Christie's Marple Alec Nicholson Episode: "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?"

2009 Midsomer Murders David Roper Episode: "The Creeper"

2011-2013 Who Let The Dogs Out? Narrator Series 1–3

2013 Jonathan Creek Detective Inspector Gideon Pryke Episode: "The Clue Of The Savant's Thumb" (Easter Special)

2013 Man Down Dad

2013 Damo & Ivor Alistair

2014 Crackanory Story Teller

2014 Muriel & Floyd Fritz Voice, Episode: "Hell in the Pump"


Stage

Year Title Role Notes

1978 The Comedy of Errors Dromio of Syracuse Performed at the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford

1985 The Government Inspector Ivan Khlestakov Performed at the National Theatre in London

1988 The Common Pursuit Nick Finchling Performed at the Phoenix Theatre in London

1991 Waiting for Godot Vladimir Performed at the Queen's Theatre in London

1993 Bottom Live Richard "Richie" Richard Recorded at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton

1995 Cell Mates Blake Performed at the Albery Theatre in the West End

1995 Bottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour Richard "Richie" Richard Recorded at the New Theatre in Oxford

1997 Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island Richard "Richie" Richard Recorded at the Hippodrome in Bristol

2000 A Family Affair Henry Performed at the Theatre Royal, Brighton

2001 Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity Richard "Richie" Richard Recorded at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham

2003 Present Laughter Gary Essendine Performed at the Theatre Royal, Bath

2003 Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour Richard "Richie" Richard Recorded at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea

2006-2007 The New Statesman Alan B'Stard Performed at Trafalgar Studios, London