Peter Cook was a talented British comedian and satirist who was at the height of his powers in the 1960s. There were many more comedians clamoring for attention when this comedian began his career. As a venue for these comedians to perform, he built ‘The Establishment,’ a club. In the United Kingdom and the United States, he was rated with Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennet. His collaboration with fellow comedian Dudley Moore resulted in a number of notable performances. They were a good match for each other. He’d let his companion improvise with his off-the-cuff remarking that seemed to deviate from the script. He tended to poke fun at the establishment, particularly politicians, as a writer. His mockery was also directed at the advertising industry. He was an Amnesty International supporter who appeared in three fund-raising galas hosted by fellow comedians. He did not have the same clout in Hollywood as Moore because he was never at ease there due to his rebellious nature. Another theory floated by the media at the time of his death was that his alcoholism was a major factor in his inability to reach his full potential. He, on the other hand, continues to inspire future generations.
Childhood and Adolescence
Peter Cook was born as the eldest and only son of Alexander Edward Cook and Ethel Margaret Mayo in Shearbridge, Torquay, Devon. His father worked for the colonial government as a civil servant. He studied French and German at Radley College and Pembroke College in Cambridge. His original plan was to join the civil service, but the notion progressively lost its appeal.
Career of Peter
In 1960, Peter Cook became president of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, an amateur theatrical club organized by students, after admiring fellow comedy writer David Nobbs. In 1960, he made his breakthrough with the debut of ‘Beyond the Fringe,’ a satirical stage production starring Jonathan Miller, Alan Bennett, and Dudley Moore. His impersonation of Harold Macmillan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was superb. He opened ‘The Establishment,’ a kind of night club, at 18 Greek Street, Soho, in 1961, where fellow comedians could perform without fear of censorship because the venue was exclusively open to members.
In 1962, he had his significant television debut in the series ‘Braden Beat,’ in which he played E.L Wisty, an antagonistic and monotonous character he created while at Radley College. In 1966, he starred in the comedy picture ‘The Wrong Box,’ which was based on Robert Louis Steven’s novel. Michael Caine, Dudley Moore, and Peter Sellers were among the leading actors of the time. The comedian teamed up with Dudley Moore for the ATV series ‘Goodbye Again,’ which was a flop due to a lack of preparation.
In 1970, Cook starred in the satirical film ‘The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer.’ It was directed by Kevin Billington and told the story of an opinion pollster who became the President of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he collaborated with Moore on the revue ‘Behind the Fridge,’ which had reworked material from ‘Not Only….But Also,’ and ‘Goodbye Again,’ and was played in Australia and the United States. He collaborated with Moore on the ‘Derek and Clive’ double act record, which was initially published in 1976 and was followed by sequels in the following years. The primary characters had foul mouths and were seen to be overly crude.
He was a key figure in ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball,’ a series of benefit performances held in England in the 1970s to raise money for Amnesty International. In 1980, the comedian came to America and co-starred with Mimi Kennedy in the sitcom “The Two of Us.” It’s about a wealthy woman and her somber English butler, and it’s produced by CBS.
He starred in a number of television shows in the 1980s, including ‘Tales of the Unexpected,’ ‘The Black Adder,’ and ‘The Comic Strip,’ and was the winner of the comedy competition ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ In ‘A Life in Pieces,’ he played Arthur Streeb-Greebling, a quirky aristocrat who describes his life in a series of twelve interviews. His acting was fantastic, and it helped to improve his drooping reputation.
Major Projects of Peter
‘Not Only…But Also,’ a BBC2 series that aired for six years from 1964, was the pinnacle of the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore double act. Cook and Moore’s improvised reactions were funny. He co-wrote and co-starred in the $1,500,000 comedy picture ‘Bedazzled’ with Dudley Moore in 1967. He portrayed ‘The Devil,’ who grants an unhappy young man seven wishes in exchange for his soul.
Achievements & Awards
For ‘Beyond the Fringe,’ Peter Cook shared the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, better known as the Tony Award, with Alan Bennett, Jonathan Miller, and Peter Cook in 1963. In 1966, he was awarded the BAFTA Award for ‘Best Light Entertainment.’ Dudley Moore, his comedic sidekick, and he shared the award. In 1974, he and his double act partner, Dudley Moore, shared the Grammy Award for ‘Best Spoken Word Recording’ for Good Evening. For the same, he and Moore split the Tony Award.
Personal History and Legacy
Peter Cook married three times. He has two daughters, Lucy and Daisy, with his first wife, Wendy Snowden, whom he married in 1963 and divorced in 1971. In 1973, he married Judy Huxtable. In 1989, this marriage came to an end.
In 1989, he married Malaysian-born Lin Chong for the third time. This relationship continued till his death.
He died of a gastrointestinal haemorrhage on January 9, 1995, at the age of 57.
Estimated Net Worth
Peter Cook is one of the wealthiest comedians and one of the most popular. Peter Cook’s net worth is estimated to be at $20 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
This prominent comedian’s former comedy partner is reported to have based his title performance in ‘Arthur’ in part on this comic, whose excessive drinking had damaged their relationship.
Former Beatles member John Lennon apparently informed this comic and his then-wife, Wendy, that the song “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” was composed for their daughter Lucy.