It's here! The Ben Elton FAQ!
Melinda Bob Casino
This is looooong.
BEN ELTON Frequently Asked Questions (v1.22)
============================================
Created and updated by Andrew Wong (ach...@bradford.ac.uk)
1. Who on earth is Ben Elton ?
>From the facing page of his new novel THIS OTHER EDEN....
"Ben Elton is one of Britain's best known stand-up comedians. He
writes his own material and is also a successful television
writer whose credits include THE YOUNG ONES and BLACKADDER. He
has also written two successful West End plays, GASPING and SILLY
COW. He hosted the TV series SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and is the
author of two novels, STARK and GRIDLOCK, both best-sellers. When
not touring, Ben Elton lives in London."
2. What about some biographical information ?
He was born on 3 May 1959, in Catford, London, United Kingdom.
He went to Manchester University (50 miles east of Liverpool) in
1977 to study for a degree in drama. Rik Mayall and Adrian
Edmondson were in their final year of the Drama degree when Ben
Elton arrived.
Upon graduation in 1980, he started on his career as a stand-up
comedian, and by early 1981 he had joined Rik Mayall and Adrian
Edmondson at the Comedy Store in Leicester Square, London. He
soon became one of the regular comperes. From here he launched
his writing career...
Ben Elton now spends quite a considerable amount of time in
Cottesloe, a cool beach-side suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
It's probably here where he writes most of his novels. He's on
Australian TV quite a lot, usually when a new book comes out!
(from _The Times_ 5 June 1990:)
"... Elton comes from a distinguished academic family: his
father, Lewis Elton, is a physicist and a professor at the
University of Surrey, and his uncle, Sir Geoffrey Elton, is a
professor at Cambridge.
His family came to England as refugees in 1938. His
grandfather, Dr Victor Ehrenberg, was a renowned classical
historian who lost his professorship at Prague when Hitler invaded.
His sons were advised to change their German-Jewish name on joining
the British army.
... His main extravagances are his frequent flights to
Australia to be with his girlfriend, Sophie, who plays the
saxophone in an all-girl group."
He is currently engaged to 25-year-old Sophie Gare, whom he met
while writing STARK. He's still lives in London, though is also
apparently living in Australia (traitor... :-))
He's a strong supporter of the Labour Party (left-wing) in the
United Kingdom, and accompanied Glenys Kinnock for a while during
the 1993 UK General Election campaign, where he visited a farm in
South Wales.
3. So what's he been in ?
3a. Tours
=========
In 1987 Rik Mayall and Ben Elton did a series of stand-up shows
in Perth, Western Australia. According to Des Shaw, Managing
Director of Triple M (a local FM radio station) the shows were at
what used to be called Club 242 at the Leederville Hotel in West
Perth. During this period, Rik & Ben also did a one-off evening
radio slot at 96FM, during which they played Living Doll, and did
quite a lot of funny stuff live in the studio.
Between March and June 1993, he toured the UK with his new act,
covering 40 dates. These dates invariably sold out, so he toured
again between October and December 1993. He toured a total of 112
dates, with an audience of around 200,000.
3b. Films
=========
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993)
-----------------------------
He features in Kenneth Branagh's film version of the Shakespeare
play as Michael Keaton's sidekick, the silly policeman who hardly
ever says anything (I think). The film also stars Kenneth
Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves and
Richard Briers. This film should now be available at your local
video rental store.
STARK (1993)
------------
This was a TV film or mini-series based on his book STARK, which
was co-produced by the BBC, ABC (Australian television) and Film
Victoria. It was produced by Michael Waring, directed by Nadia
Tass and the script was by Ben Elton, though he made some fairly
major changes.
It also starred Ben Elton as CD, and Jacqueline McKenzie
(previously seen dating a Nazi in Romper Stomper) as Rachel, who
manages to do justice to the part *pant,pant* :-)
It was broadcast on ABC (Australian) television on August 12/13 1993, and
was on BBC2 (UK) for three consecutive Wednesdays at 9.25pm from
December 8th 1993.
