British comedian Ronnie Corbett was short on height but long on talent

HE was one half of the celebrated British comedy team, but much of the brilliance of late, great Ronnie Corbett was his play on words.

Ron Corbett (right), who died on Thursday, with his long-time collaborator Ronnie Barker who died in 2005.

HE was one half of the celebrated British comedy team, but much of the brilliance of Ronnie Corbett was his play on words. One of his most famous comedy sketches involved a shopkeeper continually mishearing or misunderstanding orders from a customer. What sounded like “four candles” was actually “fork handles” and “hose” was neither a hose nor hoes, but the letter Os for a gate.

Corbett and his best-known partner in comedy Ronnie Barker, at their peak in the ’70s and ’80s, were watched by millions. Fans of the Two Ronnies are among those who have paid tribute to the late, great comedian.

He was born Ronald Balfour Corbett in Edinburgh on December 4, 1930. His father William was a master baker and Ronnie was the eldest of three children. After leaving school he had his heart set on becoming an actor, thanks to starring roles in local amateur productions, but he ended up with a public service job.

Ron Corbett (right) with partner in comedy Ronnie Barker first worked together on The Frost Report in 1966.

He was spared from a life in the public service by having to do his national service in 1950. Corbett was the shortest commissioned officer in the RAF, before transferring to the reserve in 1951, freeing him up to pursue a career in entertainment.

He honed his craft as a stand-up comedian. His diminutive 5ft 1in (155cm) height was no impediment to his confidence and his ability to hold an audience — in fact some of his best material was about his stature.

His height was also an advantage when auditioning for screen roles that called for someone much younger than himself. His first role was as a young uni student in the 1952 film You’re Only Young Twice, followed by another role as a student in Top Of The Form in 1953.

The Two Ronnies, Ronnie Barker and Ron Corbett.

Eventually he began doing television, including playing a dormouse in a 1960 twist on Alice In Wonderland called Alice Through The Looking Box, in which Spike Milligan played the White Rabbit.

Between film, TV, nightclub and stage jobs, Corbett had various jobs, including bartending at the Buckstone Club, an actors’ club, where he met future collaborator Ronnie Barker in 1963. They worked together for the first time on The Frost Report in 1966, the satirical new TV review show hosted by David Frost that helped make them famous and introduced them to other comedians, including John Cleese, who would write material for them.

1996 - Actors John Cleese & Ronnie Corbett in the 1996 film "Fierce Creatures". /filmstills

In 1965, he married dancer Anne Hart. Sadly their first child Andrew died of a heart defect at only six weeks in 1966.

Corbett and Barker had their own shows in the ’60s. Corbett appeared in Barker’s show Hark At Barker, and both became well known as solo performers.

But when paired up for an awards show in 1970, a TV producer offered them the chance to work together.

The Two Ronnies premiered in 1971. Their differing yet complementary personalities worked well with their similar brands of humour, often relying on clever wordplay. Their familiar sign-off featured Corbett saying “It’s goodnight from me” to which Barker replied “And it’s goodnight from him”.

The series ran until 1987, ending when Barker announced his intention to retire. (The series also included a season of The Two Ronnies in Australia in 1979).

B ut it was far from the end of either performer’s career, as they always had other projects on the boil.

They would often reunite for “best of” clip shows and special guest appearances. The last was in 2005, the year Barker died.

Corbett, meanwhile, continued with a plethora of roles in sitcoms, panel shows, live shows and films. One of his memorable guest appearances was in the Ricky Gervais series Extras, in which he played himself snorting cocaine backstage during the BAFTA awards.

Already awarded an OBE in 1978 he was honoured with a CBE in 2012 for his services to entertainment.

He is survived by his wife Anne and his daughters Emma and Sophie.

SOME OF CORBETT’S BEST GAGS

● A cement mixer collided with a prison van on the Kingston bypass. Motorists are asked to be on the lookout for 16 hardened criminals.

● It was revealed in a government survey published today that the prime minister is doing the work of two men, Laurel and Hardy.

● After a series of crimes in the Glasgow area, Chief Inspector McTavish has announced that he is looking for a man with one eye. If he doesn’t find him, he’s going to use both eyes.

● This joke dates back to 256BC which, as scholars of ancient Egypt will know, was the year of the famous wildcat strike by the amalgamated union of eunuchs and allied sopranos, in a dispute over severance pay.

● All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my right hand.

● I was lying in bed with my wife last Sunday morning when she called me by a special pet name, a loving and endearing term. ‘Hey Shorty,’ she said. ‘Would you like to hear the patter of little feet?’ Taken aback, I replied: ‘Yes, I would.’ She said: ‘Good. Run down to the kitchen and get me a glass of water.’

Originally published as British comedian Ronnie Corbett was short on height but long on talent