Cambridge-educated satirist additionally edited National Lampoon and launched Spitting Image
Tony Hendra, the veteran comedy author who performed Spinal Tap’s supervisor Ian Faith within the 1984 rock mockumentary, has died at the age of 79.
His spouse, Carla Meisner, informed the New York Times the reason for demise was motor neurone illness.
Born in Willesden, North London, Hendra was educated at St Albans School the place he was a classmate of Stephen Hawking, and then Cambridge. At college, he joined the Footlights and was a part of the 1962 revue alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Tim Brooke-Taylor.
He moved to the US and have become a tv author and in 1970 he joined the newly fashioned National Lampoon journal, changing into managing editor the next yr and staying there for a decade.
In that position he produced, directed and co-wrote, the Lampoon’s 1973 off-Broadway revue Lemmings starring John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest amongst others.
In 1984, he got here again to the UK to co-create, co-write, and co-produce Spitting Image – however he was ousted from the manufacturing after the primary six exhibits.
That similar yr he starred in This Is Spinal Tap, whose director Rob Reiner paid tribute tonight, tweeting: ‘Tony Hendra who performed Spinal Tap’s supervisor, Ian, has sadly handed away. A superb satirist who when studying that the band’s Boston gig had been cancelled, informed them to not fear that Boston wasn’t an enormous faculty city. R.I.P’
Hendra’s writing credit additionally embody wrote The Great White Hype, a satire of racism in boxing starring Samuel L. Jackson, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx and Jeff Goldblum, and work for Spy Magazine within the Nineteen Nineties.
His fame was marred by allegations of sexual abuse from his daughter, which have been printed within the New York Times in 2004. He strongly denied her claims, which have been by no means legally examined.
Among these paying tribute to his skilled achievements tonight have been comedian Dave Cohen, who mentioned: ‘Bloody beloved Tony Hendra. So glamorous in my teen years – a Brit comedy success on my favorite US magazine. Then Spinal Tap. Then he got here again to UK to work on Spitting Image. I nonetheless have his handwritten “Close however no cigar” rejection with a bit coronary heart scrawled throughout my sketches.’
Home creator Rufus Jones added: ‘Tony Hendra participated within the funniest digicam transfer in historical past. His expression in Tap when Fran Drescher says MONEY TALKS AND BULLSHIT WALKS- aggressive confusion – is momentarily captured because the digicam pans away. Often imitated, by no means equalled.The Hendra is a masterful shot.’
Published: 5 (*79*) 2021