Wonder how many polystyrene cups were used in its' production...
3c. Video tapes available
=========================
THE VERY BEST OF BEN ELTON LIVE VOLUME ONE
------------------------------------------
The video sleeve notes state...
"On February 24th 1991, BEN ELTON will have been performing as a
stand-up comedian for 10 years.
This concert, recorded live at the London Astoria, celebrates a
decade of humour recalling such classic routines as YAPPY THE DOG,
NOBS ON THE BEACH, TITS, TAMPONS, A LOAD OF BOLLARDS and many more.
Immortalised on video for the first AND only time, this is Ben
Elton at his raucous best."
It was released by Virgin Video (catalogue number VVD 776) in PAL
Colour format. Most of it had been previously transmitted on the
British Satellite Broadcasting network. It lasts 90 minutes, and is
rated 18. The director was Juliet May, the producer was Paul
Jackson and the executive producer was Phil McIntyre.
A FARTIES GUIDE TO THE MAN FROM AUNTIE
--------------------------------------
>From the sleeve notes of the video....
"Performed and Written by BEN ELTON
Full-tilt, searingly funny, and setting the pace for the '90s, The Man
>From Auntie is pretty alternative comedy. Alternative to watching Songs
of Praise, paying the bills, emptying the swing bin in the kitchen....
Pointing agitated fingers at life's absurdities - like finding a
user-friendly term for the female front bottom - Ben Elton gives all you
farties with video machines yet another excuse to avoid doing what you
have to do.
Selected high-voltage highlits from the smash TV series include:
CAPPED FOR ENGLAND
THE REALITY GAP
SETTING UP HOME
MOTORWAYS
BABIES
BODILY CONSPIRACY
MICROWAVE COOKERS
MATTERS SEXUAL
Strictly for farties subjected to the `reality gap'. Well, do you know
what that woman's doing with that flake."
It's on BBC Video, and presumably available from BBC Enterprises
(tel. +44 (0) 81 743 5588)
BEN ELTON VERY LIVE 1993:TOUR DE FORCE
--------------------------------------
The sleeve notes say....
"Not just a tour but a Tour De Force, for this was the tour that
grew.
Originally planned to play just 40 dates, such was its' phenomenal
success that it expanded to a staggering 112 performances, and was
seen by well over 200,000 people around the country.
Now everyone has the chance to see this completely new and
hilarious show for this is Ben Elton captured live and at his very
best, just like being there in fact, maybe even better because this
way you don't have to find somewhere to park your car or queue for
the bogs at the interval !"
It was filmed at the Leeds Grand Theatre in May 1993. You can
*JUST* spot me somewhere in the audience, bottom left from the
stage <;-)
This video tape is distributed by Polygram Record Operations or
Vision Video Ltd. Rated 18, the video no. is 0882043. It runs for
about 100 minutes, and is in PAL VHS Stereo Colour. Prices go up
from UKP 10 ($15), depending on where you shop...
STARK
-----
>From the sleeve notes of the British video release...
"Who'd have credited it? One minute CD (alias Ben Elton) is
painting yellow fish on the road protesting against the world
pollution and trying to get laid, and the next he's travelling
halfway across Australia behind the luscious RACHEL on a mission he
doesn't really understand or care a toss about, and still trying to
get laid !
It's Earth. Sometime soon. The Greenhouse Effect has taken hold and
so has the power of the STARK CONSPIRACY - a group of financial
giants with more money than God and the social conscience of a dog
on a croquet lawn.
With the stock markets in chaos and an inexplicable world recession
biting, Wall Street journalist CHRISSIE KEATING is tempted by the
story of a lifetime - corruption on a grand scale. But will her
story be the death of her?
