Alexei Sayle

Alexei David Sayle is a British comedian, actor, author and ex-Communist. He was born in Anfield, Liverpool, England on August 7, 1952. He was a central part of the alternative comedy circuit in the early Eighties.

Overview

Alexei Sayle grew up in Liverpool, the son of working-class Communist parents. After leaving school in dubious circumstances, he took a foundation course in art at Southport before attending Chelsea College of Art and Design in London.

Related Topics:
Liverpool - Communist - Chelsea College of Art and Design - London

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When the Comedy Store opened in London in 1979, he responded to an advert for 'would-be comedians' and became its first compere.

Related Topics:
Comedy Store - 1979

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In 1980 he was seen at the Edinburgh Festival by comedy producer Martin Lewis, producer of The Secret Policeman's Balls shows and films who became his manager and mentor. Under Lewis' management Sayle became the leading performer at the new "Comic Strip" club. He also secured his own radio series for London's Capital Radio "Alexei Sayle And The Fish People" (1981) for which he won a Sony Radio Award. He appeared on "The Comic Strip Album" (1981) and recorded his own album "Cak!" (1982.) He also appeared in the stage show, film and comedy album of The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981-2) alongside established comedic performers. These strategies were all designed to bring Sayle to a broader audience. Following this exposure Sayle began to receive critical acclaim and his popularity grew.

Related Topics:
Martin Lewis - The Secret Policeman's Balls - The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

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The height of his early fame was with the single "Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?" produced by Madness and Elvis Costello producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. Langer had been a member of the Lewis-managed Portsmouth Sinfonia. The single achieved notoriety because of the amount of swear words heard on the 12" single version of the record. After this record's success, Sayle went from being an underground cult hero to a more mainstream career. Some of his early fans felt that he had sold out but this was not detrimental to his commercial success. He became one of Britain's highest-paid voice-over talents providing narration for radio and television commercials.

Related Topics:
Madness - Elvis Costello - Portsmouth Sinfonia

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He has starred in many TV series and films, including The Comic Strip Presents, The Young Ones, and many stand-up comedy series. He also co-wrote many programmes, including five series of his own stand-up/sketch shows, Alexei Sayle's Stuff. He was credited with providing "additional material" for The Young Ones. One of his nicknames is the "fat bastard," which is heard in his skits to refer to him.

Related Topics:
The Comic Strip Presents - The Young Ones - Stand-up comedy - Alexei Sayle's Stuff

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Much of Sayle's humour is in the tradition of Spike Milligan and Monty Python with riffs based on an absurd premise. For example a sketch in Alexei Sayle's Stuff featured Alexei playing the part of Godot, hitch-hiking across contemporary northern England but never managing to get a lift. Political themes are also prevalent.

Related Topics:
Spike Milligan - Monty Python - Godot

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In 1974, he married Linda Rawsthorn.

Related Topics:
1974 - Linda Rawsthorn

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He had hit singles in the 1980s with "'Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?" and "Didn't You Kill My Brother?"

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In 1989, he was awarded an International Emmy for his series Alexei Sayle's Stuff.

Related Topics:
1989 - Emmy

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He has made intermittent appearances as a character actor in films including "Gorky Park" (1983) and the third Indiana Jones film but he has not enjoyed sustained success in that field of endeavour.

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In 1995, he was awarded an honorary professorship at the Thames Valley University.

Related Topics:
1995 - Thames Valley University

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