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Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating sounds, voices and mannerisms of celebrities and cartoon characters. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to keep pace with current events. Impressionist performances are a classic casino entertainment genre. Someone who imitates one particular person without claiming a wide range, such as a lookalike, is instead called an impersonator. In very broad contexts, "impersonator" may be substituted for "impressionist" where the distinction between the two is less important than avoiding confusion with the use of "impressionist" in painting and music. Usually the most "impressive" aspect of the performance is the vocal fidelity to the target – usually a politician or a famous person. Props may also be employed, such as glasses or hats, but these are now ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Yarwood
Michael Edward Yarwood (14 June 1941 – 8 September 2023) was an English impressionist, comedian and actor. He was one of Britain's top-rated entertainers, regularly appearing on television from the 1960s to the 1980s. Early life Michael Edward Yarwood was born on 14 June 1941 in Bredbury, Cheshire. After leaving secondary modern school, he worked as a messenger and then a salesman at a garment warehouse. He played football as a child and tried out for the professional team Oldham Athletic. Later he was a director of Stockport County Football Club. His showbiz career started after a talent show at a pub in Dukinfield in which he was the runner-up. This encouraged him to tour the circuit of pubs and working men's clubs in Northern England. His breakthrough into television was then as a warm-up man on '' Comedy Bandbox'' – a revue which was a proving ground for British comedians at that time. Career London Palladium Yarwood appeared on British television shows in the 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded entirely by its commercial activities, including Television advertisement, advertising. It began its transmission in 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service in the United Kingdom. At the time, the only other channels were the television licence, licence-funded BBC1 and BBC2, and a single commercial broadcasting network, ITV (TV network), ITV. Originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the station is now owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation, a public corporation of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which was established in 1990 and came into operation in 1993. Until 2010, Channel 4 did not broadcast in Wales, but many of its programmes were re-broadcast ther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dead Ringers (comedy)
''Dead Ringers'' is a British radio and television comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later BBC Two. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. Among its stars are Jon Culshaw and Jan Ravens. The BBC cancelled the television run in 2007 after five years. ''Dead Ringers return to Radio 4 was announced in 2014. History The programme first aired on BBC Radio 4 in January 2000. ''Dead Ringers'' returned to radio in July 2014. In November 2001 BBC One said it had commissioned a pilot for a television version. The pilot was well received and in August 2002 a full series was commissioned, this time on BBC Two. The TV show ran for seven series and was axed in April 2009. In 2002 the BBC's ''Arena'' broadcast a documentary about the series entitled ''Radio Ha! - Meet The Dead Ringers'', directed by Fisher Dilke. It featured interviews with the cast and writers, and behind-the-scenes footage from a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ronni Ancona
Veronica Jane Ancona (born 4 July 1966) is a British actress, comedian, impressionist and writer best known for '' The Big Impression'', which she co-wrote and starred in and was, for four years, one of BBC One's top-rated comedy programmes, winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003. Ancona also starred in the first series of the BAFTA-winning ITV series ''The Sketch Show''. Ancona has appeared in the BAFTA-winning '' Last Tango in Halifax'' since its creation in 2012. She is a co-director, alongside Sally Phillips and Nick Hamson, of the production company Captain Dolly. Early life Ancona was born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1966, but moved to Scotland when she was a few days old and was brought up in Troon. She is of Italian Jewish descent. Her father was a commander in the Royal Navy and her mother was an artist who painted the sets at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr and the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. Ancona is the youngest of three children, with two older brothers, one ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alistair McGowan
Alistair Charles McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is an English impressionist, BAFTAaward winning comic, actor, pianist, poet, and writer. He starred in '' The Big Impression'' (formerly '' Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''). He has also worked in theatre and appeared in the West End (for which he received a '' Laurence Olivier Award'' nomination). He released an album of classical piano music called The Piano Album in 2017, and his poetry collection ''Not What We Were Expecting'' was published in 2024. He also provided voices for the original '' Spitting Image''. From 2 June to 7 July 2012, McGowan hosted the ITV comedy series '' You Cannot Be Serious!'', in which his impressions included England manager Roy Hodgson, Eurovision duo Jedward, TV personality Louie Spence, and footballers David Beckham and Gary Neville. He has written and starred in three plays for BBC Radio 4 about Erik Satie (''Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear''), John Field (''The Peregrinations o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alistair McGowan's Big Impression