Financial tycoon SLY MORGAN has been tempted by an offer too
lucrative to refuse. After all, STARK only want him to acquire a
useless piece of aboriginal land. But what will the sale mean to
the future of the Earth ? Just why is Stark transporting large
container ships full of toxic waste all over the globe?
Tycoon OCKER TYRON is tempted by the thought of a new life without
his wife and mother, secure in his position as a STARK conspirator.
But why should he have his nookie and get away with it ?
CD is tempted to carry on being a useless, free-loading dole-
bludger. Surely he's not going to stop gestating and do something
really heroic to prove everyone wrong ?
MEANWHILE the race is on to save the Earth. Will there be time ?
Can CD rescue mankind on a camel? Will RACHEL, as a radical non-
squelcher, revoke her vow of celibacy? Is Jim Morrison really dead?
Will CD ever get the girl - or any girl for that matter ?"
A BBC/Cascade Ash Production in association with the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation and the support of the Australian Film
Commission
Writer = Ben Elton
Director = Nadia Tass
Producers = Michael Wearing, David Parker, Timothy White
Sly Morgan = Colin Friels
CD = Ben Elton
Zimmerman = Derek O'Connor
Rachel = Jacqueline McKenzie
Lord de Quincey = John Neville
Chrissie Keating = Deborra-Lee Furness
Ocker Tyron = Bill Hunter
Karen = Fiona Press
Walter = Bill Wallis
? = Bruce Venables
In the UK, the tape is on BBC Video, catalogue number 5122, runs
for around 156 minutes and is rated 15. It was priced at UKP 12.99
The Australian release was on ABC Video, no.05751 for Aus$30. It's
rated 15+ for "adult themes and drug use".... *naughty, Ben* :-)
3d. TELEVISION (all dates are UK)
==============
1984 : THE YOUNG ONES, co-written with Rik Mayall & Lise Meyer
1985 : HAPPY FAMILIES (writer)
1986 : FILTHY, RICH AND CATFLAP (writer)
1987-1990 : BLACKADDER II and III (co-writer with Richard Curtis)
1987-1988 : FRIDAY and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (host of UK version)
1988 / 89 : "Live from London" HBO Comedy Hour (probably some clips
from Saturday Night Live)
5 Mar'89 : a South Bank Show documentary on Ben Elton
1990 : BLACKADDER GOES FORTH (co-written with Richard Curtis)
1990 : THE MAN FROM AUNTIE (Writer / Performer)
Dec 1993 : STARK (TV film based on the novel, stars as CD)
Article in Radio Times :
"Ben Elton's STARK, which started last week on BBC2, proved a
tricky problem for the location scouts. They had to find a very
large expanse of desert to use as the setting for the Stark
consortium's suspicious uranium-mining project in Australia.
'I suppose we could have shot it all in Morocco', says producer
Michael Wearing, head of BBC Drama Serials. 'But the more I became
involved in the project, the more I realised how specific to
Australia it was, and it became obvious that it was only right to
shoot it there.'
The wilderness location was found at Coober Pedy, on the edge of
the Great Victoria Desert, in South Australia. But just before
filming began, nature took a hand. 'As we arrived to shoot, and
flew over the place, it looked as green as a billaird table', says
Elton....'Our desert had bloomed and was covered in wild flowers.
I'll never forget that.'
Programme listing, Weds 15 Dec, 9:25pm, part 2
"CD, Ben Elton's sex-starved pommie writer down under, is still
hopeful that his companion Rachel will respond to his advances, but
in the meantime must keep up with her scheming.
In the second of Elton's three-part comic fantasy, adapted from his
best-selling first novel, Australian billionaire Sly Morgan pursues
his mysterious intention to turn a remote piece of Aboriginal land
into a leisure resort, but CD and Rachel are at odds over their
approach to him."
