Monday, April 23, 2007

Dick Vosburgh 1929-2007

Comedy writer Dick Vosburgh has died at the age of 77. There are obituaries in all the major papers, including The Independent.
Dick Vosburgh was an immensely talented writer, broadcaster and lyricist who provided material for virtually every leading comic performer in the UK, plus such American superstars as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Carol Channing and Peggy Lee. He also wrote sketches for revues, and book and lyrics for musical comedies, notably A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine - which won the Evening Standard and Plays and Players awards in 1979, and the following year won two Tony Awards for its Broadway production, which ran for nearly two years.

Vosburgh's quick wit and invention put him much in demand as a gag writer, and stars for whom he provided sitcoms and sketches included Stanley Baxter, Frankie Howerd, Bob Monkhouse, John Cleese, Ronnie Corbett, Lenny Henry and Roy Hudd. He contributed to film scripts for Frankie Howerd (Up Pompeii and Up the Chastity Belt) and Bob Hope (Call Me Bwana), as well as Carry On Nurse.

1 comment:

  1. Dick Vosburgh was an incredible writer with an enviable career. He also had talent enough for a dozen. An original and a joyous man; a hard act to follow in every way.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.