Melvin Kenneth "Mel" Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, writer, film director, producer and actor.Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Griff Rhys Jones. Smith and Jones founded Talkback, which grew to be one of the UK's largest producers of television comedy and light entertainment programming.
News obituaries of Mel Smith revealed that he had been "a gambler".
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British comedian and director who came to prominence as part of the team of Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979). Frequently collaborated with fellow comedian Griff Rhys Jones with whom he was partner in the production company Talkback.
Confessed to never having watched his performance in The Princess Bride (1987) due to the painful experience involved in filming the role. His character required him to wear colored contact lenses and, unknown to Smith and the costume department at the time, he was actually allergic to the lens solution used. This meant that Smith was in constant pain and discomfort throughout filming, hence why he was so reluctant to relive the memory.
According to Matthew Robinson on the "Doctor Who - Resurrection Of The Daleks" DVD, he was originally offered the part of Stein (subsequently played by Rodney Bewes).
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Attended Oxford University in England, UK
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dancing on the Edge
2013
TV Mini-Series
Schlesinger
My Angel
2011
Uncle Richard
Rock & Chips
2010-2011
TV Series
DI Thomas
The Riddle
2007
Professor Cranshaw
Consenting Adults
2007
TV Movie
David Maxwell Fyfe
Hustle
2006
TV Series
Benny Frazier
Agatha Christie's Marple
2006
TV Series
John Enderby
Allegiance
2005
Winston Churchill
High Heels and Low Lifes
2001
Man at train station (uncredited)
Alas Smith & Jones
1984-1998
TV Series
Various Roles
Twelfth Night or What You Will
1996
Sir Toby Belch
Milner
1994
TV Movie
Stephen Milner
Art Deco Detective
1994
Porno Movie Director
Brain Donors
1992
Rocco Melonchek
Father Christmas
1991
Short
Father Christmas (voice)
Colin's Sandwich
1988-1990
TV Series
Colin Watkins
The Misadventures of Mr. Wilt
1990
Inspector Flint
The Whole Hog
1989
TV Movie
Giles
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
1989
Mr. Grimshaw
Smith and Jones in Small Doses
1989
TV Series
Rev. Benjamin 'Ben' Bottomley / Sam / Derek / ...
The Tall Guy
1989
Drunken Man (uncredited)
You on Kazoo
1989
Video short
J-Rod
The World According to Smith & Jones
1987-1988
TV Series
Mel
The Home-Made Xmas Video
1987
TV Movie
Len
The Princess Bride
1987
The Albino
Filthy Rich & Catflap
1987
TV Series
Jumbo Whiffy
Aikuisten Suomi
1987
Video short
Santa Claus
National Lampoon's European Vacation
1985
Hotel Manager
Restless Natives
1985
Pyle
Number One
1985
TV Movie
Billy Evans
Morons from Outer Space
1985
Bernard
The Kenny Everett Television Show
1983-1984
TV Series
Various
The Young Ones
1984
TV Series
Security Guard
Minder
1984
TV Series
Cyril Ash
Slayground
1983
Terry Abbatt
Bullshot Crummond
1983
Crouch
Two Foolish Men
1983
Short
Not the Nine O'Clock News
1979-1982
TV Series
Various Roles
Muck and Brass
1982
TV Mini-Series
Tom Craig
The Kenny Everett Video Show
1981
TV Series
Various
Smith and Goody
1980
TV Series
Various Characters
Bloody Kids
1980
TV Movie
Disco Doorman
The Goodies
1980
TV Series
TV Talk Show Host
Play for Today
1980
TV Series
Xan
Babylon
1980
Alan
The Lord of the Rings
1978
Additional Voices (voice, uncredited)
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Blackball
2003
executive producer
Too Much Sun
2000
TV Series executive producer - 6 episodes
Tough Target
1995
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Blackball
2003
High Heels and Low Lifes
2001
Bean
1997
Radioland Murders
1994
Dream On
1994
TV Series 1 episode
The Tall Guy
1989
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Smith & Jones: One Night Stand
1994
Video written by
Morons from Outer Space
1985
Alas Smith & Jones
1984
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Smith and Goody
1980
TV Series
Not the Nine O'Clock News
1979
TV Series writer
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sounds of the 80s