Programme listing, Weds 22 Dec, 9:25pm, part 3
"The final episode in Ben Elton's adventure comedy set in Australia
about a motley group of eco-activists who uncover a plot to destroy
the world - the STARK conspiracy. The Stark master-plan is now in
its final countdown, with the would-be heroes of the hour in the
conspirators' clutches. Can Zimmerman lead the team to freedom and
find Stark in time ?"
THE MAN FROM AUNTIE returned for a new series in January 1994, with
Ben Elton as writer and performer, with most of the material taken
from his VERY LIVE:TOUR DE FORCE.
3e. RECORD / TAPE / CD
======================
Ben Elton - Motormouth / Motorvation : The Best of Ben Elton Live
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is a double cassette pack containing the original albums
Motormouth and Motorvation, which were released seperately in 1987
and 1988. They're priced at UKP 7.99, and marketed and distributed
by PolyGram Record Operations Ltd. The book shop distribution by
Bookpoint ( +44 235 835 001)
The cassette notes say :
"Motormouth/Motorvation is the very best of Ben Elton's live
performances, recorded in venues all over Britain in 1987.
Featuring his most famous stand-up routines on his most favourite
subjects :- the scum press, the Royal Family, wanking, and of
course, sex. This double cassette gives you a full two hours of Ben
at his sharpest, cruellest, funniest and best.
Side one: Audience Participation
Drinkers
Real Ale
Students Union Bar
Ads
Real people
Gareth and his chums (reference to a coffee advert)
Tampons
Nobs on the beach (Nobs = penis)
Side two: Nobs on the beach - part two
Smooching at the disco
Bouncers
Yappy the dog
Fast Food
Photo Synthesis - why newspapers are full of shit
Tits
Side three : The Royals
The Press
Norman Tebbit (UK right-wing politican)
My fridge
Wanking / Sex (Wanking = masturbation)
Pubic Hairs
Side four : The British drinker
Adverts
Paranoia
Public toilets
Opinions"
BEN ELTON LIVE 1989
-------------------
This is another tape of his act, recorded in 1989 at London's
Hammersmith Odeon. It incorporated parts of The Man From Auntie,
and his two albums Motormouth and Motorvation, and was priced at
UKP 7.99. The ISBN number is 1 89 7774 117. Or quoting catalogue
number LAFFC 17, it's available from Laughing Stock Productions.
The sleeve notes say:
"This recording was made in 1989 over six sell out nights at
London's Hammersmith Odeon, and contains material unavailable on
any other record."
Side one: In from the bar
Hosting Wogan (a British chat show where Ben Elton
replaced Terry Wogan for a week, a rather
boring genial Irish radio/TV personality)
Planet Boring
Government Ministers
Bros (the British NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK)
Classic Records and Novels
The Reality Gap
The Lazy Train
Farties
Disposable
Strip Off in the buffet
Side two: Pawn Shop
Driving through the desert
Sex in Adverts
Childrens' Toys
Tampons
Menstruating Men
Things I thought I owned - Water and Electricity
- British Gas
- Power Businesses
The Miracle Economy - The Chancellor
- Crashes
- Confidence
Sexist Buildings
Side three : Royal Blind Date
The Scum British Press
I'm Not Shocked
Bloody difficult job
Normo Tebbs
Ben's fridge - Communal houses
- Communal couples
Toilet carpets - Motorway Signs
- Motorway Shops
Aerosol's
The North Sea
Side four : Stuff to do
The Swing-top bin
We are so uptight
The Invisible B**tard
Sex Quiz
The One Erection
Antarctica"
3f. BOOKS
=========
BATCHELOR BOYS - THE YOUNG ONES BOOK
------------------------------------
This is obviously a book version of the infamous TV serial. The
ISBN number is 0 7221 5765 7, and for more information refer to the
Young Ones FAQ - available from me.
STARK (1989)
-----
>From the backnote of the book....
"Stark has more money than God and the social conscience of a dog
on a croquet lawn. What's more, they know the Earth is dying.
