Mike Yarwood DEAD

[GinAg (39)]

BBC News - Mike Yarwood, comedian and impersonator, dies aged 82

Mike Yarwood, comedian and impersonator, dies aged 82

Comedian Mike Yarwood, whose TV impressions made him a household name, dies aged 82.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Vicky the Vole]

For some reason I thought he died years ago, but RIP anyway.

 

[lolly]

For some reason I thought he died years ago, but RIP anyway.

Same. And discovering he was alive, I'd have guessed he was in his 90s rather than 80s.

Didn't realise he was so young at the height of his fame. Another example of men looking older in the past.

 

[GinAg (39)]

I thought he died years ago.

 

[COB]

I know the name but don't really remember him. It's always felt like there was only one famous impressionist on TV at a time - he disappeared from screens when Rory Bremner appeared I think? Then later you got Alistair McGowan, then Jon Culshaw (and the rest of the Dead Ringers people I suppose), and to me it felt like none of them really overlapped

 

[octophone]

I vaguely remember his show...I think his problem was that he couldn't update his repertoire so when the people he was famous for impersonating faded, so did he.

 

[ButterTart]

I vaguely remember his show...I think his problem was that he couldn't update his repertoire so when the people he was famous for impersonating faded, so did he.

That's why Les Dennis had to branch out into Strictly and walking around the Big Brother house looking sad; Mavis Wilton can only put food on the table for so long.

 

[lolly]

I think the issue for Yarwood particularly was more the revolution in British comedy in the early 80s which I don't think he could respond to like octy says, and that I don't think the public would have accepted him as a part of, even if he could. He was far too establishment after being on TV for well over a decade.

And I think that sort of impression based comedy died in the 80s anyway, with the likes of Les Dennis & Dustin Gee and Little & Large. It wasn't until Rory Bremner and Spitting Image broke through later in the 80s with satirical impressions that it became popular again, at least with anyone under 30 or so.