Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:18 PM BSTTommy Cooper. I've just watched a "The Best Of" DVD. If that was the best, I'd hate to see the f**king worst. He is SHIT.
Hs material was truly shit, to an extent deliberately so, so that his performance could transcend it. Sometimes it worked.
However he was at his best in something like The Plank where his comic timing had some real gags to work on.
Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:30 PM BSTNo, Hendrix is great.
<3
Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:18 PM BSTOK, here's an argument I've been meaning to bring up on the board.
Tommy Cooper. I've just watched a "The Best Of" DVD. If that was the best, I'd hate to see the f**king worst. He is SHIT. And all those great "Tommy Cooper" jokes that do the rounds on email, aren't his jokes at all but are just collected from joke books in charity shops. (Especially the ones about stuff invented after he died, like "press the hash key" FFS).
Who wants some of that then, eh?
I think he was overrated. But then I always go against accepted comedy wisdom. For instance everyone's supposed to love Peter Cook but I much prefer Dudley Moore. I never really liked Fawlty Towers either. And at least half of Monty Python was shite.
Quote: Lee Henman @ July 4 2009, 11:35 PM BSTI think he was overrated. But then I always go against accepted comedy wisdom. For instance everyone's supposed to love Peter Cook but I much prefer Dudley Moore. I never really liked Fawlty Towers either. And at least half of Monty Python was shite.
Okay, I think Lee and I are going to argue now. 
I've acted, even acted professionally, but like anything one might have a talent for, it does need continual practice to become and stay good at. I hate it when actors describe their body as an "instrument" - because it is a wanky thing to say - but they do have a point. Odds-on someone who's main focus in life is acting, acting, acting, is probably more likely to have more tools in the bag when it comes to playing a role - comic or otherwise.
Any performer or creative person first requires some basic aptitude/natural predisposition for a talent - be they writer/musician/dancer/artist/actor. Without that they will obviously not get very far. After that it comes down to honing and developing that base talent with practice.
There are bad actors as there are bad writers. Amongst those who have a creative talent, there is understandably some crossover potential that will make them perhaps as good an actor as they are a stand-up as they are a writer. However, this is rarely the case.
I'd only want to cast myself in a part if I absolutely positively felt I was the best person to carry the role. If I was told I was shit, I'd immediately take that advice and run. (I would hope that I wouldn't have to be told, of course, that I'd see it myself pretty damn quickly.)
Casting is the second most important thing in dramatic comedy after writing IMO.
Quote: Tim Walker @ July 4 2009, 11:37 PM BSTI've acted, even acted professionally, but like anything one might have a talent for, it does need continual practice to become and stay good at.
.
I do agree with the practice bit.
Quote: Nil Putters @ July 4 2009, 11:43 PM BST
That's my man!!!!
Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:47 PM BSTThe sad thing is that Nil could have spent that time photoshopping something useful like fake celebrity porn.
Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:47 PM BSTThe sad thing is that Nil could have spent that time photoshopping some fake celebrity porn.
Or to keep zooo happy, photoshopping the faces of Griff and Dolly onto couple in the throws of passion.
Quote: Timbo @ July 4 2009, 11:52 PM BSTOr to keep zooo happy, photoshopping the faces of Griff and Dolly onto couple in the throws of passion.
Or to keep Aaron happy, *throes.
Can we settle on two Aarons?
Quote: Griff @ July 4 2009, 11:54 PM BSTI think zooo would be a lot happier with two David Tennants having sex with each other.
It is surprisingreally that Russell T. did not work that into the season four finale. If it had been Torchwood I daresay he would have done.
Quote: zooo @ July 4 2009, 11:56 PM BSTCan we settle on two Aarons?
Curiously enough the person most traumatised by that image is probably Aaron.
Some of you could write yourselves a part as half of a bickering couple. You're keeping in practice nicely 
Agree with Tim. Obviously training helps, as with anything. But some people are naturally good at it - Bob Hoskins for example was supposedly auditioned by chance in a pub. Or that teenage mum recently who was heard arguing with her boyfriend and used in a filmto some acclaim: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/5323775/Aspiring-actress-discovered-arguing-with-boyfriend-on-platform.html
As for the initial question - opportunity, desire to perform, natural talent, shyness might be reasons. Or just wanting to be a writer. And vice versa, could ask "why don't more PERFORMERS write themselves a part?" Well, maybe they just want to perform, and are not as happy/talented/etc. at writing. That's why there are two separate professions (that can overlap - One problem I'd have with writing meself a part is it would be difficult whether to blame the final quality on the writing or acting. But if you can write and act, all the better, especially for showcasing your writing AND acting quality. Look at those on here who film their stuff.
Quote: Griff @ July 5 2009, 1:10 AM BSTThose are nice stories Rob0 but not much practical help to those of us looking for actors. When next I find myself trying to cast a Sitcom Trials or crappy one-act play it is not going to be much help hanging around pubs and bus stops hoping to discover another Bob Hoskins or disgruntled teenage mum.
I quite understand why you'd want a trained professional acting out your scripts, as that's the whole point of having 'em. But suppose you were loitering in a pub or at a bus stop and saw/heard someone who was the embodiment of a character you'd created?
Incidentally, there are 383 Bob Hoskins' on Facebook alone and thousands of disgruntled teenage mums (according to the newspaper at least) so you never know when you might find another 