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Mel Smith dies of heart attack aged 60 | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Comic actor and writer Mel Smith has died of a heart attack, aged 60, his agent has confirmed. | Comic actor and writer Mel Smith has died of a heart attack, aged 60, his agent has confirmed. |
The British comedian - known for the sketch shows Alas Smith and Jones and Not The Nine O'Clock News - died at his home on Friday, Michael Foster said. | The British comedian - known for the sketch shows Alas Smith and Jones and Not The Nine O'Clock News - died at his home on Friday, Michael Foster said. |
Smith formed a lasting partnership with co-performer Griff Rhys Jones with whom he set up the independent television company, Talkback Productions. | Smith formed a lasting partnership with co-performer Griff Rhys Jones with whom he set up the independent television company, Talkback Productions. |
Rhys Jones described his friend of 35 years as a "brilliant actor". | Rhys Jones described his friend of 35 years as a "brilliant actor". |
In a statement on behalf of his wife, Pam, Mr Foster said: "Mel Smith, comedian and writer, died on Friday aged 60, from a heart attack at his home in north-west London." | |
An ambulance was called to Smith's home just after 09:00 BST where he was found to have died. | |
'A gentleman and a scholar' | |
Meanwhile, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to him. | Meanwhile, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to him. |
"I still can't believe this has happened," said Rhys Jones. | |
"To everybody who ever met him, Mel was a force for life. He had a relish for it that seemed utterly inexhaustible." | "To everybody who ever met him, Mel was a force for life. He had a relish for it that seemed utterly inexhaustible." |
He said the pair had never had an argument and "loved performing together", adding: "He inspired love and utter loyalty and he gave it in return. I will look back on the days working with him as some of the funniest times that I have ever spent." | He said the pair had never had an argument and "loved performing together", adding: "He inspired love and utter loyalty and he gave it in return. I will look back on the days working with him as some of the funniest times that I have ever spent." |
He went on to describe Smith as a "gentleman and a scholar, a gambler and a wit". | He went on to describe Smith as a "gentleman and a scholar, a gambler and a wit". |
The pair met, along with Rowan Atkinson and Pamela Stephenson, working on Not the Nine O'Clock News, which ran from 1979 to 1982. | The pair met, along with Rowan Atkinson and Pamela Stephenson, working on Not the Nine O'Clock News, which ran from 1979 to 1982. |
The programme's creator, John Lloyd, told the BBC his friend had been ill for some time. | The programme's creator, John Lloyd, told the BBC his friend had been ill for some time. |
He said: "Mel did an extraordinary thing - he taught us all how to make comedy natural. He was a brilliant theatre director... Not only was he a great actor, he was a wonderful editor." | He said: "Mel did an extraordinary thing - he taught us all how to make comedy natural. He was a brilliant theatre director... Not only was he a great actor, he was a wonderful editor." |
Smith and Rhys Jones together created Talkback Productions, which made a number of much-loved comedies - among them Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. | Smith and Rhys Jones together created Talkback Productions, which made a number of much-loved comedies - among them Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. |
"What that did is produce a gigantic raft of new material," Mr Lloyd said. "That, I think, is a contribution that will never go away." | "What that did is produce a gigantic raft of new material," Mr Lloyd said. "That, I think, is a contribution that will never go away." |
They sold the company for £62m in 2000. | They sold the company for £62m in 2000. |
Experimental psychology | Experimental psychology |
Their business partner and agent at Talkback, ITV director of television Peter Fincham, said Smith had "extraordinary natural talent". | Their business partner and agent at Talkback, ITV director of television Peter Fincham, said Smith had "extraordinary natural talent". |
"Life was always exciting around Mel," he said. "Being funny came naturally to him, so much so that he never seemed to give it a second thought. | "Life was always exciting around Mel," he said. "Being funny came naturally to him, so much so that he never seemed to give it a second thought. |
"Mel and Griff were one of the great comedy acts and it's hard to imagine that one of them is no longer with us." | "Mel and Griff were one of the great comedy acts and it's hard to imagine that one of them is no longer with us." |
Atkinson, who starred in Bean - The Ultimate Disaster Movie, directed by Smith in 1997, paid tribute to a "lovely man of whom I saw too little in his later years". | |
"He had a wonderfully generous and sympathetic presence both on and off screen," he said. | |
Other friends and colleagues took to Twitter to send their condolences, with comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry writing: "Terrible news about my old friend Mel Smith, dead today from a heart attack. Mel lived a full life, but was kind, funny and wonderful to know." | Other friends and colleagues took to Twitter to send their condolences, with comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry writing: "Terrible news about my old friend Mel Smith, dead today from a heart attack. Mel lived a full life, but was kind, funny and wonderful to know." |
The son of a bookmaker from Chiswick, west London, Smith was already directing plays with friends at the age of six. | The son of a bookmaker from Chiswick, west London, Smith was already directing plays with friends at the age of six. |
He went on to read experimental psychology at New College, Oxford, where he was involved with the dramatic society. | He went on to read experimental psychology at New College, Oxford, where he was involved with the dramatic society. |