FUNNY MAN'S BEST LINES
Ronnie Barker, who has died aged 76, was one of Britain's best-loved comedians.
His TV shows included Open All Hours, Porridge and The Two Ronnies, in which he co-starred with Ronnie Corbett.
Unknown to most people at the time, Barker wrote a lot of the material for the show.
Here are some of the duo's lines:
The ending to The Two Ronnies:
Corbett: And now, it's goodnight from me...
Barker: ...and it's goodnight from him.
Opening to The Two Ronnies:
:: Corbett: Good evening! It's wonderful to be back with you again, isn't it, Ronnie?
Barker Indeed it is. And in a packed programme tonight, I shall be having a word with a man who goes in for meditation, because he thinks it's better than sitting around doing nothing.
Corbett: And we'll be talking to a car designer who's crossed Toyota with Quasimodo and come up with The Hatchback of Notre Dame.
Barker: And we had hoped to have been bringing you Arthur the Human Chameleon, but this afternoon, he crawled across a tartan rug and died of exhaustion. But first, the news: The House of Commons was sealed off today after police chased an escaped lunatic through the front door during Prime Minister's question time. A spokesman at Scotland Yard said it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Corbett: West Mersea police announced tonight that they wish to interview a man wearing high heels and frilly knickers, but the Chief Constable said they must wear their normal uniforms.
Barker: Many old music hall fans were present at the funeral today of Fred "Chuckles" Jenkins, Britain's oldest and unfunniest comedian. In tribute, the vicar read out one of Fred's jokes, and the congregation had two minutes silence.
Corbett: Latest on the bullion robbery: At Wansforth Police Station, a man who's as deaf as a post, and doesn't speak english, with a terrible stutter, bad breath and squeaky shoes, is not helping the police with their inquiries one little bit.
Barker: At London's Heathrow, senior customs officer Seaforth Mumbly retired today. He shook hands with passengers passing through the customs, and confiscated a gold watch for himself.
Corbett: There was a fire at the main Inland Revenue office in London today, but it was put out before any serious good was done.
Barker: The search for the man who terrorizes nudist camps with a bacon slicer goes on. Inspector Lemuel Jones had a tip-off this
morning, but hopes to be back on duty tomorrow.
Corbett: Finally, it was revealed in a government survey published today that the Prime Minister is doing the work of two men. Laurel and Hardy.
Barker: And now a sketch, featuring Mr Ronnie Corbett, whose wife tries not to bring out the beast in him, because she's afraid of mice
Other memorable jokes:
:: "The man who invented the zip fastener was today honoured with a lifetime peerage. He will now be known as the Lord of the Flies."
:: "The toilets at a local police station have been stolen. Police say they have nothing to go on."
:: "In a packed programme tonight we will be talking to an out-of-work contortionist who says he can no longer make ends meet."
