Peter Richardson

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Who is he?

Peter Richardson is one of the most important figures in British comedy. He opened the alternative alternative comedy club in 1980 (the Comic Strip) and with it launched the careers of Rik Mayall and Ade Edmonson, French and Saunders, Nigel Planer, Robbie Coltrane and Alexei Sayle. One of the defining British comedies of the 1980s was The Comic Strip Presents…, which was the first comedy programme on the new Channel 4 in 1983 (Five Go Mad in Dorset). Richardson’s humour is as fresh and original today as it was when he first put it on film, although in all fairness, some of the Comic Strip films weren’t that great at the time either. Whilst usually considered a behind-the-camera person, he has often acted in the Comic Strip and did voice-overs in Glam Metal Detectives. A highlight is the Comic Strip episode The Strike, where he plays Al Pacino as Arthur Scargill to Jennifer Saunder’s Meryl Streep (a touch of the juxtaposition later to be used to such effect in Stella Street).

His latest work is Churchill: The Hollywood Years.

He has three sons and lives in Devon.

What has he done?

• Record
  • A recording of Peter Richardson and Nigel Planer at the Comic Strip comedy club has been released by MCI, catalogue number GAGSDMC090. The material is quite amusing, but neither Richardson nor Planer are at their best. Not available on Amazon.co.uk.
  • Bad News
    Peter Richardson plays Spider Webb in the mock heavy-metal band. This CD is a US title from Rhino records (a division of AOL-Time-Warner-EMI) and contains some of their “best” songs (which are forgettable), plus a lot of studio chatter along the lines of Derek and Clive, which is very funny. Spider only says a little on this album, but hey, it’s quite a good laugh, and Bohemian Rhapsody is terrific! Click the CD to see the listing on Amazon.co.uk.
• Television
  • The Comic Strip Presents… (BBC2 and C4)
    Starred in some episodes (once as Al Pacino!). Several videos are available. Click here to see sendit.com’s Comic Strip page.
  • The Glam Metal Detectives (BBC2)
    A manic “TV Comic”, that was sometimes very funny. The series was well produced, and very expensive, and some was even shot on film, à-la Comic Strip Presents…. The first three episodes were available on BBC video. When the BBC discovered tha Fast Show, they lost interest. There was also a single that was released (called “Everybody Up”)—consisting of the theme song and a cover of Crazy Horses, but it was a flop, reaching only number 23 in the charts, despite being on Top of the Pops with Oasis! The book, comic and album promised on the single’s packaging were never released (Phil has a copy of the album at home)! For more information, call Mickey on 0898 69 69 69 (and take a look at the video page).
  • Eddie Izzard Videos
    Peter Richardson is the producer of Glorious, and probably a few others as well. [If you like Eddie Izzard, there is a list of available videos here, at sendit.]
  • The Jack Docherty Show (C5)
    Discussing Stella Street and the Comic Strip. TX 07/05/1998.
  • “Business Brains Take Virgin Trains”
    They don’t, but Peter Richardson directed this advertising campaign with Rik Mayall. Showing in 09–10/1999. Peter has a company with Ben Swaffer (producer of Stella Street) which makes adverts. So that’s what he’s doing when you don’t see any Stella Street coming on!
• Films
  • Eat the Rich (UK 1987)
    Director. Stars Ronald Allen / Robbie Coltrane / Sandra Dorne / Adrian Edmondson / Jimmy Fagg / Dawn French / Rik Mayall / Nigel Planer / Nosher Powell / Fiona Richmond / Jennifer Saunders / Lanah Pellay. The video is deleted in the UK, but you can still look for it. Oh, Paul MacCartney’s in it too.
  • The Pope Must Die (UK 1991)
    Director, Performer. Video deleted, but you can try to hunt it down.
  • The Supergrass (UK 1985)
    Director. Available on video from sendit or Amazon.

    The Comic Strip was a Soho comedy club nextdoor to the Raymond Revue Bar. The Comic Strip Presents… Five Go Mad in Dorset was the first comedy programme on Channel 4 (it went out on their first evening). There were about 41 Comic Strip Presents…, most of them very funny nearly all of the time. The cast typically included French & Saunders, Ade Edmonson, Rik Mayall, Phil Cornwell (in the later episodes), Peter Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Alexie Sayle, Keith Allen, Gary Beadle, Jack Docherty and others. Peter Richardson wrote (with Pete Richens) most and directed nearly all of the Comic Strip films, resulting in much experience put to good use in Stella Street.

• Music videos
  • Kate Bush: Sensual World.

If you know of any other credits, please email me with them and I will include them on this page (as long as they’re true).

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