Tony Hendra obit

Tony Hendra, satirist and 'This is Spinal Tap' star, dies at 79

 

He was not on the list.

Tony Hendra, the humorist who starred as the inept manager in This Is Spinal Tap, has died at the age of 79.

His wife Carla Hendra confirmed to The New York Times the cause of death was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which he had been diagnosed with in 2019.

Hendra attended Cambridge University and by 1961 was part of the famous Cambridge Footlights theatrical group along with a cast including future Monty Python stars John Cleese and Graham Chapman.

He and comedy partner Nick Ullett headed to the US in the 60s and worked together on the comedy circuit for a number of years before Hendra left the partnership to begin writing for humour magazine National Lampoon.

Hendra was named the managing editor in 1971, establishing himself in America's satire scene. He produced, directed and co-wrote National Lampoon's Lemming, a revue that became an Off-Broadway hit.

Chevy Chase and John Belushi were among the cast along with Christopher Guest, who would later cast him as the blundering Spinal Tap manager Ian Faith in the famous 1984 mockumentary.

Hendra's writing included best-selling book, Father Joe: The Man Who Saved My Soul, which explored his lifelong bond with a Benedictine monk. However, in the wake of its release his daughter Jessica from his first marriage alleged he had sexually abused her as a child.

She went on to publish her own memoir How to Cook Your Daughter in 2005 where she recounted the alleged abuse. Hendra denied the accusations.

He is survived by Jessica and his four other children.

Tributes have seen Hendra remembered by This Is Spinal Tap's director Rob Reiner.

He tweeted: "Tony Hendra who played Spinal Tap’s manager, Ian, has sadly passed away. A brilliant satirist who when learning that the band’s Boston gig had been canceled, told them not to worry that Boston wasn’t a big college town. R.I.P."

Meanwhile Michael McKean, who played lead vocalist David St. Hubbins in the fictional band, simply shared: "RIP Tony Hendra."

In 1984, Hendra co-created, co-wrote, and co-produced the British television satirical show Spitting Image, for which he, Jon Blair, and John Lloyd were nominated for a British Academy Award in 1985. He was ousted from the production after the first six shows, being replaced by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. He played Ian Faith in This Is Spinal Tap.

He appeared in several other films and television programs, including Miami Vice, The Cosby Mysteries, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 1997, Hendra and director Ron Shelton wrote The Great White Hype, a satire of racism in boxing, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Berg. He co-conceived and wrote the English dubs of three of the films created by Belgian animator Picha, including The Missing Link (1980), The Big Bang (1987), and Snow White: The Sequel (2007).