Biographic - Sunday July 15, 2007 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

Born on June 25 1961, in Reading, Berkshire, Ricky Dene Gervais graduated from the University of London with a degree in Philosophy. In the early 1980s. He was the lead singer of the new romantic duo Seona Dancing. But despite enjoying a hit single in the Philippines, the group failed to make an impact, following a stint as events manager at his old university, he landed an administrative job with London radio station XFM. But soon found himself behind the microphone. His assistant at XFM was Stephen Merchant, the beginning of a partnership that would eventually pay huge dividends. His face became increasingly familiar to British tv viewers, thanks in part to his appearances on the satirical "The 11 O'clock Show" and the Anarchic Chat Show "Meet Ricky Gervais" Then in. 2001, the BBC unveiled "The Office:" Created by Ricky and Stephen Merchant, and starring Gervais and David Brent, "The Office" spanned just 12 episodes and a Christmas special- but became one of the most acclaimed sitcoms in British TV history. It was also a cult hit stateside, earning Emmy and Golden Globe awards. Ricky has gone to conquer a number of mediums. His one-man shows have sold out venues across the length and breadth of the U.K in record time. His "Flanimals" children's books are British best-sellers and have spawned a wide range of merchandise, he has made guest appearances on "Alias" and "The Simpsons" been a regular on late-nightcap shows, and starred in movies he followed up roles in "For Your Consideration" and the animated "Valiant" with the box-office smash "Night At The Museum." The U.S remake of "The Office" has became a huge hit and made Steve Carell a star. Ricky's follow-up to "The Office" was the Emmy-winning sitcom "Extras" which featured cameos from a host of stars, including David Bowie, Orlando Bloom, Samuel L Jackson, and Kate Winslet. He has also earned a place in The Guiness Book Of Records. A recent series of podcasts featuring Ricky, Stephen Merchant and their cohort Karl Pilkington are the most-downloaded podcasts in history.

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