Mel Smith

His father Ken was born in Co Durham, and married Vera.Together, they took over her family's greengrocer's shop in Quick Road, Chiswick, London. He convinced her that the way forward was to convert the shop into a bookmaker's. Before long, they moved to a semi-detached house. Mel was born in 1952 and educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, where, at the age of twelve, he played Falstaff. He was captain of the school rugby team from the second form to the sixth. In 1971, he won a place at New College, Oxford, where he studied experimental psychology. He lodged at New College Lane, which was where Edmund Halley (of Halley's comet fame) had his observatory. His attendance record was so bad that he was asked if he would get busy and do some work for his finals or spend all his time acting and directing. He chose the latter. and. in 1973. became assistant director at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Through the mid-1970s, he had assistant-director jobs around the country until he met actor Bob Goody. Together, they wrote and directed several productions, including 'Have You Heard the One About Joey Baker' and 'The Gambler,' which was revived in London's West End. In 1979, they attracted the attention of a television sketch show which they joined, doing send-ups of shows such as 'Blue Peter,' then moved on to 'Not the Nine O'Clock News'. In 1981, Mel and Griff Rhys Jones formed Talk Back Productions, starting off with their series 'Alas Smith and Jones' , plus such as 'I'm Alan Partridge', 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks', and 'They Think It's All Over'. Mel moved on to producing and directing films, such as 'Radioland Murders', 'Bean, the Ultimate Disaster Movie', and 'The Tall Guy'.