Line #31 Creator/StephenFry


1	[[quoteright:272:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sf_3.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:272:[[https://youtu.be/RHxXcPC-PcM?si=zEcbp__S5PlYmpa9 Cos he's Stephen... Stephen Fryyyy-hiiii. Yeah he's Stephen... superflyyyy-hiiii...]]]]
3
4	->''Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry.''
5	-->-- '''Dan Le Sac''' vs '''Scroobius Pip''', "Thou Shalt Always Kill"
6
7	A man of intense intelligence and great coolness, Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957 in Hampstead, London) served as the host of ''Series/{{QI}}'' for its first 13 series and starred in ''Series/Kingdom2007'', about the life of a rural lawyer. He has also written and contributed to several books, namely ''Literature/{{The Liar\|Novel}}'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_BlTirOD3o&feature=channel_video_title The Stars' Tennis Balls.]]'',''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxLnbGYAE5s The Hippopotamus.]]'' and ''Literature/MakingHistory'' (a time travel story about [[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct erasing Hitler from existence]]), as well as three autobiographies ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poECor3_-lg&feature=related Moab Is My Washpot]]'', ''The Fry Chronicles'' and ''More Fool Me'', and ''The Book of General Ignorance''. He is very much the modern day Creator/OscarWilde (though he's English, and played the man himself in a biopic) and is generally considered a British national treasure.
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9	A Cambridge graduate and a personal friend of Creator/JKRowling (he won a Talkie for his reading of the UK edition of the Literature/HarryPotter unabridged audio-books)[[note]]Creator/JimDale narrates the American versions[[/note]], he has appeared as [[GenerationXerox several Melchetts]] in ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'', played Jeeves in ''Series/JeevesAndWooster'', portrayed Creator/OscarWilde in ''{{Film/Wilde}}'', and starred as Fry in ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie''. Not only is his voice acting superb, the sheer breadth and convincingness of the accents he puts on for various characters is stunning. Excellent accents are a particular quality of his.
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11	He is openly gay (or as he says, "90%") and open about having bipolar disorder. His early life resulted in him doing three months in prison for credit card fraud. On his release, he got a scholarship to Cambridge and joined the Cambridge Footlights, where he met Creator/HughLaurie through [[Creator/EmmaThompson a mutual friend]]; said mutual friend is one he has actually seen naked on more than one occasion, though nothing untoward happened.
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13	It is a sign of how well liked he is that when he vanished from a stage production he was a part of, literally missing his cue, and couldn't be found in the building, the British Tabloids published concerned articles asking him to come home, rather than the usual cruel mockery an actor would have got for such highly advanced stage fright. He only got a token mocking when he turned up in Belgium, where he had fled after a particularly bad episode of depression.
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15	He also had a recurring role in ''Series/{{Bones}}''. He appeared in ''Film/VForVendetta'' (as Gordon Deitrich, a comedy television show host), as the title character in the satirical series ''Series/ThisIsDavidLander,'' as the Guide in the film version of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005'' (mostly as a favor to the family of his late friend Creator/DouglasAdams) in which he also displayed his musical talents in the soundtrack with the bonus techno-rap song "Reasons to Be Miserable", is the narrator of the ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' video game series (reprising the role in ''VideoGame/PlayStationAllStarsBattleRoyale''), and voiced the narrator in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocoyo}}'', Hedonistic SociopathicHero Reaver in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games, and played the main character of ''Radio/AbsolutePowerBBC''. He made his directorial debut in 2003 with the film ''Film/BrightYoungThings'', for which he also wrote the screenplay, adapted from Creator/EvelynWaugh's 1930 novel ''Vile Bodies''.
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17	He's produced and [[CozyVoiceForCatastrophes hosted]] three very personal documentaries, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4NuxGgUQfA HIV and Me]],'' ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQkE56eFyk4 The Secret Life of the Manic-Depressive]]'', and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKPlMjpxqIk Wagner & Me]]'' which concern the result of the aforementioned disappearance to Belgium, eventual diagnosis of bipolar disorder and his difficulties dealing with being Jewish on his mother's side, having lost family in the Holocaust, and being a fan of Music/RichardWagner, a notorious anti-Semite who inspired Hitler. [[note]]all links to trailers[[/note]] He was scheduled to write an episode of ''Series/DoctorWho'', but the idea fell through due to time constraints on his part.
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19	%% Any comparisons with Morgan Freeman will be nuked without mercy.
20	In addition, he has [[CozyVoiceForCatastrophes a lovely, comforting voice]]. He is also known for [[ScarsAreForever his distinctive crooked nose as a result of breaking it at the age of six]], [[KeepingTheHandicap and refused to undergo corrective surgery because he sees it as his trademark]].
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22	He has featured on ''Series/TopGearUK'' as the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car", having [[FormerlyFat lost about seven stone]] before the episode, as he went on a diet, prompting Jeremy Clarkson to ask where the rest of him was.