Deep in Western Australia, where the Aboriginals used to milk the
trees, a planet-sized plot takes shape. Some green freaks pick up
the scent. A Pommie poseur, a brain-fried Vietnam Vet, Aboriginals
who lost their land ... not much against a conspiracy that controls
society. But EcoAction isn't in society; it just lives in the same
place, along with the cockroaches.
If you're facing the richest and most disgusting conspiracy in
history, you have to do more than stick up two fingers and say
'peace'."
This was Ben Elton's first novel, and it sold massively in Britain
and Australia. It was reprinted 23 times in its' first year of
publication.
Priced at UKP 4.99, the ISBN number is 0 7515 0700 8 and is now
printed by Warner Books.
GRIDLOCK (1991)
--------
>From the back notes...
"Gridlock is when a city dies.
Killed in the name of freedom. Killed in the name of oil and steel.
Choked on carbon monoxide and strangled with a pair of fluffy dice.
How did it come to this ? How did the ultimate freedom machine end
up paralysing us all ? How did we end up driving to our own
funeral, in somebody else's gravy train ?
Deborah and Geoffrey know, but they have transport problems of
their own, and anyway, whoever it was that murdered the city can
just as easily murder them."
Reviews of GRIDLOCK
-------------------
"Brilliant ... the comedy sometimes achieves Tom Sharpe levels of
outrage and the thrills sometimes match Alfred Hitchcock for malign
invention ... somewhere under the stage suit there may be a Booker
candidate." - Richard Heller, Mail On Sunday
"He combines passionate espousal of a cause with the machine-gun
narration of a stand-up comic, peppered with good jokes and with
the energetically managed, funny and violent action of a manic
strip cartoon." - Ned Sherrin, Evening Standard
"Perfect fodder for the politically-correct holidaymaker" :Time Out
"Leaves you wondering why our more up-market novelists can never be
bothered to write about something as obviously important, topical
and politically resonant as the nightmarish growth of the motor
industry." - The Guardian
"Hugely enjoyable...very funny, frequently perceptive and often
thought-provoking." - Yorkshire Evening Post
The ISBN number is 0 7474 0568 9, and is priced at UKP 4.99,
Aus $11.95, and Can $6.99. It was published by Sphere Books, and is
dedicated to "Sophie".
GASPING (1990)
--------------
"Lockheart Industries are making *senior* money. If God wanted to
buy into their stock, he'd have to think twice and talk to his
people. They have a profit curve wound so far round the room it
looks like a Blue Peter Christmas Appeal.
But they're bored, they want more. New ideas, new products. That's
when someone discovers Suck and Blow...
The marketing phenomenon of the decade has arrived! Designer air!
Perrier for the nostrils!
But when the world starts gasping, only the biggest suckers
survive..."
Reviews of GASPING
------------------
"A poisonously funny morality play...a remarkable debut" - Sunday
Times
"A sharp-witted satire on the heartlessness of market forces...
extremely funny... never, unlike the world's population, runs out
of puff" - The Independent
"A brilliantly funny piece of stage magic." - Today
"As barbed as, and much funnier than Serious Money, the sharpest
futuristic comedy since Henceforward, and the best Green comedy
since The Good Life was young." - Financial Times
"Sheer Jacques Tati'esque... a traditional morality play... one Ben
Johnson would have recognised" - International Herald Tribune
The ISBN number is 0 7474 0889 0, and priced at UKP 4.99.
It's published by Sphere Books Ltd.
SILLY COW (1993)
---------
>From the sleeve notes :
"Doris Wallis, queen of the tabloid press, is, in her own words, 'a
nasty cow who slaughters sacred cows'. Bitchy, brassy, and bolshie,
she writes a venomous TV column that specializes in slagging off
celebrities. She's so poisionous that - as she tells her mousey
secretary Peggy - 'Bogeyman get scared imagining me under their
beds'.
