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Bobby Ball has died

(October 2020)

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RO
rob Founding member
Bobby Ball, one half of the comedy double act Cannon and Ball, has died at the age of 76, his manager has confirmed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54731384
bkman1990 and Roger Darthwell gave kudos
FA
fanoftv
Oh no! That’s shocked me.
I’ve seen Cannon & Ball live in theatres a few times and they have always induced such side splitting laughs in me. From his appearances on variety shows on TV, their own show and more recently his work on Not Going Out, he has kept me entertained on many an occasion.
I’m sure that he’ll look down shouting “Rock on Tommy!” For many years to come. RIP.
TV
iloveTV1
I only know him from Not Going Out but I loved his character! He will be missed.
DJ Dave and watchingtv gave kudos
SE
Square Eyes Founding member
Hopefully there will be some kind of tribute show on ITV. The LWT Cannon & Ball show from the 80's ran for 9 series so there should be plenty of material.

Given that they were all over ITV in the 80's I don't recall their shows being repeated unlike other comedy acts around that time.
AS
Asa Admin
They recorded an episode last month, presumably a Christmas special and from seeing a tweet, he was there. Some rewriting of scripts for the next series I guess, along with the sensitive subject of how to write him out.
:-(
A former member
Was always a big fan. Thought he was brilliant on Not Going Out. Really funny, but a beautifully-played vulnerability underneath. You could feel his pride and equally his shame, the true mark of an exceptional (and underestimated) comedy actor.
LL
London Lite Founding member
Bobby Ball could have been so easily typecast as an 80s relic of comedy, but being in the cast of Not Going Out proved his versatility.
bkman1990 and Larry the Loafer gave kudos
SO
Soupnzi
Such a shame as he’d had such a renaissance as a comedy actor. Difficult few weeks for Lee Mack too after the Sky History debacle (and getting covid himself at the now-notorious Cheltenham Races).
IS
Inspector Sands

Given that they were all over ITV in the 80's I don't recall their shows being repeated unlike other comedy acts around that time.

There aren't that many comedy shows from that era that get a repeat - Morecambe and Wise and The Two Ronnies are the only that spring to mind that are still thought of highly and get clips shown.

Problem is that a lot of the comedy of that era didn't age well, both in terms of their style or their jokes. It was the end of traditional cabaret. Cannon and Ball were seen as fairly old hat even at the time, though they were much more modern than their BBC equivalent Little and Large.

The only other of their peers that comes close to being watchable now is Russ Abbot's show as it went down the cartoony route more than cabaret
IS
Inspector Sands
Bobby Ball could have been so easily typecast as an 80s relic of comedy, but being in the cast of Not Going Out proved his versatility.

Eventually yes, but it took a couple of decades. They were seen very much as a 'relic' for a long time, although during that wilderness they had their issues and reinvented themselves in the world of their new found religion.

That said, one of the most circulated clips of Cannon and Ball online is them with Rik Mayall
DJ
DJGM

. . . one of the most circulated clips of Cannon and Ball online is them with Rik Mayall


BU
buster
Cannon and Ball gunge vote on the House Party - wait till the end...

Cannon and Ball were semi-regulars at this point, I think the gag was they were garage workers in the village hence the outfits.

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