Al Murray is an English comedian best
known for his stand-up persona, the Pub Landlord, a
xenophobic public house licensee.
The pub landlord is a English nationalist with a
dislike for anything 'un-British', has a particular
dislike of Australians and the French. Catchphrases
include 'Timewaster!' and 'Is your dad proud of you
son?'. The character first appeared in 1993 when Murray
was the tour support act for Harry Hill, and subsequently
featured in a short film, Pub Fiction (1995).
Murray's theatre show with this character My Gaff,
My Rules was shortlisted for an Olivier Award in 2002,
and he has also appeared as the central character in
the television series Time Gentlemen Please as well
as a number of other television appearances. A second
theatre tour, Giving it Both Barrels also ran to critical
acclaim.
Murray is known to be unhappy with the television
series, moving conversation away from it during his
live shows.
Murray has also worked with other comedians (including
Harry Hill) and other personas. He won the Perrier
Award in 1999, after being nominated in 1996, 1997
and 1998.
In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of
the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. Also, in recent
years, it is been known that Murray is a direct descendant
of William Makepeace Thackeray and owns rights to many
letters and papers from Dickens. |