Ronnie Barker and Amazing Fellow
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This book was absolutly amazing i personally think Ronnie Barker was an amazing guy and i have done numerous tributes to Ronnie Barker on stage in front of as many as 1500 people and each of them loved the comedy and Ronnie Barker!
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"A Play What I Wrote"
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"A Play What I Wrote" -- the catchphrase of the late Ernie Wise of that wonderful double act -- Morecambe & Wise. But I don't think that Ernie ever wrote a play or sketch.
However Ronnie Barker of that other celebrated and highly popular double act - The Two Ronnies - has written a couple of plays. And since the 1960s he has written hundreds of monologues and sketches, totting up some half a million words.
In his book "ALL I EVER WROTE" are, word for word, almost all the scripts that Ronnie wrote. Regrettably copies of some of his early writings were not saved at the time and have been lost forever. What remains is delightful and thoroughly enjoyable and amusing. Most were televised and whilst reading those that we have seen on the small screen they can quickly and easily provide us with a mental picture in our minds.
The quiet, unassuming Ronnie Barker was able to perform the dozens of parts for us by slipping into the characters not only in his ability to change his voice and dialects but also with the remarkable changes of appearance, so that sometimes we needed to look carfefully and closely to be sure it was him.
Buy the book, settle down in a quiet corner and be prepared for an enjoyable time reading and visualising these fascinating and humourous writings.
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The perfect record of a comic genius
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Ronnie Barker is a national treasure. No question. From the bumbling Granville in "Open All Hours", via the wise-cracking Fletcher in "Porridge" to larger half of his classic double act with Ronnie Corbett, this man oozed comedy. Not only was he one of the most talented character actors of his generation but his abilty to write comedy was also extraordinary. This book does exactly what it says on the cover: contains all Barker's scripts from his long career in television and they make joyous reading. Okay, some of the jokes are predictable and yes, some of the situations do seem particularly dated but everything is written with such verve and good feeling that you are willing to forgive these minor quibbles. This is an innocent kind of comedy, a comedy from a better time, life affirming and brilliant. So whatever you think of the current crop of comedians, spend a few hours in the company of Ronnie Barker and learn how it should be done. Four candles? No, fork handles!
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Wide-ranging, subtle, vulgar and hugely enjoyable collection
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I was lucky enough to obtain a signed copy of this book by my comedy hero; Ronnie Barkers' work on screen was inventive, nostalgic, satirical, wistful and saucy but never cruel or obscene. Most of this book is taken up with material from the hugely successful BBC series "The Two Ronnies" penned by Ronnie under a pseudonym. It features sketches and songs, Two Ronnies serials like "The Phantom raspberry blower" and the wonderful "Piggy Malone and Charlie Farley", as well as the scripts for the marvellous lost silent films "The Picnic" and "By the Sea" (with Ronnie Corbett) as well as the earlier masterpiece "Futtocks End". I can't recommend this book highly enough. Genius. Review by Ian Stephens
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The definitive work from one of the greats of British Comedy
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An excellent book which contains everything Ronnie Barker wrote, from most of the Two Ronnies sketches to his sit-coms and early performances. If you can't find a Two Ronnies video (as there arn't any - a serious crime on the part of the BBC) then get this book! It is wordplay at it's finest. It's so big that there is even a picture of Ronnie on the side beaming out to brighten up your bookshelf - what more do you want?
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