Stephen Fry

Biography

A man of many talents, Stephen Fry has established himself as an actor, novelist, comedian, librettist and all-round wit. His childhood and time at Cambridge has been well documented in his autobiography MOAB is my Washpot (1998), and it is these early years that have provided Fry with much of the content found in his novels. In particular, The Liar (1991) tells the story of a reckless ex-Cambridge student who becomes involved in an international espionage caper. The novel contains many episodes clearly inspired by the younger Fry.

Stephen Fry grew up in Norfolk and attended Uppingham School. After spending three months in prison for credit card fraud, he went to Queen’s College, Cambridge where he studied English. It was during this time that he met Hugh Laurie, with whom he was to form a prolific writing partnership and appear with in the legendary Cambridge Footlights University Club. In 1984, Fry was asked to do the re-write for the musical Me & My Girl, which earned him a Tony nomination. The 80s also saw Fry do a large amount of work for television, including the comedy shows A Bit of Fry & Laurie and Blackadder. More success came with Jeeves & Wooster, based on the novels of P.G. Wodehouse, with Fry taking the part of the sagacious butler opposite Hugh Laurie’s bumbling Bertie Wooster.

With the occasional odd moment aside, like his sudden departure from the London stage during a run of Cell Mates, only to re-surface, sometime later on the continent, with the British press in hot pursuit, Fry has been prolific both with book and screen. Peter’s Friends (1992), and Wilde (1997) feature two of his most notable performances as an actor. And in 2003, Fry made his directorial debut with Bright Young Things, adapted from Evelyn Waugh’s 1930 novel Vile Bodies. He has also been a keen contributor to national newspapers over the years, in particular The Daily Telegraph, and is the host of the BBC TV quiz show QI.

In 2005 Stephen Fry was the voice of the book in the big screen version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Fry has also been cast as a chat show host, Gordon Dietrich, in V for Vendetta.

Stephen Fry came top in a Radio Times poll of their readers on whom they thought were the smartest people on TV. Carol Vorderman was second and Lisa Simpson eighth equal!