彼得·库克

简介：PeterCook(borninTorquayon17November1937)was,withoutdoubt,oneofthemostintelligentwitsofhisoranyothergeneration.Yetdespitehisobvioustalent,hisfilmandtelevisionoutputwaserraticatbest.Thisisespeciallytrueinthedecadesfollowinghis1960screativepeak,whenprojectsbecamerelativelysporadicandhisbehaviourincreasinglyunpredictable(Cookhimselfoftenadmittedthathisambitionranoutattheageof24).Nevertheless,Cook`slegacyissomeofthefinestcomedytohavebeenproducedinBritain.HisinfluenceontheBritishcomedysceneremainsimmense.AchildoftheCambridgeFootlights,Cookcametoprominencebetween1960and1963withBeyondtheFringe,thestagecomedyrevuefeaturinghimselfandfellowOxbridgestudentsDudleyMoore,AlanBennettandJonathanMiller.Thefour`satirists`(astheybecamelabelled)movedintotelevisionwithlessthanenthusiastically-receivedappearancesinthefirstthreeepisodesoftheartsseriesTempo(ITV,1961-68),wheretheyprovided`satiricalcommentontheculturalscene`.TheyweretoreprisesketchesfromtheoriginalrevueitselfinBeyondtheFringe(BBC,tx.12/12/1964).Cookmoreorlessconfirmedhisleadingsatiriststatus,atleastinLondon,withhisco-foundingoftheEstablishmentClubin1961(itfoldedwithintwoyears)andhisacquisitionin1962ofthemajorityshareholdinginthemagazinePrivateEye(whichheretaineduntilhisdeath).Ontelevision,however,Cook`ssatiricalthunderwasstolenbythesuccessofThatWasTheWeekThatWas(BBC,1962-63),launchedwhilehewasworkinginAmericaHewouldonlybecomefamiliartoawideraudiencewithhisappearances,fromlate1964,insporadicepisodesofOnTheBradenBeat(ITV,1962-67)ashiscreationE.L.Wisty.HistelevisionpopularitywassealedbythesuccessofNotOnly...ButAlso(BBC,1965-70),originallyenvisagedasashowcasesolelyforDudleyMoorebutsoonbecomingaplatformforthepair`sinspiredcomicchemistry.TheywonSocietyofFilmandTelevisionArtsawardsin1966fortheirperformances,andtheir`Pete`n`Dud`sketches(atleastthosethatsurvive)remainexamplesoftelevisioncomedyatitsbest.Cook,notunnaturally,laterlookedbackontheseyearsasthehappiestofhislife.UnlikeMoore,Cooknevercapitalisedonhistelevisionfameinthecinema,d