Rik Mayall
Richard Michael Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English comedian, actor and writer. He formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and was a pioneer of alternative comedy in the 1980s.
| Rik Mayall | |
|---|---|
Mayall in 1999 | |
| Birth name | Richard Michael Mayall |
| Born | 7 March 1958 Matching Tye, Essex, England |
| Died | 9 June 2014 (aged 56) London, England |
| Resting place | Pasture Farm, East Allington, Devon |
| Medium | Film, stand-up, television |
| Education | King's School, Worcester |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Years active | 1978–2014 |
| Genres | Alternative comedy, dark comedy, character comedy, physical comedy, surreal humour |
| Spouse |
Barbara Robbin (m. 1985) |
| Children | 3 |
Mayall starred in numerous successful comedy series throughout his career, including The Young Ones (1982–1984), The Comic Strip Presents... (1983–2012), Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987), The New Statesman (1987–1994), Bottom (1991–1995), and Believe Nothing (2003). He also starred in the comedy films Drop Dead Fred (1991) and Guest House Paradiso (1999). Mayall won a Primetime Emmy Award for his voiceover performance as Mr. Toad in TVC London's 1996 animated movie The Willows in Winter (a sequel to TVC's 1995 production of The Wind in the Willows, where Mayall also played Toad). His comedic style was described as energetic "post-punk".
Mayall died of a heart attack at his home in London on 9 June 2014 at the age of 56. BBC Television director Danny Cohen praised him as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars.