Dick Vosburgh
Encyclopedia
Richard Kennedy "Dick" Vosburgh (27 August 1929, Elizabeth, New Jersey
– 18 April 2007, London) was an American-born comedy writer and lyricist working chiefly in Britain.
He persuaded his father to let him study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
in London (where he met his future wife, Beryl Roques) and won the Comedy Acting prize. He was soon writing for BBC Radio
, starting with scripts for Bernard Braden
in 1953.
Often partnering with other writers including Garry Chambers and Barry Cryer
he wrote television shows for Ronnie Corbett
, David Frost
, Roy Hudd
, Bobby Davro
, Frankie Howerd
, Bob Monkhouse
, Lenny Henry
, Tommy Cooper
, Freddie Starr
and Bob Hope
and material for the radio revival of the Marx Brothers
show
Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel
.
He also helped write the scripts for the films Up Pompeii, Up the Chastity Belt, Carry On Nurse and Call Me Bwana
According to legend, he did much of his writing while continuously riding the Circle Line of the London Underground
to avoid interruptions. In the late 1960s, he appeared in How To Irritate People
and various early episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
.
As a lyricist, he had a reputation for being meticulous about the use of words and rhymes, and having a huge knowledge of the Broadway
classics. He wrote the pastiche A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine with composer Frank Lazarus (1979), Windy City
(with Tony Macaulay
, based on The Front Page
, 1982) and A Saint She Ain’t (with Denis King, 1999).
In an article for the Times in 1982, Jane Ellison
calls him 'a compulsive worrier, perfectionist and master of the wisecrack'. In the same article Dick says of himself:
He created many obituaries of comedians and B-movie
actors for the Observer and The Times.
According to writer Garry Chambers, "When you were told you were working with such a [difficult] person again, he would say 'Be sure to give him my loathe.'"
He also created the radio show of bad songs Tunes the Backers Whistled While Jumping Off the Roof.
He is the father of actress Tilly Vosburgh
.
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
– 18 April 2007, London) was an American-born comedy writer and lyricist working chiefly in Britain.
He persuaded his father to let him study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
in London (where he met his future wife, Beryl Roques) and won the Comedy Acting prize. He was soon writing for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, starting with scripts for Bernard Braden
Bernard Braden
Bernard Chastey Braden was a Canadian-born English actor and comedian.Braden was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and educated at Magee Secondary School, Kerrisdale, Vancouver. He produced plays on CJOR Vancouver in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He married Barbara Kelly in 1942 and they moved...
in 1953.
Often partnering with other writers including Garry Chambers and Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer OBE is a British writer and comedian. Cryer has written for many noted performers, including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie...
he wrote television shows for Ronnie Corbett
Ronnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
, David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
, Roy Hudd
Roy Hudd
Roy Hudd, OBE is an English comedian, actor, radio host and author, and an authority on the history of music hall entertainment.- Early life :...
, Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro is a British actor and comedian. He is mainly known for his work as an impressionist...
, Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
, Bob Monkhouse
Bob Monkhouse
Robert Alan "Bob" Monkhouse, OBE was an English entertainer. He was a successful comedy writer, comedian and actor and was also well known on British television as a presenter and game show host...
, Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry
Lenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
, Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
, Freddie Starr
Freddie Starr
Freddie Starr is an English comedian who became famous in the early 1970s. He is also an impressionist and singer, with a chart album After the Laughter and UK Top 10 single, "It's You", in March 1974 to his credit.-Early career:Under his real name, he appeared as a teenager in the film Violent...
and Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and material for the radio revival of the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
show
Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel
Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel
Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel is a situation comedy radio show starring two of the Marx Brothers, Groucho and Chico, and written primarily by Nat Perrin and Arthur Sheekman. It was originally broadcast in the United States on the National Broadcasting Company's Blue Network beginning November 28,...
.
He also helped write the scripts for the films Up Pompeii, Up the Chastity Belt, Carry On Nurse and Call Me Bwana
According to legend, he did much of his writing while continuously riding the Circle Line of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
to avoid interruptions. In the late 1960s, he appeared in How To Irritate People
How to Irritate People
How to Irritate People is a 1968 television broadcast written by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Cleese, Chapman, and Brooke-Taylor also feature in it, along with future Monty Python collaborators Michael Palin and Connie Booth.In various sketches, Cleese...
and various early episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
.
As a lyricist, he had a reputation for being meticulous about the use of words and rhymes, and having a huge knowledge of the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
classics. He wrote the pastiche A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine with composer Frank Lazarus (1979), Windy City
Windy City (musical)
Windy City is a musical with a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Tony Macaulay. It is based on the play The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.-Plot:...
(with Tony Macaulay
Tony Macaulay
Tony Macaulay is a British author, composer for musical theatre, and songwriter, though it was the latter that made him a household name early in his career...
, based on The Front Page
The Front Page
The Front Page is a hit Broadway comedy about tabloid newspaper reporters on the police beat, written by one-time Chicago reporters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur which was first produced in 1928.-Synopsis:...
, 1982) and A Saint She Ain’t (with Denis King, 1999).
In an article for the Times in 1982, Jane Ellison
Jane Ellison
Jane Elizabeth Ellison is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for Battersea.Ellison was born in Bradford and studied at the University of Oxford...
calls him 'a compulsive worrier, perfectionist and master of the wisecrack'. In the same article Dick says of himself:
"Television is not the ideal place for a Virgo to work. In fact I am a Virgoan son of a Virgo, which is much much worse. I must be the most nit-picking person ever born - I sat up all night writing a speech for the wedding of one of my daughters. On stage you can see the actors say your lines and you have a better chance to make them better next time. On television you're reduced to clawing the screen."
He created many obituaries of comedians and B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
actors for the Observer and The Times.
According to writer Garry Chambers, "When you were told you were working with such a [difficult] person again, he would say 'Be sure to give him my loathe.'"
He also created the radio show of bad songs Tunes the Backers Whistled While Jumping Off the Roof.
He is the father of actress Tilly Vosburgh
Tilly Vosburgh
Tilly Vosburgh is an English actress. She is the daughter of Dick Vosburgh and former actress Beryl Vosburgh....
.