Rik Mayall - dies aged 56 - R.I.P.

Richard (Rik) Michael Mayall died at the family home in Barnes, London yesterday - 9th June, aged 56. Born on 7th March 1958, near Harlow in Essex, Rik Mayall heralded a new generation of alternative comedians in the early 1980's when the zeitgeist of the Thatcher years in Britain provided a rich source of material to fuel the comedic doldrums that had existed up to that time.

Pairing up in the mid-70's at University with Adrian (Ade) Edmondson who would go on to become a life long friend and writing and performing collaborator Mayall bombarded into the eighties with 'The Comic Strip Presents' followed by the iconic 'The Young Ones' in which he starred with Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer and Christopher Ryan over twelve ground breaking episodes. This led to frequent guest appearances as 'Lord Flashheart' in a number of 'Blackadder' episodes over four very successful series, and then onto the likes of 'Filthy Rich and Catflap', 'The New Statesman' and 'Bottom'.

Throughout his small screen career playing often with black humour, physical comedy and well choreographed sight gags he dabbled too in big screen productions including 'Drop Dead Fred', 'Guest House Paradiso', 'Carry on Columbus', 'Little Noises', 'Evil Calls', 'Day of Sirens', and most recently 'Errors of the Human Body', as well as lending his voice talents to a number of other characters in both film and television.

He was very much part of the new wave of comedic talent that emerged in the early 80's that are still relevant today, and for the most part can still be seen on both the small and big screen and in the UK domestic, and international scene - think, Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Billy Connolly, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Ben Elton and Adrian Edmondson.

In 1998, Mayall had a serious quad bike accident at his farm in Devon which left him in a coma for several days from which he was not expected to recover. Defying the doctors, he did, but as a result suffered epilepsy for which he had to take daily medication - it is unknown at this stage if there is any connection here with his death yesterday.

Mayall is survived by his three children - Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie, and his wife Barbara Robin.

Rik Mayall - Rest In Peace
1958-2014

-Steve, at Odeon Online-