Barry Took

Barry Took (June 19, 1928 - March 31, 2002) was a British comedian, writer and television presenter. He is most well-known in the UK for his weekly role as presenter of Points Of View, a BBC TV programme in which viewers' letters criticising or praising the BBC were broadcast. He also presented the BBC Radio 4 programme The News Quiz for some years until 1995.

Related Topics:
June 19 - 1928 - March 31 - 2002 - Comedian - Writer - Points Of View - BBC - BBC Radio 4 - The News Quiz - 1995

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Took was born in London and brought up there during the war, running away from the home in Wisbech to which he had been evacuated. It was during his period of National Service that he began performing seriously, and it was also then that he met his wife, Dorothy. He later worked as a stand-up comedian, eventually becoming a West End revue performer.

Related Topics:
London - Wisbech - West End - Revue

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In terms of comedy writing, he was the writing partner of Marty Feldman and wrote for several seminal radio shows in the 1950s and 1960s, including Round The Horne.

Related Topics:
Marty Feldman - 1950s - 1960s - Round The Horne

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• Bootsie and Snudge
• Beyond Our Ken
• Round the Horne
• The News Quiz

Took also went to the USA to work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, before joining the BBC, where he helped devise Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Goodies, and the popular literacy programme, On the Move (starring Bob Hoskins).

Related Topics:
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In - Monty Python's Flying Circus - The Goodies - On the Move - Bob Hoskins

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Barry Took: Autobiography ►