2015
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Britain's Favourite Christmas Songs
2011
TV Movie documentary performer: "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
Father Christmas
1991
Short performer: "Another Blooming Christmas"
It's Christmas
1989
Video short performer: "ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE"
Morons from Outer Space
1985
writer: "MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE"
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hjælp, det er jul
2011
TV Series 2 episodes
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story
2009
Documentary thanks
Rock-A-Die Baby
1989
special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Not Again: Not the Nine O'Clock News
2009
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Mastermind
2008
TV Series
Himself
The Royal Variety Performance 2007
2007
TV Movie
Himself
The Paul O'Grady Show
2007
TV Series
Himself
Bean: Scenes Unseen
2007
Video documentary short
Himself
Comedy Connections
2005-2007
TV Series documentary
Himself
Gylne tider
2006-2007
TV Series documentary
Himself
Breakfast
2001-2007
TV Series
Himself
The Smith and Jones Sketchbook
2006
TV Series
Himself - Presenter / Various Characters
The King's Head: A Maverick in London
2006
Video documentary
Himself
The 50 Greatest Comedy Films
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 100 Greatest Family Films
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Apprentice
2005
TV Series
Himself
Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live 05
2005
TV Special
Himself
Car Cruzin'
2005
TV Series documentary
Himself
Killer Queen!
2002
Himself - Friend of Queen
The Sketch Show Story
2001
TV Series documentary
Himself
Comic Relief: Say Pants to Poverty
2001
TV Special
Colin
The European Film Awards
1999
TV Special
Himself - Host
The Not the Nine O'Clock News Story
1999
TV Special short
Himself
Live from the Lighthouse
1998
TV Special
Himself
A Royal Birthday Celebration
1998
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Jobs for the Boys
1997
TV Series
Himself
An Audience with Elton John
1997
TV Special
Himself - Audience Member (uncredited)
The Story of Bean
1997
TV Special documentary
Himself - Director of "Bean: The Movie"
The Nose at Ten
1996
TV Series
Himself
They Think It's All Over
1995
TV Series
Himself
Omnibus
1981-1995
TV Series documentary
Himself / Himself - Presenter
Comic Relief: Behind the Nose
1995
TV Special
Himself
From the Horse's Mouth
1994
Video
Himself
Smith & Jones: One Night Stand
1994
Video
Himself
The Royal Variety Performance 1992
1992
TV Movie
Himself
Aspel & Company
1986-1992
TV Series
Himself
Amnesty International's Big 30
1991
TV Movie
Himself
Comic Relief
1991
TV Special
Himself
Going Live!
1989
TV Series
Himself
Wogan
1987-1989
TV Series
Himself
A Night of Comic Relief 2
1989
TV Special
Himself
Comic Relief
1988
TV Special
Himself
Queen: Magic Years, Volume Two - A Visual Anthology
1987
Documentary
Himself
The Grand Knockout Tournament
1987
TV Special
Himself
Comedians Do It on Stage
1986
TV Movie
Himself
Live Aid
1985
TV Special documentary
Himself
The Tube
1985
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Weekend in Wallop
1984
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Sunday, Sunday
1984
TV Series
Himself
Alas Smith & Jones
1984
TV Series
Himself
Fundamental Frolics
1981
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Many Faces of...
2016
TV Series documentary
Comedy Sketch Role
Sounds of the 80s
2015
TV Series
Himself
Timeshift
2014
TV Series documentary
Himself - Not the Nine O'Clock News, 1980
Britain's Best Loved Double Acts
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Double Act
Mel Smith: I've Sort of Done Things
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself / Various
Losing It: Griff Rhys Jones on Anger
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself (uncredited)
The Comedy Map of Britain
2008
TV Series documentary
Himself
A Taste of My Life
2007
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Secret Life of Brian
2007
TV Movie documentary
John Cleese on 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' (uncredited)