23
24	He played Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock's older, cleverer, but [[GentlemanSnarker indolent]] brother) in Creator/GuyRitchie's ''[[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameofShadows Sherlock Holmes]]'' sequel. This was something of a PromotedFanboy moment for him, as he says in his autobiography ''Moab Is My Washpot'' that he's been a fan of ''Sherlock Holmes'' since he was a small boy. This promotion was taken to its logical conclusion when, in 2017, he was commissioned by Audible [[https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes/dp/B06VWQTBZ9 to narrate]] [[Literature/SherlockHolmes the entire Holmes literary canon]].
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26	He stars in the American TV sitcom ''Series/TheGreatIndoors'', playing a retired explorer and adventurer trying to get to grips with the fact the magazine he founded is about to die as a print edition, but lives on as a website.
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28	He's [[http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/stephen-knows-the-meaning-of-the-ultimate-answer claimed]] that Creator/DouglasAdams once told him in confidence "[[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy exactly why 42.]]" Apparently, "The answer is fascinating, extraordinary and, when you think hard about it, [[ItMakesSenseInContext completely obvious.]]" However, he has vowed to [[SecretKeeper take the secret with him to the grave]].
29
30	A self-confessed techie, averaging about a dozen Tweets per day (before leaving the site after Elon Musk's takeover and moving to [[https://mastodonapp.uk/@stephenfry a Mastodon instance]]), he is also a [[http://www.fsf.org/news/freedom-fry/ vocal supporter of Free Software]] while still being a diehard Apple fanboy, famously purchasing the third Mac sold in the UK after Douglas Adams bought the first two (Adams always insisted it was the other way round but appears to have lost the argument by dint of dying first). He's also been known to use an Android phone as well, and is generally quite adept at social media.
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32	In January 2024, his most recent project involves being host of the latest British incarnation of the game show, ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}''.
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34	He has [[https://youtu.be/RHxXcPC-PcM?si=zEcbp__S5PlYmpa9 his own theme song]], courtesy of the good people known as [[WebAnimation/WeeblAndBob Weebl & co]].
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36	!! Selected performances:
37	* ''Series/TheYoungOnes'' (1984) as Lord Snot (1 episode)
38	* ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' (1986-89)
39	** ''Blackadder II'' (1986) as Lord Melchett
40	** ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) as UsefulNotes/TheDukeOfWellington (1 episode)
41	** ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989) as General Melchett
42	* ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie'' (1987-96) as Various Characters
43	* ''Series/ThisIsDavidLander'' (1988) as David Lander
44	* ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'' (1988) as Hutchison
45	* ''Series/TheNewStatesman'' (1989) as Piers Lonsdale (1 episode)
46	* ''Series/JeevesAndWooster'' (1990-93) as Jeeves
47	* ''Film/PetersFriends'' (1992) as Peter Morton
48	* ''Film/{{IQ\|1994}}'' (1994) as James Moreland
49	* ''Literature/ColdComfortFarm'' (1995) as Mybug
50	* ''Series/TheThinBlueLine'' (1995) as Brigadier Blaster Sump (1 episode)
51	* ''[[Film/TheWindInTheWillows1996 The Wind in the Willows]]'' (1996) as The Judge
52	* ''Film/SpiceWorld'' (1997) as Judge
53	* ''Film/GosfordPark'' (2001) as Inspector Thompson
54	* ''Film/{{Thunderpants}}'' (2002) as Sir Anthony Silk
55	* ''Film/BrightYoungThings'' (2003) as Chauffeur (also writer, director and producer)
56	* ''Series/{{QI}}'' (2003-16) as the host
57	* ''Series/AbsolutePowerBBC'' (2003-05) as Charles Prentiss
58	* ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfPeterSellers'' (2004) as Maurice Woodruff
59	* ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' (2004-10) as Narrator/Reaver (voice)
60	** ''VideoGame/FableI'' (2004)
61	** ''VideoGame/FableII'' (2008)
62	** ''VideoGame/FableIII'' (2010)
63	* ''[[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' (2005) as Narrator/The Guide (voice)
64	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocoyo}}'' (2005-10, 2016-present) as Narrator (voice)
65	* ''Film/VForVendetta'' (2006) as Gordon Dietrich
66	* ''Film/{{Stormbreaker}}'' (2006) as Smithers
67	* ''Series/{{Extras}}'' (2006) [[AdamWesting As Himself]]
68	* ''[[Series/Kingdom2007 Kingdom]]'' (2007-09) as Peter Kingdom
69	* ''[[Film/StTrinians2007 St. Trinian's]]'' (2007) AsHimself
70	* ''Series/{{Bones}}'' (2007-17) as Dr. Gordon Gordon Wyatt
71	* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' (2008-present) as Narrator (voice)
72	* ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland2010 Alice in Wonderland]]'' (2010) as Cheshire the Cheshire Cat (voice)
73	** ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'' (2016)
74	* ''Music/FiftyWordsForSnow'' (2011) as Professor Joseph Yupik in the TitleTrack (voice)
75	* ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' (2011) as Mycroft Holmes
76	* ''Film/TheHobbit'' (2013-14) as The Master of Laketown
77	** ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney'' (2013)