''The Big Impression'', known as ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression'' for the first three series, is a British comedy sketch show. It features Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona impersonating personalities from entertainment and sport. Four series and a number of specials were made by Vera Productions and it was first broadcast on BBC One between 1999 and 2004. The series has won five awards, including the BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Programme or Series in 2003. Production McGowan and Ancona first met at a comedy club, and later started dating. They worked together on a number of projects, with their first television series being '' The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos'' in 1989. After performing in his own show in Edinburgh in 1998, McGowan was approached by a BBC executive about working on a series, which he wanted Ancona to be involved in. ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression'' first aired as a pilot on BBC One in 1999, running to a full series in 2000, with the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Royal Family
The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considered part of the royal family. Members typically support the monarch in carrying out public engagements and take part in charitable work and ceremonial duties. Senior royals collectively undertake thousands of official engagements across the United Kingdom and abroad each year, including state visits, national events, and patronage activities. The family also represents the UK on the global stage and contributes to soft power through diplomacy and cultural presence. Initiatives associated with the family include charitable foundations such as The King's Trust and The Royal Foundation, which focus on youth development, mental health, conservation, and early childhood. The monarchy operates within a constitutional framework, with succession ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1997 to 2007 under Tony Blair. Brown was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Dunfermline East (UK Parliament constituency), Dunfermline East from 1983 to 2005 and for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath from 2005 to 2015. He has served as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education since 2012, and he was appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador, World Health Organization Ambassador for Global Health Financing in 2021. A Doctor of Philosophy, doctoral graduate, Brown studied history at the University of Edinburgh. He spent his early career as a lecturer at a further education college and as a television journalist. Brown was elected to the House of Commons of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997 and held various shadow cabinet posts from 1987 to 1994. Blair was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency), Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007, and was special envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East from 2007 to 2015. He is the second-List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by length of tenure, longest-serving prime minister in post-war British history after Margaret Thatcher, the longest-serving Labour Party (UK), Labour politician to have held the office, and the first and only person to date to lead the party to three consecutive general election victories. Blair attended the independent s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Tony Blair's Labour Party (United Kingdom), Labour Party in the 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 general election, he became Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition, serving in this role from May to June 1997. He previously held Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabinet positions under Margaret Thatcher, his last as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1989 to 1990. Major was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency), Huntingdon, formerly Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency), Huntingdonshire, from 1979 to 2001. Since stepping down as an MP in 2001, Major has focused on writing and his business, sporting, and charity work, and has occasiona ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rory Bremner
Roderick Keith Ogilvy "Rory" Bremner,"Rory Bremner". '' Who Do You Think You Are?''. Wall to Wall for BBC One. 2 February 2009. No. 1, series 6. (born 6 April 1961) is a Scottish impressionist and comedian, noted for his work in political satire and impressions of British public figures. He is best known for co-starring with John Bird and John Fortune in the comedy sketch shows '' Rory Bremner...Who Else?'' and '' Bremner, Bird and Fortune'', as well as being a team captain on the first two series of comedy panel show '' Mock the Week''. Early life Bremner was born in Edinburgh, the son of Major Donald Stuart Ogilvy Bremner (1907–1979) and his second wife Ann Simpson (1922–2001). He has an older brother and an older half-sister (from his father's first marriage). Bremner was educated at Clifton Hall School and Wellington College, and then studied Modern Languages at King's College London, graduating with a degree in French and German in 1984. In 2009, Bremner was the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
