John Bird, an actor, and comedian passed away at the age of 86, according to his agents. Bird, who was well known for his numerous appearances opposite John Fortune, was a part of the 1960s TV satire boom.
In the Channel 4 TV series Bremner, Bird, and Fortune, the two had an unforgettable appearance alongside Rory Bremner.
Co-star Bremner took the lead in paying respect to Bird, telling the BBC that his late co-star “had the sharpest of wits” and “had this wonderful instinct for absurdity.”
Bremner said of the actor on Radio 4’s The World at One, “He was so modest for someone who so often played these characters who were so complacent and self-aggrandizing.”
He possessed the most brilliant mind and was the most modest person; he was magnificent. He was at the fore of the satirical explosion.
Bremner, Bird, and Fortune was nominated for multiple Bafta TV Awards and aired for 16 seasons, including one-off specials, between 1999 and 2008.
One of the two Johns—either Bird or Fortune—would play a senior figure from public life, being questioned by the other John, in one of Bird and Fortune’s most well-known recurring routines, dubbed The Long Johns.
In the scene, the interviewer would become more and more irate as they mocked the fake businessman, government consultant, or clueless politician who always went by the name of George Parr.
Fortune admitted that it had been “extremely difficult to keep a straight face” throughout his and Bird’s numerous, largely impromptu two-handers during an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2004.
Bremner described seeing Bird and fellow actor John Fortune collaborate as the “highlight” of his life and that he would “marvel at the genius of it all” in a statement that was previously released.
It was “striking,” he added. Bird passed away on Christmas Eve, “nine years, nearly to the day” after Fortune, who passed away at the age of 74 on New Year’s Eve in 2013.
Bremner added, “Lord knows, satire has missed them this last decade and that loss is now irreparable.
Bird “passed away quietly” at the Pendean care facility, according to a statement announcing his death. A celebration of his life is anticipated to occur after a family funeral in the upcoming year.
Nottingham-born Bird attended a grammar school before enrolling at Cambridge University. He first met Fortune, his comic partner with whom he would go on to act in the popular BBC satire series That Was the Week that Was, at Cambridge.
The BBC ordered The Late Show, where Bird and Barry Humphries featured after the program was canceled just before the 1964 general election in an effort to duplicate the success of the earlier political comedy program.
The Late Show, however, barely lasted a year before being canceled after 24 episodes.
If It Moves File It, Dangerous Brothers, A Very Peculiar Practice, My Father Knew Lloyd George, and The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball were some of Bird’s other TV appearances.
A number of notable TV shows, including Jonathan Creek, One Foot in the Grave, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders, and Yes, Prime Minister, featured him in episodes.
He appeared in movies including Red and Blue, A Dandy in Aspic, 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia, Jabberwocky, and Yellow Pages on the big screen.
In 1997, Bird and co-star Fortune shared a Bafta. Their effort on the Rory Bremner, Who Else? program on Channel 4 was recognized with a prize for outstanding light entertainment performance.
He later appeared in the original radio series and later the TV adaptation of Chambers for the BBC, where he co-starred with Sarah Lancashire in the early 2000s.
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