According to CBC Newsworld, Ronnie Barker died earlier this week. He was 76. The Two Ronnies was a favorite show of mine from the late 70s and its one I wish somebody would rerun as its been forever since I’ve seen it.
Barker specialized in tongue twisting sentences and a fast delivery that was hilarious, while co star Ronnie Corbet sat in a chair and told the most long winded jokes with groaner punch lines. The show opened and closed with a fake “news” segment, and there was some sort of song and dance sequence – usually a parady of some classical work (my favorite was Carmen done with cockney accents).
Everybody goes on and on about Monty Python, but I think the Two Ronnies was consistantly better and if it was rerun I could see if they hold up better as well.
Bruce
Sure, I like Monty Python, but I was also a big fan of the two ronnies. I’ve haven’t seen them in forever.
A couple of my favourite skits were the one where they explain in advance that during the next skit, anytime they would say a number, the would add one to it, and say that. This was a classic Barker type skit. My favourite line from that skit was when somone said “Elevenis Anytwo”. I still walk around saying that line. Just ask my wife. I also like their musical number for Lily The Pink.
Here’s a story, a little bit gory,
A little bit happy, a little bit sad,
Of Lily the Pink and her medicinal compound,
And how it slowly drove her to the bad.
Meet Ebenezer, thought he was Julius Caesar.
So they put him in a home.
And then they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he’s Emporer of Rome.
We’ll drink a drink a drink
To Lily the pink the pink the pink
The savior of [the savior of] the human race.
She invented medicinal compound.
Most efficacious in every case.
Meet Johnny Hammer had a t-t-terrible s-s-stammer.
He could b-barely say a word.
So they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he’s seen, but never heard.
And Freddie Clinger, the opera singer,
Who could break glasses with his voice they said.
So on his tonsils he rubbed medicinal compound,
And now they break glasses over his head.
And Mr. Frears, who had sticky out ears.
And it made him awful shy.
So they gave him medicinal compound,
And now he’s learning how to fly.
And Uncle Paul, he was very small. He
Was the shortest man in town.
So on his body he rubbed medicinal compound,
And now he’s six foot, but it’s underground.
Lily died and went up to heaven.
Oh, the church bells they did ring.
She took with her medicinal compound.
Hark the herald angels sing.