Her bitchiness is her career - and her career is on the up. On the
verge of a glorious venture into TV, she's not going to let
anything get in her way - not even the 'silly fat talentless old
cow' who is currently suing her for libel. And any skeletons she
may have in her cupboard are (like her bondage gear) firmly locked
up. Or so she thinks....."
Reviews of Silly Cow
--------------------
"I laughed my head off" - City Limits
"Crude, clever and killingly funny" - Daily Mirror
"A cracker of a play" - The Stage and Television Today
"A perfect occasion for Ben Elton satire on the modern world. Like
his first West End play GASPING, it's fast and slick. And what's
clever about that is that fastness and slickness are what it
satirises. It also has an ingenious plot ..."
The ISBN number is 0 7515 0190 5, and is priced at UKP 5.99 and
Can$ 5.99.
THIS OTHER EDEN (1993)
---------------
"Small, well appointed future. Semi detached.
If the end of the world is nigh, then surely it's only sensible to
make alternative arrangements. Certainly the Earth has its points,
but what most people need is something smaller and more manageable.
Of course there are those who say that's planetary treason, but who
cares what the weirdos and terrorists think? Not Nathan. All he
cares is that his movie gets made and that there's somebody left to
see it.
In marketing terms the end of the world will be very big. Anyone
trying to save it should remember that."
The ISBN number is 0 6718 5180 2, is priced at UKP 5.99, Aus $14.95
and NZ$19.95, and is published by Simon and Schuster Ltd. The
copyright is retained by Stand Up Limited 1993. It's also dedicated
to "Sophie".
3g. BOOKS ON AUDIO TAPE
=======================
GRIDLOCK
--------
An abridged version of the novel, it's read by Adrian Edmondson.
It was released by HarperCollins Audio Books, and the ISBN code is
0 00 104 6888, catalogue no. HCA 141. It was priced at UKP 7.99.
STARK
-----
There also exists an abridged version of STARK on audio cassette,
again read by Adrian Edmondson. Try HarperCollins Audio Books
THIS OTHER EDEN
---------------
This is an abridged version of the novel, read by Ben Elton
himself. It's released by Simon and Schuster audio, and priced at
Posted-Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 15:07:07 -0500 (CDT)
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 15:07:07 -0500 (CDT)
From: Chinese/Welshman in Baton Rouge <jrw...@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu>
Subject: Ben Elton FAQ
To: Melinda Casino <cas...@pobox.upenn.edu>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
UKP 7.99. The ISBN no. is 0 671 69 7633
3h. PLAYS
=========
If you want permission to perform these plays, requests should be
sent to McIntyre Management
GASPING
-------
This was first performed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London on
1st July 1990. The cast, in order of appearance, were :
Hugh Laurie = Philip
Bernard Hill = Sir Chiffley Lockheart (Chief)
Simon Mattacks = Sandy
Catherine McQueen = Miss Hodges / Weather Forecaster
/ Minister/Reporter
Jaye Griffiths = Kirsten
with the voice of Stephen Fry. It was directed by Bob Spiers,
designed by Terry Parsons and produced by Philip McIntyre.
SILLY COW
---------
This was first performed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London on
20 February 1991. The cast, in order of appearance, were :
Patrick Barlow = Sidney
Dawn French = Doris
Victoria Carling = Peggy
Alan Haywood = Douglas
Kevin Allen = Eduardo
4. Miscellaneous information
On a South Bank Show, he said he didn't envisage seeing STARK
as a television show. He also once said on Going Live that he
hoped to see his novels published in recycled paper for
environmental reasons.
At the time of writing, STARK the TV-film has already been
broadcast on Australian television, and of the five books I have
read, none of them were on recycled paper :)
It took him 10 weeks to write STARK the book, 10 months to write
STARK the script, and two years to get TV producers interested in
the whole idea...
He said on an Australian radio interview that he would like to do
a film version of GRIDLOCK, but the producers would have to find a
good spastic actor to play Geoffrey.