78	** ''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug'' (2014)
79	* ''Series/TwentyFourLiveAnotherDay'' (2014) as Prime Minister Alastair Davies
80	* ''Film/TheManWhoKnewInfinity'' (2015) as Sir Francis Spring
81	* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' (2015-18) as Colonel K (voice)
82	* ''Series/{{Veep}}'' (2017) as Nikolai Genidze (1 episode)
83	* ''VideoGame/Destiny2'' (2017) as Concierge AI (voice)
84	* ''[[Film/Greed2019 Greed]]'' (2019) AsHimself
85	* ''Series/DoctorWho'' (2020) as C ([[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E1E2Spyfall 1 episode]])
86	* ''Series/SexEducation'' (2020) AsHimself (1 episode)
87	* ''Series/ItsASin'' (2021) as Arthur Garrison
88	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' (2021) as Terrance (voice, 1 episode)
89	* ''Series/TheDropout'' (2022) as Ian Gibbons
90	* ''Series/{{Heartstopper}}'' (2022) as Headmaster Barnes (voice)
91	* ''[[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2021 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe]]'' (2022) as Man-E-Faces (voice)
92	* ''[[Series/TheSandman2022 The Sandman]]'' (2022) as Fiddler's Green/Gilbert
93	* ''Literature/TheCantervilleGhost'' (2023) as Sir Simon de Canterville (voice)
94	* ''Film/RedWhiteAndRoyalBlue'' (2023) as King James III
95	----
96
97	!!Tropes related to Stephen Fry's career:
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99	%% Administrivia/CreatorPageGuidelines: Don't trope real life. Don't treat real people as if they are fictional.
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103	%% * BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine: Whenever he's paired with ''anyone'' in a comedy sketch, it will usually be this, with him obviously playing the tsukkomi. Namely Creator/HughLaurie, though he does it to a certain extent with Alan Davies on ''Series/{{QI}}'' as well.
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105	* ClusterFBomb: Despite his genteel demeanor, he holds the UK record for most uses of the F-word in a live broadcast -- about 70 within a minute and a half.
106	* DeadpanSnarker: Both on screen and in real life, you can always rely on him to bring the snark.
107	* FormerlyFat: He was rather stout through the 1980s and into the 90s, but then lost about 6 stone. Still quite tall, though.
108	* LargeAndInCharge: He plays a lot of authority figures and stands at an impressive 6'5.
109	* LargeHam: He's a pretty accomplished Thespian when he wants to be, but when the mood takes him he can give Creator/BrianBlessed a run for his money. See his performance as Wellington and as General Melchett ([[Main/CatchPhrase "BAAAAAH!"]]), both from the Series/BlackAdder franchise, as proof.
110	%% * {{Luvvies}}: The TropeNamer, at least according to the ''OED''.
111	* LoopholeAbuse: In the BBC Radio 4 quiz show ''Radio/JustAMinute'', he's known to challenge ''himself'' (which is not explicitly forbidden by the rules) when he makes a mistake.
112	* MundaneMadeAwesome: In his writing, usually through DescriptionPorn. For instance, in ''The Fry Chronicles'', he devotes the better part of three pages to the preparation, lighting, and use of a DistinguishedGentlemansPipe.
113	* SadClown: He has been quite open about his mental health struggles, including the television documentary ''Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive''. He has also discussed multiple suicide attempts, with the most recent in 2012.
114	* SequelHook: His second autobiography ''The Fry Chronicles'' ends in 1987 with what is effectively [[TheStinger a stinger]] referring to his first experience of taking cocaine.
115	* SevenDeadlySins: Recorded a podcast series devoting an episode to each sin, reflecting on their effects on people in the present day.
116	* TakeThat: Was on the receiving end of a playful one from Creator/JKRowling. When Fry was recording the audiobook for ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', he had trouble pronouncing the phrase "Harry pocketed it." Finally he phoned Rowling to ask if she could revise the book to say "Harry put it in his pocket." Rowling considered a moment and replied "No"-- and then included the phrase "Harry pocketed it" word for word in ''each of the next four books of the series.''
117	* UpperClassTwit: Panelists on ''Series/{{QI}}'' loved it whenever he let slip little details of his privileged background -- such as not knowing what beer goggles are or that there's a shop called Primark -- as it allowed them to riff mercilessly while Stephen had no choice but to bear it until they ran out of steam.
118	* VerbalTic: "Baah!" (sometimes written as "M'aaah!") - actually [[Series/{{Blackadder}} General Melchett's]], but it's used in impressions of Stephen himself so often that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was his, and Stephen frequently makes reference to it.
119	* VitriolicBestBuds: He and Emma Thompson are the best of friends. This does not, of course, stop either of them from ''taking the absolute piss out of the other whenever they can get a shot to do so.'' And there's never any hard feelings for the piss taking since they can both give it as good as they can take it.
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124	%% Administrivia/CreatorPageGuidelines: Don't trope real life. Don't treat real people as if they are fictional.
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Context Creator / StephenFry