Ronnie Corbett, 1930 – 2016
Comedian, actor, broadcaster and writer Ronnie Corbett will perhaps be best remembered for his work with fellow comic Ronnie Barker in The Two Ronnies. However he did have a hugely successful career in his own right highlights of which we’ll look at in this post.
Quick Bio
Born Ronald Balfour Corbett on 4th December 1930 at The Royal Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of William Balfour Corbett (1898–1974), a master baker, and his London-born wife Annie Elizabeth Corbett (née Main; 1900–1991). Also in the family were his brother Allan, who was six years younger than Ronnie and a sister Margaret, who was ten years younger.
Corbett’s grandfather was principal organist at St Andrews church of Scotland in the early 20th century and features in church histories of the time.
Educated at James Gillespie’s Boys School and the Royal High School, Edinburgh. It was after leaving school, whilst performing in amateur theatricals at a church youth club young Ronnie decided he wanted to be an actor. However his first job was with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Corbett did his National Service with the RAF, during which he was the shortest commissioned officer in the British Forces. He transferred to the R.A.F. Reserve (National Service List) on 28th October 1951, thereby ending his period of active service. He was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer on 6th September 1952.
On 30 May 1966, Ronnie Corbett married actress and dancer Anne Hart on 30th May 1966; they had two daughters, actresses Emma and Sophie Corbett. Their first child, Andrew, had a heart defect and died when he was just 6 weeks old.
Ronnie Corbett lived in Addington, London between 1970 and 2003, he sold the house in 2003 reportedly to avoid leaving his children with a huge inheritance tax bill, a video made in 2021 shows the home now in an abandoned state
he also enjoyed a Scottish home in Gullane, East Lothian.
In March 2015, sadly Corbett was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He died just a year later on 31st March 2016, surrounded by his family.
Career Highlights
Ronnie Corbett began his acting career following his National Service. However, it was a chance meeting with David Frost whilst appearing in cabaret at Danny La Rue’s Mayfair nightclub that lead to him being asked to appear in The Frost Report. This would bring him to prominence and where he met fellow comic Ronnie Barker.
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Corbett’s next big move was starring in sitcom No – That’s Me Over Here! which began airing in 1967
Still in the 1960’s Ronnie Corbett appeared again with David Frost on his Frost On Sunday show in 1968
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In 1969 he presented his own variety show The Corbett Follies, that ran for 11 shows.
Ronnie Corbett would star in two follow up sitcoms to No – That’s Me Over Here! Again written by Frost Report writers Barry Cryer and Graham Chapman.
Now Look Here, in 1971 and The Prince Of Denmark, 1974.
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In between he stared alongside Arthur owe and Ian Lavender in the film version of No Sex Please, We’re British in 1973
It was 1971 when he began a partnership with fellow comedian Ronnie Barker who he had first met on The Frost Report.
The Two Ronnies became one of the most popular shows on TV running until 1987 over a mammoth 12 series.
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Outside of the Two Ronnies, Ronnie Corbett had a huge success as 40 something librarian Timothy Lumsden dominated by his over bearing Mother in the hit sitcom Sorry!
He hosted his own game show Small Talk in 1994 that ran for 4 series ending in 1996.
Ronnie Corbett would go on making TV appearances including reviving his armchair monologue routines for Ben Elton’s Man From Auntie series, starring in An Audience With…
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but one of his later TV highlights was his reunion with Ronnie Barker for:
The Two Ronnies Sketchbook
Sadly due to Ronnie Barker’s ailing health there was only ever one series.
Ronnie Corbett would kick off a series of shows entitled the The One…” with his The One Ronnie in 2010
He would go on making guest appearances until his death in 2016.