5. Press release
This press release comes to you unofficially. I take no legal
responsibility for any events that may occur due to this
document.
OK, heavy legal bit over. Enjoy !
---------------------
BEN ELTON BIOGRAPHY
===================
Ben Elton is without doubt the most successful British television
comedy writer of his generation. Two of his projects "The Young
Ones" and "Blackadder" have won British Academy awards for best
comedy show of the year (1984 and 1987/90). Blackadder also won
the ACE Award for the best comedy of 1987/88 after its airing on
American Cable Television.
Besides this there was the highly acclaimed BBC film comedy series
"Happy Families" ('English light comic writing at its best' - The
Times) and "Filthy Rich and Catflap" which critics universally
panned but nearly doubled its audience in 6 weeks prompting an
immediate offer of a second series from the BBC.
Batchelor Boys, (The Young Ones book), was the best selling book in
the UK in 1984 selling three quarters of a million copies. It also
topped the best seller lists in Australia.
In 1986 The Young Ones single, a Lionel Bart number with gags by
Ben, spent a month at No.1 , going gold with well over half a
million copies sold.
Obsessively dedicated to comic writing Ben Elton has written hits
for all the major names of the younger generation of British
comedians including Rowan Atkinson, Rik Mayall, Lenny Henry, French
and Saunders and Adrian Edmondson. He has himself become Britain's
top stand-up comedian under forty. He has hosted all three series
of Friday Night Live, the British television comedy showcase. With
critics unanimous in their acclaim, and also in the fact that
without Ben Elton at the helm, the show could not have existed. In
1986 it was British lndependent Television's Light Entertainment
entry to the Montreux Television Festival.
His 1987 sold out tour of the UK and Eire culminated at the
Hammersmith Odeon which is Britain's top rock and roll venue.
Despite being a comedian and not a sexy rocker, Ben Elton scooped
the second longest run at the venue that year, with six sold out
nights. He was topped only by Luther Vandross's record breaking
run. Besides that, his debut album 'Motormouth' was far and away
the top selling UK comedy album of 1987.
Despite being catagorised as a 'youth' comedian, Ben is proud of
his ability to cross the boundaries and was a regular columnist on
The Daily Mirror, (UK's second largest circulation newspaper),
throughout 1986 and 1987 prompting for the first time fan mail from
senior citizens, as opposed to 15 year olds. In 1987 he was
nominated for newspaper columnist of the year (an accolade
traditionally awarded to somebody who is dying or possibly even
dead).
In 1984/85 Ben co-wrote and solely presented 30 episodes of South
of Watford, a documentary series on London art and entertainment.
During this time it won awards at the Chicago Film Festival, The
New York Festival Of Film And Television and the San Francisco Film
And Television Festival. It was also selected for the prestigious
input Festival (the programme makers own festival) held in 1987 at
Granada in Spain.
(.....)
1989 - largest comedy tour of the year United Kingdom and Eire.
1989 - Stark, his first novel, became top of the United Kingdom
Best Sellers list for 6 weeks; Australian Charts for 12 weeks; New
Zealand for 10 weeks. To date Stark has sold over 800,000 copies.
1990 - own series on BBC 1 - The Man From Auntie.
1990 - June 1st - world premiere of his first play "Gasping" in
London's West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which ran for 9
months and was the second best selling play in Britain. In 1992
there will be two productions in Germany and one in Sweden.
1990 - B.S.B. special `Ben Elton Live'.
1990 - release of Virgin Video - `The Very Best Of Ben Elton Live'.
1990 - writer of "Blackadder Goes Forth" - the fourth series of
Blackadder and BBC 2's top selling show.
June 1991 - release of his second novel "Gridlock" - Sphere Books.
Six weeks at No 1 in the UK charts, and five weeks at
No. 1 in the Australian charts.
