Barry Took facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Took
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| Born | 19 June 1928 Wood Green, London, England |
| Died | 31 March 2002 (aged 73) Enfield, London, England |
| Resting place | New Southgate Cemetery and Crematorium, London, England |
| Period | 1957–1999 |
| Genre | Radio, television |
| Notable works | The Army Game (1957–1961) Bootsie and Snudge (1960–64, 1974) Round the Horne (1965–68) One-Upmanship (1976–78) |
Barry Took (born June 19, 1928 – died March 31, 2002) was a talented English writer, television presenter, and comedian. He is well-known for his long writing partnership with Marty Feldman. Together, they created popular shows like the TV series Bootsie and Snudge and the radio comedy Round the Horne.
In the UK, many people remember Barry Took for hosting Points of View. This BBC Television show shared letters from viewers about what they thought of BBC programmes. He also hosted The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4.
Barry Took is sometimes called the "Father of Monty Python." This is because he helped bring together the comedy performers who later formed the famous group Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Early Life
Barry Took was born in Muswell Hill, north London. His father worked as a manager at a bacon company. During World War II, Barry was sent away from London for safety to Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. He didn't like it there, so he cycled 20 miles to Peterborough to catch a train back home to London.
He went to Stationers School but left when he was just 15 years old.
Career Highlights
Because he left school early, Barry Took started working as an office boy and later as a cinema projectionist. During his time in the Royal Air Force, where he played the trumpet, he began performing comedy. He later became a stand-up comedian and performed in West End stage shows.
Barry Took's best comedy writing happened when he worked with Marty Feldman. They first met in 1954. For many years, they wrote for several TV shows, including The Army Game and its spin-off, Bootsie and Snudge. They also wrote most episodes of the popular radio show Round the Horne.
In the late 1960s, Barry Took became a comedy advisor for the BBC. He played a key role in bringing together the comedians who would create Monty Python's Flying Circus. After this, he worked briefly in the US on a show called Rowan and Martin's Laugh In.
When he returned to the UK in 1970, he helped set up the BBC series The Goodies. He also became the Head of Light Entertainment at London Weekend Television, but he later resigned from this role.
Barry Took also wrote On the Move (1975–76). This TV show was part of a national effort to help adults learn to read. It starred Bob Hoskins. He was involved in two more shows for this project: Your Move and Write Away.
In 1977, Barry Took hosted his own comedy sketch show called Took and Co. It featured actors like Robin Bailey and Andrew Sachs.
From 1979, he became the chairman of The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4. He held this role for many years. In the same year, he started presenting Points of View, which he hosted for over seven years.
He also hosted other radio shows, including The Impressionists and a revival of Twenty Questions called Guess What?.
Barry Took wrote seven books, including his own life story. He also wrote about the life of comedian Kenneth Williams for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Later Life
Barry Took married his first wife, Dorothy Bird, in 1950. They had three children. He later married Lynden Leonard in 1964, and they had a daughter. He also spoke openly about his experiences with mental health challenges.
In his later years, Barry Took faced serious health issues, including cancer. He passed away on March 31, 2002, at the age of 73, in a nursing home in Enfield.
Autobiography
- A Point of View (1990)
