Variety has an excellent article up about Hugh Laurie's comedic roots in Britain, a genre Laurie excelled at long before he took the lead dramatic role of the dour doctor in House.Being a fan of Britcoms (particularly those of the 80's), this is the Hugh Laurie I remember. He was even mocked in the Brit satire series Spitting Image in the early 90's for being typecast as a rich, stupid person (In his defense, only his two most famous comedy roles, Prince George of Blackadder The Third and Bertie Wooster of Jeeves and Wooster, were bumbling members of the upper class).
While medical dramas are not my cup of tea, House suffers from an even bigger handicap on my part because whenever I see him on the screen, I flash to Blackadder or A Bit of Fry and Laurie (or even his cameo in The New Statesman). With that in mind, I promise right now that if his old comedy partner Stephen Fry appears on House (as suggested in the article), it would be enough to make me watch the show.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-30-2009 @ 8:50AM
mj said...
When I first heard about HOUSE, I thought...what? All I could think of was Blackadder, too. He was also a smug rich guy in Sense and Sensibility, but the way he played it was so funny. I would love to see his old partner in the show, too. That would be a classic.
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1-30-2009 @ 8:51AM
Paul said...
To hear that they were SO CLOSE to making that happen -- Fry being on "House" -- when he was guesting for a few episodes on "Bones" (which apparently films on the same lot) makes me long for it even more.
"A Bit of Fry and Laurie" is the best sketch show ever produced, as far as I'm concerned, and Laurie's work on "Blackadder" (especially the Third) was just brilliant.
Of course, it took his starring in "House" for me to put it all together, and unroot some of the stuff I hadn't seen of his before (I had seen "Blackadder", but not the sketch show yet). I knew Fry from "Whose Line" (along with Tony Slattery, who was with the 2 of them and Emma Thompson in the Cambridge Footlights) but didn't know Laurie by name. So I have to thank "House" for that.
Wish he did more comedy these days, though, even though he is a tremendous dramatic actor as well.
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1-30-2009 @ 8:54AM
Michael said...
Biography ran a fairly decent hour chronicling Hugh Laurie's history not more than a week or so back. I knew most of his back story but it was fascinating to see all the bits that helped shape his career. I would so love to see Stephen Fry make a cameo - even if it is just a neurotic patient in the waiting room somewhere when Cuddy makes House do his rounds.
Oh, and while we're wishing, can they bring in Emma Thompson for a cameo too?
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1-30-2009 @ 9:00AM
Matthew Hood said...
I have been dying for a Stephen Fry guest spot on house since the first season. Even got a response from David Shore on it once saying that Hugh has enough trouble keeping his American accent with an Australian around, they didn't want to through an actual Brit in the same scene with him or he might have a stroke.
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1-30-2009 @ 9:06AM
Michael said...
Holy crap that would be an awesome storyline! House has a stroke and can only speak with a Brit accent! That would be a keeper!
1-30-2009 @ 9:06AM
KMF said...
If Stephen Fry showed upon House, oh yeah I'd be so there. Now I watch the show hit and miss, not as often as I should.
Big fan of Black Adder and A bit of Fry and Laurie for years. Especially BA since the series began running here in the US way back when.
Laurie's equally stupid though more endearingly naive Lt. George from Black Adder Goes Forth is another fine example of him playing the upper class twit, though it's somewhat of a continuation of his Prince George. Laurie's performance in the 'Major Star' episode is right up there with Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot.
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1-30-2009 @ 11:22AM
Paul said...
He's a dab hand on the piano too.
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1-30-2009 @ 11:38AM
mseve68 said...
He also wrote a very funny book, a spy spoof, about ten years ago called "The Gun Seller". If you're a fan of Hugh Laurie, it's a must read!
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1-30-2009 @ 12:04PM
erock said...
House is a comedy if you ignore all that silly drama
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1-30-2009 @ 12:58PM
Willmore2000 said...
Blackadder was brilliant, even the first series, which the creators don't really like, but I think is just as good as the rest. Another show Laurie was on was Jeeves and Wooster, and the first series of it was fantastic.
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1-30-2009 @ 1:15PM
johnnymac said...
i loved it last season when House stated, " I have a cunning plan"
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1-30-2009 @ 3:30PM
Joe Siegler said...
I thought I was the only one.
I tried watching House a bit, and I couldn't do it. I just kept waiting for him to say "Mr. Hopelessly Drivelly Can't Write For Toffee Crappy Butler Weed".
That's no fault of Mr. Laurie, but the Prince Regent is SO burned into my brain that I can't get it out. That's my own problem, I admit, but it *IS* the reason I don't watch House.
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1-30-2009 @ 6:58PM
Lady Olivier said...
No one believes me that Hugh Laurie was a comedian in England, that is until I show them the pictures. When I watch House ( which I admit I don't do as much as I used to) I usually find somewhere during the drama to yell " Sausage time!" . Yes like others here Stupid Prince George has been burned into my brain whenever I see him I miss the big wig and face powder. How about a costume party episode! Too bad no one has asked Rowan Atkinson to come on the show.
I liked a Bit of Fry and Laurie too, oh and when he, Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson made cameos as inbred stupid rich snobs on "the Young Ones."
I am glad though that Hugh has work here, at least I have the option of seeing him weekly on American tv when there's others I can't ( Like Paul McGann! )
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4-08-2009 @ 6:48PM
Sandra Grave said...
I had never seen Hugh Laurie before "House". But you could give him a script and whether it was for a drama role or a comedy role, he would make it his own. I think he should win an Emmy for his performance as Dr. Gregory House. The man is amazing. My husband and I just love Hugh Laurie and we are so glad he is working in the U.S. We think he along with all his fellow actors are perfect in that show. What's even more interesting is how my husband never watches anything on TV unless it is sports related. And now, he is "hooked on House" and on Hugh Laurie. Plaudits to the writers, cast and crew and especially Hugh Laurie for carrying out this unique and slightly crazed character to a "T". Some may love to hate him, but let's face it, he almost always saves his patients.
1-31-2009 @ 10:28PM
genagirl said...
I'm just the opposite - I completely forget Bertie Wooster and Prince George when I watch House! When I'd first heard Hugh Laurie was going to do a medical show I really was expecting Bertie Wooster Goes to Med School but after the first episode I had to check the TV Guide to see if I'd watched the right show. Hugh does such an amazing job as House - his accent, his mannerisms, his delivery is so perfect that I totally forget he's that silly English guy I spent years watching on public TV.
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