Graeme Garden was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1943, educated at Repton and Cambridge University (where he appeared in the Cambridge Footlights productions) and later qualified in Medicine at King's College, London. Graeme is married with a family and lives in Oxfordshire. In his spare time he likes painting and "playing the banjo in private".
With co-writer Bill Oddie he wrote and played in the very successful radio series I'm sorry I'll Read That Again. Later they wrote episodes for London Weekend Television's Dr In The House series. Graeme starred with Tim Brooke-Taylor in BBC 2's Broaden Your Mind in which Bill Oddie appeared as the guest singer. The next season the three joined forces once more and the result was The Goodies.
They recorded seven series which sold extensively overseas and on two occasions (1972 and 1975) when their programme was BBC's official entry for The Golden Rose of Montreux Television Festival they were awarded The Silver Rose. The very successful 45 minute TV specials The Goodies and The Beanstalk and The Goodies Rule: O.K. have been repeated regularly at holiday times on BBC Television. In the year 2000, The Goodies were honoured by a ''Goodies Evening'' at The National Film Theatre.
The Goodies three books were published by Weidenfeld and Nicholson; The Goodies File, The Goodies Book Of Criminal Records and The Goodies Disaster Movie and have all been best sellers.
The Goodies also enjoyed a very successful recording career. They received a Silver Disc for The Inbetwennes and their records were consistently in the top 20, The Funky Gibbon going to No.4.
In 1978 Graeme appeared with Tim Brooke-Taylor in The Unvarnished Truth for a very successful West End run at the Phoenix Theatre. Later he toured with The Cambridge Theatre Company in Rattle Of A Simple Man, School Days and Hotel Paradiso. He also appeared at the Royal Court Theatre in Cloud Nine.
In 1981 Graeme's first novel The Seventh Man was published by Eyre Methuen and during that year The Goodies recorded a new series for LWTV.
In 1982 Graeme resumed his writing partnership with Bill Oddie to write a television situation comedy series entitled The Astronauts.
In 1983 Graeme hosted the first of what was to be three series of LWT's Tell The Truth quiz and presented the first of two series of Yorkshire Television's history programmes A Sense Of The Past.
In 1984/5 he played the leading role in the Feydeau farce A Little Hotel On The Side at the National Theatre. In 1986 he played the Inspector in An Inspector Calls at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, and in 1987, Mr Guest in The Viewing at the Greenwich Theatre.
1987 saw a new departure for Graeme's career, for as well as writing scripts for Video Arts' training and information films, he made his debut as a director. His writing credits include the award winning film made by Illustra Films for Newman Knight and Round on Diumide K and for Video Arts Building The Perfect Team.
Graeme has also presented three series of BBC TV's medical programme Bodymatters.
Two new books, both from Methuen, were published in 1988: Graeme Garden's Compendium Of Very Silly Games, and The Skylighters, a book for children with illustrations by Neil Canning.
Over Christmas 1988 the National Theatre presented his play The Magic Olympical Games as part of Richard Eyre's inaugural season as Artistic Director.
In 1989 he wrote The Whole Hog a television play for the BBC starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones and then went on to write the Mount Olympus sequences for the Smith and Jones series.
In addition Graeme, for over 30 years, has been a regular member of the team for I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, a programme that he devised, for BBC Radio 4. In 1995 the series won two awards; the Sony Radio Award for Best Comedy Programme and television's British Comedy Award for Best Radio Programme. In 2002, the show again won the Sony Radio Award for Best Comedy Programme. The team have, to date, eight volumes of the show released on audio cassette and three best selling books; The I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Limerick Book (1998), The Almost Complete Guide To I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1999) and Stovold's Mornington Cresent Almanac 2001.
In 1994 Graeme wrote episodes of Surgical Spirit, starring Nichola McAuliffe, for Humphrey Barclay/LWT.
Graeme continues to write and direct for the corporate video company, Video Arts.
Recently, his work there includes directing a series of medical programmes entitled Videos For Patients starring John Cleese. Graeme also now works for a spin-off company The Production Tree, his latest video aiming at families of Alzheimer sufferers.
1997 Graeme co-wrote and appeared in the first series of Do Go On, a six part spoof radio show, with Griff Rhys Jones on Radio 4. This highly successful show won the comedy 2nd prize at the Sony Radio Awards. The team will commence work on the 5th series in Spring 2004.
In 1997 & 98 Graeme appeared as Team Captain for two series of If I Ruled The World - a panel game for BBC2 produced by Hat Trick Productions and hosted by Clive Anderson. He has also guested on two Have I Got News For You, in 1999 and 2002 also for Hat Trick/BBC.
As an actor Graeme has guested on countless television programmes including; My Summer With Des by Arthur Smith, The Student Prince and Murder Most Horrid all for the BBC. Baddiel's Syndrome for Avalon Productions/Sky and two episodes of Peak Practise for Carlton/ITV. Most recently Graeme appeared in several episodes of Holby City for BBC.
Graeme has presented many radio documentary programmes including a five part R2 series There'll Never Be Another documenting comedy legends including Morecambe and Wise and Max Miller. In 2001 he co-wrote and presented the R4 tribute documentary celebrating Humphrey Lyttleton's 80th birthday called Humph At 80. In 2003 he hosted The Blood Chronicles, a five part R4 series about blood!
As host, Graeme has presented two series of the debating panel game The Motion Show for Radio 4 and has also just completed hosting a new R4 series Beat The Kids.
Additionally on radio, he has appeared as one of the rep company on 3 series of the sketch show The Right Time for BBC R4 and guested on an episode of Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation for Pozzitive Productions/BBC R4. Graeme, together with Barry Cryer, has also recorded two series of Hamish & Dougal, two spin-off characters from I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. The second series is currently being broadcast on R4. The show has also been released on audio cassette.
In 2001 Graeme wrote the play Horse & Carriage (his adaptation of the Feydeau farce Mariage de Barillon) which premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse starring Griff Rhys Jones and Alison Steadman.
Most recently Graeme's writing projects include co-writing two series of the Marcus Brigstock BBC R4 series, Giles Wembley-Hogg Goes Off for Pozzitive Productions. Script Associate for 3 series of Hudson & Pepperdine for BBC R4. He is currently writing 4 episodes for a huge new BBC children's series, Shoebox Zoo, which will be transmitted in 2004.
In the last 18 months Graeme has collaborated with Rory Bremner on several projects including the highly successful West End show Rory Bremner Live and, most recently, Bremner Bird & Fortune War Special for Vera Productions/C4. A new series of shows is currently being recorded/transmitted.
In July 2003 Graeme completed recording 120 programmes of a new daytime quiz, Beat The Nation, for Endemol/C4. He co-hosts the show with his old friend Tim Brooke-Taylor. The shows started transmission on Channel 4 in January.
Most recently Graeme has written for the new, critically acclaimed, BBC2 sitcom Absolute Power, starring Stephen Fry and John Bird. He is currently recording a voice-over for 13 episodes of a new comedy animation series for Hat Trick entitled Streatham Hill.
|
020 7317 2230
info@rdfmanagement.com
Biography 