Will Smith (comedian)
William Smith | |
---|---|
Born | William James Smith 8 June 1971[1] Winchester, Hampshire, England |
Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, stand-up comedian, novelist, producer |
Years active | 1996–present |
Known for | TV, film and radio comedy |
William James Smith (born 8 June 1971) is an English stand-up comedian, screenwriter, novelist, actor and producer.
As co-writer and co-producer of the
Early life and education
Though born in Winchester, Hampshire,[6] Smith grew up in Jersey and was educated there at Victoria College. His brother is the TV presenter and wine critic Olly Smith.[7]
Stand up comedy
Smith started his career in
Television
Smith serves as
Smith has been involved with both British and American
He served as executive producer on HBO sitcom Avenue 5. Other writing credits include sitcoms Damned and Back (TV series), both airing on Channel 4.[citation needed] With Armando Iannucci and Roger Drew he devised BBC future comedy Time Trumpet, six episodes that screened in 2006.[21] In 2018 he was reported to be working on co-writing a television series of Scarfolk.[22]
Books
Comedy books by Smith include How To Be Cool[23] (Harry Enfield said of it 'Will Smith is the coolest guy in the world (if uncool is the new cool) – he's also terrifically funny'), and The Joy of No Sex, published by Penguin,[24] a parody of The Joy of Sex.
Smith has written for various publications, including the magazine
In 2015 Smith published his first novel, Mainlander (4th Estate, a division of HarperCollins),[26] a thriller about a schoolboy who goes missing on Jersey. The Independent described it as 'John le Carré meets Middlemarch',[9] and ShortList called it a 'knockout'.[27]
Smith reflected on the difference between writing for television and writing a novel in The Guardian. "The chain from author to reader is short and simple – agent, editor, proofreader, shop/website. In TV, the script will have to be signed off by producers, executive producers, genre commissioners and channel commissioners, and that’s still only a starting point". He cited as his influences John Cleese and Stephen Fry, as well as Charlotte Brontë and George Eliot.[20]
Radio
Smith has appeared on BBC Radio 4 as a guest in comedy panel shows and in his own shows.
- Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive
- Banter (2002, 2007)
- The Personality Test (2003–09)[28]
- Will Smith Presents the Tao of Bergerac (2007), based on the 1980s TV series set on Jersey. Released as a BBC Audio CD in 2008.[29]
- Will Smith's Midlife Crisis Management (2008)[30]
- It's Your Round (2011)
- Mr and Mrs Smith (2012), sitcom about a couple in marriage counselling[31]
Acting credits
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | The 11 O'Clock Show | ||
2000 | Time Gentlemen Please | ||
2003 | Gash | ||
2004 | A Wife For William | ||
2005 | Back in the Day | ||
2006 | The Charlotte Church Show | ||
2006 | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | ||
2006–2012 | The Thick of It | Phil Smith | 2006, one-hour special in 2007, 2009, 2012 |
2007 | The C Word | Presenter | The euphemism for "cunt", not "cancer" |
2007 | The Late Edition | ||
2008 | For One Night Only | ||
2009 | Argumental | 2 guest appearances | |
2011 | Comedy Lab | Tony | Season 12, Episode 5 |
2012 | Have I Got News for You | ||
2012 | Dead Boss | Governor Gorey | Season 1, Episode 6 |
2014 | Paddington | Geographer | |
2016-2018 | Damned | Zac | |
2017 | Hampstead | Leon Rowlands | |
2019 | Greed | Teacher |
References
- ^ "Smith, Will, 1971– – LC Linked Data Service | Library of Congress". Id.loc.gov. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". emmys.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016. "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". emmys.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ^ "Veep | Golden Globes". goldenglobes.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ "2016 Writers Guild Awards Nominees". awards.wga.org. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "2016 PGA Nominations (Complete List) | Hollywood Reporter". hollywoodreporter.com. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016. "2017 PGA Nominations (Complete List) | Hollywood Reporter". hollywoodreporter.com. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ [1] Archived 11 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Twitter / jollyolly: @tvpeanuts Yes I am related". Twitter.com. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ "Will Smith on : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Will Smith's New Book: John Le Carre Meets Middlemarch". Independent. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ "The 11 O'Clock Show (1998–2000) : Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ Ritchie, Jason. "Interview: Will Smith". Get Ready to Rock. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "Will Smith: 10 Arguments I Should Have Won' review : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ "Will Smith: How To Be Cool' review : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ Harvey, Chris (25 November 2023). "The Thick of It writer Will Smith interview: 'Slow Horses is like the anti-Bond'". The Telegraph.
- ^ Thorne, Will (14 December 2020). "Kristin Scott Thomas and Jonathan Pryce Join Gary Oldman in Apple's 'Slow Horses'".
- ^ "2024 USC Scripter Awards Winners List: 'American Fiction', 'Slow Horses'". 3 March 2024.
- ^ "Trailer for new Apple Original espionage drama "Slow Horses," starring Academy Award winner Gary Oldman, debuts ahead of global premiere on April 1, 2022". Apple.com. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Will Smith on Slow Horses, working with Gary Oldman and controlling the swear count". Royal Television Society. 17 April 2023.
- ^ "Writers Guild Awards Shortlist 2023". 6 December 2022.
- ^ a b Will Smith (21 February 2015). "A screenwriter turns novelist, looking for less interference and fewer turkeys | Books". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "Credits". Time Trumpet. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "Gaffe as civil service magazine prints poster telling parents to shoot rabid children". Sky News. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ How to Be Cool: Make Social Blunders a Thing of the Past!: Amazon.co.uk: Will Smith: Books. ASIN 0719524903.
- ISBN 9780718148379.
- ^ Archived 16 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine[dead link]
- ISBN 9780007594269.
- ^ "The ShortRead: Will Smith | ShortList Magazine". Shortlist.com. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "BBC – Programmes – Categorised as will smith". Retrieved 18 April 2009.
- ISBN 9781405677424.
- ^ "Will Smith's Mid-life Crisis Management". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 – Mr and Mrs Smith". Bbc.co.uk. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
External links
- Will Smith at IMDb