彼得·库克

英国演员、编剧、制片人

彼得·库克

PeterCook(borninTorquayon17November1937)was,withoutdoubt,oneofthemostintelligentwitsofhisoranyothergeneration.Yetdespitehisobvioustalent,hisfilmandtelevisionoutputwaserraticatbest.Thisisespeciallytrueinthedecadesfollowinghis1960screativepeak,whenprojectsbecamerelativelysporadicandhisbehaviourincreasinglyunpredictable(Cookhimselfoftenadmittedthathisambitionranoutattheageof24).Nevertheless,Cook'slegacyissomeofthefinestcomedytohavebeenproducedinBritain.HisinfluenceontheBritishcomedysceneremainsimmense.AchildoftheCambridgeFootlights,Cookcametoprominencebetween1960and1963withBeyondtheFringe,thestagecomedyrevuefeaturinghimselfandfellowOxbridgestudentsDudleyMoore,AlanBennettandJonathanMiller.Thefour'satirists'(astheybecamelabelled)movedintotelevisionwithlessthanenthusiastically-receivedappearancesinthefirstthreeepisodesoftheartsseriesTempo(ITV,1961-68),wheretheyprovided'satiricalcommentontheculturalscene'.TheyweretoreprisesketchesfromtheoriginalrevueitselfinBeyondtheFringe(BBC,tx.12/12/1964).Cookmoreorlessconfirmedhisleadingsatiriststatus,atleastinLondon,withhisco-foundingoftheEstablishmentClubin1961(itfoldedwithintwoyears)andhisacquisitionin1962ofthemajorityshareholdinginthemagazinePrivateEye(whichheretaineduntilhisdeath).Ontelevision,however,Cook'ssatiricalthunderwasstolenbythesuccessofThatWasTheWeekThatWas(BBC,1962-63),launchedwhilehewasworkinginAmericaHewouldonlybecomefamiliartoawideraudiencewithhisappearances,fromlate1964,insporadicepisodesofOnTheBradenBeat(ITV,1962-67)ashiscreationE.L.Wisty.HistelevisionpopularitywassealedbythesuccessofNotOnly...ButAlso(BBC,1965-70),originallyenvisagedasashowcasesolelyforDudleyMoorebutsoonbecomingaplatformforthepair'sinspiredcomicchemistry.TheywonSocietyofFilmandTelevisionArtsawardsin1966fortheirperformances,andtheir'Pete'n'Dud'sketches(atleastthosethatsurvive)remainexamplesoftelevisioncomedyatitsbest.Cook,notunnaturally,laterlookedbackontheseyearsasthehappiestofhislife.UnlikeMoore,Cooknevercapitalisedonhistelevisionfameinthecinema,despitesporadicattemptswithsuchvehiclesasBedazzled(d.StanleyDonen,1967),co-starringMoore,andTheRiseandRiseofMichaelRimmer(d.KevinBillington,1970).Hisquickwittedcomicstylewasill-servedbythestop-startnatureofthefilmmakingprocess.Bythe1970s,hisincreasinglyheavydrinkingandhisapparentantipathytoworkgavetheimpressionthathisyouthfulpromisewasbeginningtofadeintoindolence,ashedriftedapparentlyaimlesslybetweenprojectsmostlyunworthyofhisgifts.Particularlowpointswerehishostingofboththeshort-livedchatshowWhereDoISit?(BBC,1971)andpopmusicshowRevolver(ITV,1978),andhisill-fatedventureintoAmericansitcomwithTheTwoofUs(CBS,1981-82),wherehisuneasewiththescriptsofotherwriterswaspalpable.Hewasnevertohaveamajortelevisionseriesofhisown,largelymaintainingapublicpresenceovertheensuingyearsthroughchatshowappearances,guestspotsonvarietyshows,andsporadicworkwithMoore.Thelatterincludedanon-offworldtourbetween1971and1975oftheirstageshowBehindtheFridge(renamedGoodEveninginAmerica),sketchesfromwhichweretelevisedasExcerptsfromBehindtheFridge(BBC,tx.7/3/1974).Morecontroversialwerethethreenotorious,obscenity-saturated'DerekandClive'recordingsissuedbetween1976and1978.Theonlynotabletelevisionprojectsofhisownwerethesketch-basedPeterCook&Co.(ITV,tx.14/9/1980)andALifeinPieces(BBC,1990-91),aseriesoffive-minuteprogrammeswhichsawhiminhisArthurStreeb-Greeblingpersona.Despiteexpressingadisinterestwithbothtelevisionandperforminginhislateryears,hemadeacelebratedappearanceinthe17December1993episodeofCliveAndersonTalksBack(C4,1989-95),where,assoleguest,hewasinterviewedintheguiseoffourdifferentcharacters.ThisappearanceprovidedampleevidencethatCook'simprovisatorycomicskillswere,despitehisprofesseddisinterest,assharpasever.Hediedfromagastrointestinalhaemorrhageon9January1995.Thedebatecontinuesastohowfarhetrulyfulfilledhispotential.

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