Liking the Two Ronnie’s is something else that people don’t admit to, but that’s because as a partnership they aren’t considered “cool”. Ronnie Barker’s solo projects are more acceptable, but poor little Corbett gets very little credit for what he has achieved.
Ronnie B and Ronnie C were an enduring partnership, they were very ‘British’ friends, they respected and liked each other but did not live in each other’s pockets. Ronnie Barker (as Gerald Wiley) wrote a lot of sketches for the show but he didn’t want people to know so that he wouldn’t be treated any different to any other writer, and he kept up this pretence for a long while, even keeping it from Ronnie C. It was only one day when the two Ronnie’s and their spouses were planning to have their favourite curry in their after show restaurant, that Ron B promised he would bring along the infamous Gerald Wiley. Of course he turned up with just his wife in tow and the rest as they say is history.
The Two Ronnie’s made over 90 episodes of their series plus all the solo efforts in between and many appearances at the Command Performance in front of the Queen, but it was still a shock when Ron B said he wanted to retire. Only Ronnie C knew the score until his partners news leaked out into the media. Ron B did a few more solo projects and was even persuaded to do a couple of new Two Ronnie shows, but everyone could see that he was no longer the rotund chap of yesteryear. Ron’s health deteriorated and it was no surprise to hear that he soon after had died.
Overall this was a well written and humorous account of one of the nations most loved comedy duos. Ronnie C was clearly very fond of his friend and has written from the heart. It’s not sickly sweet and there are no jealous pangs about Ron B’s success in his solo work, in fact Ronnie C was more then complimentary about his partner, saying he was the talented one. Personally I feel that maybe Ronnie C was right, Ronnie B was quietly talented and a very funny but a very humble man. Ron C was the more outgoing of the two, but as a comedy partnership, they were brilliant. You can knock them as much as you want, but show me a comedy programme these days that can pull in over 20 million viewers, every week.
Score Board: 9/10 Respect to the great man.
Ronnie B and Ronnie C were an enduring partnership, they were very ‘British’ friends, they respected and liked each other but did not live in each other’s pockets. Ronnie Barker (as Gerald Wiley) wrote a lot of sketches for the show but he didn’t want people to know so that he wouldn’t be treated any different to any other writer, and he kept up this pretence for a long while, even keeping it from Ronnie C. It was only one day when the two Ronnie’s and their spouses were planning to have their favourite curry in their after show restaurant, that Ron B promised he would bring along the infamous Gerald Wiley. Of course he turned up with just his wife in tow and the rest as they say is history.
The Two Ronnie’s made over 90 episodes of their series plus all the solo efforts in between and many appearances at the Command Performance in front of the Queen, but it was still a shock when Ron B said he wanted to retire. Only Ronnie C knew the score until his partners news leaked out into the media. Ron B did a few more solo projects and was even persuaded to do a couple of new Two Ronnie shows, but everyone could see that he was no longer the rotund chap of yesteryear. Ron’s health deteriorated and it was no surprise to hear that he soon after had died.
Overall this was a well written and humorous account of one of the nations most loved comedy duos. Ronnie C was clearly very fond of his friend and has written from the heart. It’s not sickly sweet and there are no jealous pangs about Ron B’s success in his solo work, in fact Ronnie C was more then complimentary about his partner, saying he was the talented one. Personally I feel that maybe Ronnie C was right, Ronnie B was quietly talented and a very funny but a very humble man. Ron C was the more outgoing of the two, but as a comedy partnership, they were brilliant. You can knock them as much as you want, but show me a comedy programme these days that can pull in over 20 million viewers, every week.
Score Board: 9/10 Respect to the great man.
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