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| John Fortune, satirical comedian, dies aged 74 | John Fortune, satirical comedian, dies aged 74 |
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| John Fortune, the British comedian and satirist who found fame through his TV collaborations with John Bird and Rory Bremner, has died aged 74. | John Fortune, the British comedian and satirist who found fame through his TV collaborations with John Bird and Rory Bremner, has died aged 74. |
| He died peacefully on Tuesday with his wife Emma and dog Grizelle at his bedside, his agent Vivienne Clore said. | He died peacefully on Tuesday with his wife Emma and dog Grizelle at his bedside, his agent Vivienne Clore said. |
| "I'm so sorry to let you know that my friend John Fortune died this morning," Bremner tweeted. | "I'm so sorry to let you know that my friend John Fortune died this morning," Bremner tweeted. |
| He remembered him as a "lovely man, dear friend" and a "brilliant & fearless satirist". | He remembered him as a "lovely man, dear friend" and a "brilliant & fearless satirist". |
| Born in 1939, he was educated in Bristol before going on to Cambridge where he met fellow satirist Bird. | Born in 1939, he was educated in Bristol before going on to Cambridge where he met fellow satirist Bird. |
| A founding member of Peter Cook's Establishment Club, Fortune shared a Bafta with Bird in 1997. | A founding member of Peter Cook's Establishment Club, Fortune shared a Bafta with Bird in 1997. |
| The award, for Best Light Entertainment Performance, came for their work on Channel 4's Rory Bremner, Who Else? programme. | The award, for Best Light Entertainment Performance, came for their work on Channel 4's Rory Bremner, Who Else? programme. |
| The trio went on to work together on the channel's satirical sketch show Bremner, Bird and Fortune, which ran from 1999 to 2008. | The trio went on to work together on the channel's satirical sketch show Bremner, Bird and Fortune, which ran from 1999 to 2008. |
| Comedian and impressionist Bremner went on to describe Fortune as "the most lovely man" who "had the most beautiful brain of any man I've ever known". | Comedian and impressionist Bremner went on to describe Fortune as "the most lovely man" who "had the most beautiful brain of any man I've ever known". |
| He said Bird and Fortune had been "on to" subjects such as the banking crisis and the utilities "years ago" which they dissected "beautifully" in their comedy sketches. | He said Bird and Fortune had been "on to" subjects such as the banking crisis and the utilities "years ago" which they dissected "beautifully" in their comedy sketches. |
| "In some ways Bird and Fortune were the pillars of the anti-establishment," he told the BBC. "Their timing was so superb and they had the ability to dissect a subject like a scalpel." | "In some ways Bird and Fortune were the pillars of the anti-establishment," he told the BBC. "Their timing was so superb and they had the ability to dissect a subject like a scalpel." |
| Geoff Atkinson, a longtime producer of Rory Bremner's shows and a head of Vera Productions, the TV production company set up with Bremer and Clore, described Fortune as "unique". | |
| "His partnership with John Bird seemed effortless on air, yet every week they'd sit with a blank sheet of paper and 10 minutes to fill in five days' time. That they filled it so brilliantly week after week never failed to amaze me," he said. | |
| He described his friend as "a joy to work with, an inspiration as a writer, and the funniest person you could ever meet", adding: "Honest, kind, caring, over 20 years, I benefited so much from his quiet wise words as a friend, and an inspiration." | |
| Broadcaster Stephen Fry tweeted that Fortune he had been a "huge influence on the satire boom", while actor David Morrissey said he was "such a funny man". | |
| ITV newsreader Alastair Stewart said Fortune, Bird and Bremner had created "some of the cleverist [sic], funniest stuff ever", while League of Gentleman star Reece Shearsmith also tweeted his respects, saying he was "a very funny man". | |
| Only Fools and Horses star John Challis, who acted alongside Fortune in 1980s C.A.T.S. Eyes, said he was "so sad" to hear of his death. | Only Fools and Horses star John Challis, who acted alongside Fortune in 1980s C.A.T.S. Eyes, said he was "so sad" to hear of his death. |
| "I played henchman to his chief villain... and we laughed a lot," the actor recalled. "Another goodun gone." | "I played henchman to his chief villain... and we laughed a lot," the actor recalled. "Another goodun gone." |
| Susan Penhaligon also shared her memories of Fortune, recalling the time they acted together in a production of Ibsen's play A Doll's House. | Susan Penhaligon also shared her memories of Fortune, recalling the time they acted together in a production of Ibsen's play A Doll's House. |
| "So sad to hear about John Fortune," the Bouquet of Barbed Wire actress tweeted, remembering him as "a lovely, clever man". | "So sad to hear about John Fortune," the Bouquet of Barbed Wire actress tweeted, remembering him as "a lovely, clever man". |
| A former member of the Cambridge Footlights, Fortune was known for his imposing height and his knack for mimicking old-school establishment types. | A former member of the Cambridge Footlights, Fortune was known for his imposing height and his knack for mimicking old-school establishment types. |
| He also had small roles in a number of films, among them Calendar Girls, The Tailor of Panama and Woody Allen's Match Point. | He also had small roles in a number of films, among them Calendar Girls, The Tailor of Panama and Woody Allen's Match Point. |
| Yet he remains best known for the Long Johns skits he performed with Bird, in which they offered witty characterisations of bumbling politicians, military figures and businessmen. | Yet he remains best known for the Long Johns skits he performed with Bird, in which they offered witty characterisations of bumbling politicians, military figures and businessmen. |
| During an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2004, Fortune said it was "very difficult to keep a straight face" during his and Bird's largely improvised duologues and that he was "very ashamed" whenever he 'corpsed'. | During an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2004, Fortune said it was "very difficult to keep a straight face" during his and Bird's largely improvised duologues and that he was "very ashamed" whenever he 'corpsed'. |
| Fortune, who recently suffered a stroke, is survived by his wife and three children. |