h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Brian Blessed - A1282114
Author: Foque Ouite - U243455

I think the man deserves an entry in the guide! Let's hope my article doesn't DIIIIVE...?

Too right he deserves an entry in the guide. Thanks for sorting it . This isn't DlllVing anywhere. The only comments I have to make are that that DlllVE comment brought this to life but isn't in the entry. Don't know if you could find any way to incorporate it?

Also the long list of film/TV works tends to overshadow the stage work. You obviously can't list all performances but perhaps mention companies he's been part of. The RSC for instance.

Just a thought. This would be good enough as it is in my opinion.

HA HA HA HA HA !

(bad Brian Blessed impersonation)

Your article offers a basic outline, but Brian is cool and deserves way more. I think you should describe his major roles in more detail. A good way to structure this might be to ask the question 'what on earth would a director do with a huge bearded man who roars a lot', and then describe the ways in which Brian has been used by filmmakers during his career. Has Brian ever broken out of his typecasting as a big roaring bloke? For example, his role in 'I Claudius' is remarkably subtle and restrained in comparison with his later work.

You can use the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) to find out this kind of information.

Hope this helps!

Incidentally, Brian has broken into the sports market - his famous baritone was used by Channel Four in the last series of their coverage of Sumo. If you decide to include that little factoid (completely down to you, of course!) you could link to A1037701 (An Introduction to Sumo - Japan's National Sport).

Wasn't Brian Blessed in the first series of Blackadder? Mostly laughing, shouting, and roaring....

Otto

Oh yes.

I heard an interview with Brian a short while back. In that interview he bemoaned his fate as 'that loud bloke' as most of his parts were actually fairly quiet and restrained. He had only, he said, had about six or seven 'loud' parts.

I think his counting may be a bit off.


Geggs

Thanks for the feedback. I have made a few modifications based on your responses although I shy away from doing too indepth an analysis of his acting work as I would feel obliged to give greater examination to the other areas of his life that he is admired for (and as yet have completely failed to make time to read the 2 books of his I have on my bookshelf - or climb everest! - or go to the north pole!).
I would welcome contributions if others felt compelled (or generous enough) to expand on this subject.
I have taken on trust the info about the sumo commentating (as it fits very nicely with my own personal view of the man) but have failed to bring up evidence of this from anywhere else, any pointers?

Number Six - I just re-read your comment and realised you didn't actually say he was commentating. Was it commentating or MCing bouts or what?

This is a nice beginning.

I'd like to see more biographical information on Brian Blessed. I tend to think that it is written for British researchers and that some parts could be better explained for the people who don't know him or his work.

What it was, was that the first few series of Channel 4's coverage were produced and voiced by Lyall Watson, who had spent a great deal of time in Japan and was instrumental in bringing the sport and its rituals to the British public.

For the final series, he must have either been busy or just didn't want to be involved - Brian Blessed must have been brought in as a sort of rent-a-voice (but indeed, what a voice to rent!). What he did was describe the action as a voiceover - I'm pretty certain the producers of the programme must have written it all for him, and he just delivered it in his own inimitable style.

A good example of Blessed as rent-a-voice is in 'Gladiator' (uncredited); he is the man who first shouts "Maximus the merciful!" in the arena.

Hi FO!

THis is a good entry. I was under the impression that Brian Blessed had died. I'm glad to hear he is still around.

I don't think the two footnotes for Vultan add to the entry in any way.

Some spelling mistakes etc:

Heros --> heroes
leant --> lent
Natioanal --> National
on screen tends --> on screen, tends
schoolfriends had developed --> schoolfriends developed

Alive and well- I saw him last month, doing signings at the Memrobilia fair at the NEC.

Some mention of his early career in TV shows like Z Cars would help expand the entry.

Cheers Gnomon - teach me to trust Word! Or rather use it properly in the first place! I have modified the Vultan footnote also.

KerrAvon - my memory of Z Cars is more than a little hazy, I would be happy to include more substantial info but don't want to just regurgitate his filmography as this info is already out there. My ealiest recollection of his TV work are appearances in Doctor Who and Space 1999 but again I would be hard pressed to make anything that really adds to the article from them.

I like the work you've done on this article. I think I went too far in suggesting that yiou needed a detailed analysis of his career, but I still think you could make the list of Brian's roles a bit more vivid. You're halfway there with describing Augustus as 'tacit', and with the paragraph on Vultan. You could consolidate this by simply adding an adjective or two before some of the other, less familiar roles. Obviously, I don't need any explanation of what 'Baron Bomburst' or 'Sir Tunbelly Clumsy' are like because it's clear from their names, but I am not familar with 'Z-Cars' or 'Robin Hood' and so I'd like to know a tiny something (just one adjective?) about PC 'Fancy' Smith (who doesn't sound conventionally Blessedian) and Sir Robin Locksley.

By the way, I once served Brian Blessed in a shop, and he's not a big guy. He's kind of barrel-shaped but he's not very tall.

he was in star wars episode one as the big green gungan leader.

id like to see more about his personality and exploits, really. hes a big strong chap - i seem to remember reading somewhere that he tested an english longbow replica, and was one of the few people who could actually draw it back cos it was so tough to do...

Well thanks to all the feedback, I feel this article has become pretty much a well rounded piece (much like Brian). I don't want to overwork it though and save the odd tweak, I feel it's pretty much there! Further comments would still be welcome.

I know you don't want to make the list of appearances too long, but I think the Star Wars one is worth mentioning, since just about everybody on the planet has seen it. And it is very much the Brian Blessed "big shouting" character, as well.

Have ammended accordingly!