“Who owns this line, anyway?” » Regular was 65 years old

Channel 4 star Tony Slattery Who owns this line, anyway? and contemporary of Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, has died. He was 65 years old.

In a statement to the BBC on behalf of Slattery’s partner, Mark Michael Hutchinson said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday. evening.”

The British actor and comedian was famous for his quick wit and improvisation in the popular comedy series, but he also featured in films like Peter’s friends (1992), alongside his Cambridge University peers Thompson, Laurie and Fry, and The crying game (1989).

Slattery received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Comedy Performance for his role as Gordon in Tim Firth’s Neville’s Island.

The actor and comedian was born in Stonebridge, north London, to a working-class background and won a scholarship to attend the prestigious Cambridge University. It was here that he discovered a love of theater and met Fry, then also a student, who invited him to join the university’s famous comedy troupe, Cambridge Footlights. Other members at this time included Laurie, Thompson, Sandi Toksvig, Jan Ravens and Richard Vranch.

Slattery made his television debut as a regular performer in Chris Tarrant’s sequel to OTT, Saturday stay (1983), while also appearing for children in Behind the bike sheds and the Saturday morning show Emission. In 1988, he quickly became a regular artist on Who owns this line, anyway?

Fellow comedians Richard K. Herring and Al Murray paid tribute to Slattery on Tuesday, as well as Absolutely fabulous actress and comedian Helen Lederer.

“Very sad news for Tony Slattery. Such a dazzling talent,” Murray said, while Herring posted: “Oh, Tony. » Lederer wrote on social media: “My best friend in terms of laughter, wit, love, absurdity, being my best man (twice), we loved you – what will we do now. »