Career Lenny Henry

1 career

1.1 career
1.2 1980s
1.3 1990s
1.4 2000s
1.5 2010s

career
early career

henry s first manager robert luff, signed him in 1975 , gave him opportunity perform part of luff-produced touring stage version of black , white minstrel show. in july 2009, lenny henry stated contractually obliged perform , regretted part in show.

his earliest television appearance on new faces talent show, won in 1975 impersonation of stevie wonder. following year appeared norman beaton in lwt s sitcom fosters, britain s first comedy series predominantly black performers. formative years spent in working men s clubs, impersonated white characters such mothers ave em character frank spencer (whom impersonated on new faces). made guest appearances on television programmes including celebrity squares, seaside special , ronnie corbett show.

1980s

lenny henry in 1980s

in 1980, henry performed in summer season in blackpool cannon , ball. has since said summer season first time [he] felt [his] act had received proper response audience . around same time, co-hosted children s programme tiswas 1978 until 1981, , subsequently performed , wrote show 3 of kind.

also in 1980, teamed comic strip met wife, comedian dawn french. encouraged him move on fledgling alternative comedy scene, established career stand-up comedy performer , character comedian.

he introduced characters both mocked , celebrated black british culture, such theophilus p. wildebeeste (an homage teddy pendergrass using tp initials), brixton pirate radio disc jockey dj delbert wilkins , trevor macdoughnut (a parody of trevor mcdonald). stand-up material, sold on lp, owed writing abilities of kim fuller. during time spent 3 years dj on bbc radio 1, playing soul , electro tracks , introducing of characters later popularise on television. made guest appearance in final episode of young ones postman, in 1984.

the first series of lenny henry show appeared on bbc in 1984. show featured stand up, spoofs send of michael jackson s thriller video, , many of characters had developed during summer season, including theophilus p. wildebeeste , delbert wilkins. principal scriptwriter television , stage shows during 1990s jon canter. lenny henry show ran periodically further 19 years in various incarnations. performed impressions such tina turner, prince, michael jackson, stevie wonder, run dmc, among others.

prior 1987 general election, henry lent support red wedge participating in comedy tour organised campaign.

in 1987, appeared in tv film coast coast. comedy thriller john shea 2 djs shared passion motown music being chased across britain. film has strong following, contractual problems have prevented being distributed on video or dvd.

1990s

in 1990s, henry starred in hollywood film true identity, in character pretended white person (using make-up, prostheses, , wig) avoid mob. film not commercially successful. in 1991, starred in bbc drama alongside robbie coltrane called alive , kicking, in played heroin addict, based on true story.

also in 1991, starred in christmas comedy bernard , genie alongside alan cumming , rowan atkinson. henry known choleric chef gareth blackstock 1990s television comedy series chef!, or 1999 straight-acting lead role in bbc drama hope , glory. co-creator neil gaiman , producer of 1996 bbc drama serial neverwhere.

henry tried hand @ soul singing, appearing, example, backing singer on kate bush s album red shoes (1993) and, backed david gilmour of pink floyd, @ amnesty international s big 3-0 fund raising concert. later neither move showed him @ best, , felt comfortable character comedy. return singing, performing in small local venues in west midlands. henry returned bbc lenny henry in pieces, character-based comedy sketch show followed lenny henry show, in combined stand-up, character sketches , song parodies.

2000s

lenny henry on red nose day 2005

in 2003, henry listed in observer 1 of fifty funniest acts in british comedy. in 2004, listed in sunday times fifteenth funniest black performer of time. henry associated british comic relief charity organisation, along former wife, comedian dawn french, , griff rhys jones, , has hosted show , presented filmed reports overseas on work of charity. voice of british speaking clock 2 weeks in march 2003 in aid of comic relief.

henry voiced shrunken head on knight bus in 2004 movie harry potter , prisoner of azkaban, , read audio book version of neil gaiman s anansi boys. voiced character on children s show little robots. henry appeared in advertisements butter products in new zealand, commissioned company known fonterra, portraying saint peter in virgin mobile advertising campaign in south africa. in uk, used character of theophilus p. wildebeeste advertise alpen muesli, , promoted non-alcoholic lager, kaliber.

in june 2001, bbc documentary, sailed trimaran plymouth antigua, jamaica yachtsman tony bullimore. motive put it, have 1 last adventure . in 2005, appeared in birmingham, act jasper carrott s rock laughter . appeared alongside performers such bill bailey, jasper carrott, bonnie tyler, bobby davro , lord of dance troupe. in 2006, henry starred in bbc programme berry s way. did voice of dark nebula in kirby: squeak squad. on 16 march 2007, henry made cameo appearance himself in sketch catherine tate, appeared in guise of character geordie georgie catherine tate show. sketch made bbc red nose day fund raising programme of 2007.

on 16 june 2007 lenny appeared chris tarrant , sally james present 25th anniversary episode of tiswas. show lasted 90 minutes , featured celebrities discussing enjoyment of tiswas children, appearances kids , people had appeared on original show. in summer of 2007, presented lenny s britain, comedy documentary tour made open university on bbc 1 on tuesday nights. in late 2007, hosted stand-up comedy tour of uk.

in 2008, henry s series lennyhenry.tv broadcast on bbc one. programme has accompanying website of same name , broadcasts strange, weird , amusing on-line videos , cctv clips. starred in radio 4 show rudy s rare records. on 31 december 2008 , 1 january 2009, appeared on jools holland s hootenanny on bbc two, singing part of song mercy along singer duffy. in january 2009, appeared on bbc s comedy show, live @ apollo, in played host night, introducing andy parsons , ed byrne, referred wikipedia wrongopedia containing incorrect information life.

in october 2009, henry reprised role of deakus feature in comedy shorts story writing alongside nina wadia, tara palmer tomkinson , stephen k. amos. offers own writing tips , amusing anecdotes in writing tips video clip on bbc raw words – story writing. supplies voices of both big , small in bbc cbeebies children s programs big & small.

2010s

in 2010, henry produced , starred in five-part web series bbc comedy website, conversations wife, fictional couple conversing on skype while wife away on business leaving husband (played henry) hold fort @ home.

in 2008, became face of budget hotel operator premier inn, , date continues star in adverts them. 1 of adverts caused controversy , banned children s programming hours. advert, 2010, parodied well-known scene film shining, lenny henry spoofing scene starring jack nicholson, smashing door axe , thrusting head through door saying: here s lenny.

in 2011, henry presented saturday night magic series called magicians on bbc one. show returned in 2012, henry replaced darren mcmullen.

in march 2011, appeared angela rippon, samantha womack , reggie yates in bbc fundraising documentary comic relief called famous, rich , in slums, 4 celebrities sent kibera in kenya, africa s largest slum.

henry criticised opening sketch 2011 comic relief, during spoofed film king s speech , grew impatient colin firth s portrayal of king george vi stammered on speech. sun reported british stammering association had branded sketch gross , disgusting gleefulness @ pointing out else s misfortune .

in 2014, henry appeared in , produced play based on radio show rudy s rare records, played @ birmingham repertory theatre before moving on run in london.

in 2015, danny , human zoo ninety-minute film television made , shown, written henry , directed destiny ekaragha, fictionalised account of former s life teenager in 1970s dudley.