February 1991 - world premiere of Ben Elton's second play "Silly
Cow" at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End starring
Dawn French, Patrick Barlow and Kevin Allen.
At present Ben is making a three one hour mini series of his novel
"Stark" in Australia.
February 1993 sees the publishing of his play "Silly Cow".
6. Quotes from Ben Elton's act...
"Double seat, double seat, gotta get a double seat....."
"Hey, look, it was only a sausage..."
"Hey guys, let's cut all the crap and get a communal sausage."
"I was just strolling out of the pavillions to bat, when would
you believe it, my period starts."
"As night follows day, if you drink lager... you will end up on
Kentucky Fried Chicken." - VERY LIVE
"Ben Elton says 'They park a Ford Cortina up your fanny !'" - VERY
LIVE
"Sometimes, I don't wonder if we (British) actually prefer things
a bit crap...." - VERY LIVE
"If we men had periods, we wouldn't have discreet tampon boxes,
would we? No... we'd have boxes with MY F**KING TAMPONS printed on
the outside !" - VERY LIVE
"Get some napkins ... get lots..." - VERY LIVE (could it be Sophie?)
Any other ideas?
7. Addresses of companies, agents etc.
His agent : Jane McIntyre
McIntyre Management
15 Riversway
Navigation Way
PRESTON PR2 2YP
United Kingdom
Sphere Books Ltd.
A Division of MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
Orbit House
1 New Fetter Lane
LONDON EC4A 1AR
United Kingdom
Warner Books
A Division of Little, Brown & Company (UK)Ltd.
165 Great Dovor Street
LONDON SE1 4YA
United Kingdom
Simon and Schuster
West Garden Place
Kendal Street
LONDON W2 2AQ
United Kingdom
Tapes of his act : Laughing Stock Promotions Ltd.
PO Box 408
Battersea
LONDON SW11 6JJ
United Kingdom
Harper Collins Audio Books
77 - 85 Fulham Palace Road
LONDON W6 8JB
United Kingdom
8. Contributions and thanks
Thanks also go to Greg O'Beirne, Roderick Bergbie, Alexander Lum, Annie
Sattler, and Lee Whiteside for helping with this biography.
Please E-mail me (ach...@bradford.ac.uk) for any corrections,
additions and comments etc.
My name was Andrew Wong, thank you and goodnight....
P.S. I am in the United States for a year, and will be travelling
the length and breadth of the US, so if anyone wants to meet a
genuine British person, please E-mail me! After all the hard work
and graft I put in (grumble grumble).... :)
P.P.S. If you get this via alt.fan.ben-elton, please post something
onto it. The group seems remarkably empty.
P.P.P.S. Since I have a US account, and friends in the UK, I can
take payment if anyone has difficulty getting such
material in the USA. Please E-mail me for more details.
P.P.P.P.S. There was a large feature on BE in the Radio Times just
before Christmas 1993. Does anyone still have a copy of it?!
Andrew Wong Internet : ach...@bradford.ac.uk
-----x----- Compuserve : 72634, 2206
E-mail me for more details as to our attempt at organising Irony'94 - the
first British comedy convention to be held in the United States...
If we build it, they will come.... :)
------------------------------------------------------------------
"After intensive investigation comma of the markings on the alien
pod comma it has become clear comma to me comma that we are
dealing comma with a species of awesome intellect colon"
-- Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSc, SSc
----------------------------------------------Melinda "Bob" Casino
Andrew Wong
Sorry - things have gotten slightly on top of me lately. I do have
lots of Times clippings and various info I need to insert (ooh-err)
at some point...
Hi Melanie ! How doth the bell chime for thee ?
--
Andrew Wong | "Do I have to go down on my knees ?
-----x----- | This is my 16th apology....to you....
Compuserve: 72634, 2206 | With friends like me, who needs enemies?"
Internet: ach...@bradford.ac.uk | Shakespears Sister : My 16th Apology