Mertons companion book to his bbc series silent clowns pays homage to his comic heroes. Merton has been a fan of silent comedy since he was a child, and his meticulous book is clearly a labour of love. Paul merton and the clockclinging climax of harold lloyds perilous safety last. Merton is a keen student of comedy, particularly the early silent comedians 21 and in 2006, bbc four broadcast paul mertons silent clowns, a fourpart documentary series on the silent comedy craft of buster keaton, charlie chaplin. He has been ranked by critics, fellow comedians and viewers to be among britains greatest comedians. On the surface it may seem surprising that a master of verbal humour should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but paul merton is passionate about the early days of hollywood comedy and the comic geniuses who dominated it.
Silent comedy by paul mertonthis work is surprisingly short on laughs and long on entertaining biographical anecdotes, writes robert collins. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal. Its billed as paul mertons first standup show 2052012. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humour should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but paul merton is completely passionate about the early days of hollywood read more. Paul merton paul james martin is an english actor, writer, comedian, radio and television presenter born on 9th july 1957 in parsons green, london, england. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humour should also be a devotee of silent comedy. Paul merton birthday and wiki, bio, net worth, affair. Paul merton autobiograhpy 30 minute bbc life story. Paul merton is an english writer, actor, radio and television presenter. Paul merton makes a big noise about the age of silent comedy. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading silent comedy. Silent film, silent clowns, silent comedy paul merton.
Paul mertons silent comedy book, silent clowns bbc series and uk tour, and his bbc tv documentary paul merton looks at alfred hitchcock. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humour should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but paul merton is completely passionate about the early days of hollywood comedy and the comic geniuses who dominated it. Read silent comedy by paul merton available from rakuten kobo. And i am stunned by silent comedy, the book that his series inspired. Why paul merton thinks silence is golden telegraph. His knowledge is awesome as anyone who watched his bbc 4 series silent. Paul james martin born 9 july 1957, known under the stage name paul merton, is an english writer, actor, comedian, radio and television presenter known for his improvisation skill, merton s humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humour should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but paul merton is. He has also written a nonfiction book about silent comedy, one of his lifelong passions. Silent comedy by paul merton penguin books australia. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The bill boasted jack dee, jimmy carr, paul merton, 1012009. Paul mertons silent clowns, city varieties, leeds, tuesday may 8, 7.
He loves silent comedy and has presented a new tv show and recently written a book about it. Twentyfive years the comedy store players have been 1112010. The comedy of slapstick and pratfalls may seem unsophisticated to modern tastes but in paul mertons show silent clowns, staged in canterbury last night, the comic brings alive the appeal of early film comedy your canterbury paul mertons celebration of silent comedy is a joy to behold. But his obsession with silent blackandwhite comedy is a total surprise. He has appeared many times with the comedy store players at londons comedy store. Paul merton bringing a comedians insight to bear on the art of making people laugh, paul merton traces the evolution of silent comedy from its earliest pioneering days, through the 1900s, and considers the works of the genres greatest exponents buster keaton. He was rumoured to be a possible new host of countdown to replace both richard whiteley 14 and his successor, des lynam, 15 but decided not to pursue this merton is a keen student of comedy, particularly the early silent comedians 16 and in 2006, bbc four broadcast paul mertons silent clowns. Theres one major difference between the paul merton who sits far right all deadpan and detached on have i got news for you, who dishes out laserguided barbs to the pompous and the pretentious, who pummels stale predictability with inspired verbal journeys into the absurd and the surreal, and the paul merton that chats amiably and extensively to on. A tiein book, silent comedy, was written by merton and published by rh books in late 2007.
In 1995 he published paul mertons history of the twentieth century, a book in which famous photos were doctored to make them more comical, and in 1996 he published a spoof showbiz autobiography called my struggle. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humor. A master of verbal humour obsessed with the comic constructions of the silent era, paul merton celebrates the gags of charlie chaplin, buster keaton. Paul james martin famed as paul merton is an english writer, actor, comedian, radio as well as a television presenter. Paul merton ken dodd tribute bbc interview youtube. Paul merton is a long time standup comedian and tv presenter. I felt like the way i read this book was me being paul merton writing it.
A regular on both television and radio, his surreal wit and gift of the gab is evidenced weekly on bbc2s have i got news for you and radio 4s just a minute. Paul merton biography, age, wife, children, net worth, tv. The one thing that might survive is the book because, in 50 years time, people will still know about chaplin and keaton. Merton also casts a professional eye over the methods and history of the performers and their art and charts how their humour evolved. One of our foremost comedians shares his passion for the greats of the silent comedy era. On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master of verbal humor should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but paul merton is completely passionate about the early days of hollywood comedy and the comic geniuses who dominated it.
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