In the early nineties, the British costume series “Jeeves and Worcester” about the life of aristocrats of the 20-30s of the 20th century was released. Unlike most of these films, the main character of this show did not become any well-mannered lord or prim lady.
The plot centered on a tandem of a resourceful servant and his slightly stupid master, a rather decent gentleman, but because of his shortsightedness, he constantly gets into all kinds of troubles.
Literary basis of the television series "Jeeves and Worcester"
The series was shot on the basis of the works of Sir Pelam G. Woodhouse, who knows firsthand about the everyday life of young gentlemen, who often received their position in society not due to merit. And simply because they were born in the right family. They received a brilliant education and were members of high society, but were often not worthy of their place.
The protagonist of the stories about the adventures of a gentleman and his servant was a young aristocrat Bertram Wooster, whom relatives and friends affectionately call Bertie.
He received an excellent education, but after studying, like most young people of his position, Wooster did not do anything, spending all his time in the company of friends or in the elite club for the gentlemen “Drones”. He also often visits his relatives and participates at their request in various auctions, concerts, fairs and other charity events. Being a good small, noble man, who can safely be called a "gentleman", Bertram is incredibly stupid, and all his many aristocratic relatives are well aware of this. His caring aunts constantly tried to marry his nephew, so that the smart wife “straightened the brains” of Bertie. Trying to prove that he is not so stupid, as well as constantly trying not to let himself get married, Worcester finds himself in all kinds of absurd situations, from which his devoted valet Jeeves, another protagonist of this story, helps him get out.
The full name of Worcester's faithful servant is Reginald Jeeves.
Unlike his master, he is very smart, well-read, resourceful and has an impeccable taste. Despite the fact that Jeeves is superior to his master in almost everything, he is doing his best to help the unlucky gentleman and his friends get out of the troubles they tend to fall into.
Actors and roles of the series "Jeeves and Worcester"
The main roles in the series were played by two brilliant British comedians - Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Actors were a famous comedy tandem even before filming in the series "Jeeves and Worcester." The actors studied in Cambridge, where they met and became friends, and also began to compose a variety of comedy numbers that were so popular that friends soon began to release their own program on television, The Fry and Laurie Show.
Both actors were fans of Woodhouse, and therefore, when their duet was offered roles in the series based on the works of this author, they agreed with pleasure. With their characteristic inventiveness, they brought their edits to the series.
Before Fry played Jeeves, it was believed that Worcester's valet was an older man (the novel does not specify the age of the servant). But the actor got so brilliantly accustomed to the image of his character that in all subsequent adaptations and productions it became customary to take on the role of the valet of younger actors, rather than old people, as it was before.
Perhaps it was the creative approach of the comedy duo that made the main characters of the series so lively and interesting for modern viewers of the series "Jeeves and Worcester." The actors and roles are so intertwined that many viewers after so many years continue to call Fry Jeeves, and Laurie - Worcester.
Stephen Fry
Even before participating in the series, the actor was quite popular in England. His childhood was a classic for the Englishman: private schools and liberal arts education. However, having a restless character, Stephen always stumbled into alterations. Ultimately, at the age of seventeen, Fry still went to prison for three months, and also received a suspended sentence of two years.
Despite his criminal past and reputation, this man turned out to be so smart and talented that he was able to enter an elite university such as Cambridge, taking up the study of English literature. Here he began to take an active part in the activities of the student theater.
A few years later, friends were invited to host their own show, but it was not successful. Not reconciled with the failure, Fry and Laurie organized a comedy duo and, after numerous attempts, created the program “The Fry and Laurie Show”, which could last on the air for eight years.
At the same time, Stephen actively participated in other projects. The actor adapted the musical "Me and My Girlfriend." This production was a huge success and for eight years has successfully toured throughout the country and abroad.
Stephen Fry also participated in another significant television series prior to the Jeeves and Worcester project, The Black Viper. This TV show was very fond of the audience.
However, the real popularity and worldwide recognition of Stephen was brought all the same by his valet Jeeves. And although a few years later, the actor brilliantly played the role of Oscar Wilde in the film of the same name and was recognized as the best performer of this role in the history of television, for most viewers he will forever remain an erudite Jeeves with an ideal sense of style and a cunning face in his eyes.
After the closure of the Jeeves and Worcester project, the actors still remained best friends and even released a book. But at the same time, each of them began his own path. Fry continued to act in films, though in episodes. He also participated in many programs as an invited guest. In addition, Stephen began to actively engage in literary activity: he wrote novels, articles, plays, essays.
At the moment, the actor is recognized as a native English speaker.
Therefore, he conducts an educational program on the radio, and also records audio books. It is in the voice of Stephen Fry that the narrator of all audio books about the adventures of Harry Potter speaks. In addition, he voiced several video games and cartoon characters.
Today, the actor, as a classic gentleman, leads an active social life and participates in many charity projects.
Hugh Laurie
Unlike his hero, Lori is a pretty smart and talented person and actor. The childhood of the future star passed in the same way as in Fry, in private schools, although it is worth noting that the parents of Lori are Scots. This is very hard to believe, looking at the typically British appearance of the actor.
Since childhood, Hugh has been professionally engaged in rowing, won the national championship and received many other prestigious sports awards. However, due to illness, he had to postpone his training, so in the free time he began to play in the amateur theater of Cambridge, where he met his future "Jeeves". Further, Lori's career developed synchronously with Fry's career. Although, when he and his colleague starred in The Black Viper, Hugh became more famous, because in the last two seasons of the series, unlike Stephen, he had the main roles.
His characters were painfully similar to Bertie from the series "Jeeves and Worcester." The actors with whom he had to work in this project helped Lori to improve his game, because he did not have any acting education - he studied archeology and anthropology in Cambridge.
After there was a series of episodic roles, until in 1990 the duet Fry-Laurie began to work in the series "Jeeves and Worcester."
The actor also played small roles in other films, starred in music videos and voiced cartoons. In the year the series was released, together with Fry, they published a book, which became a bestseller.
After the end of the series, despite the popularity, Lori continued to get minor roles. Also, the actor was engaged in dubbing cartoon characters and recording audio books.
At the beginning of the two thousandth career, Lori went up. He was given the main role in the British film “Everything is possible, baby”, as well as in the mini-series “A Little Over Forty”.
An unexpected turn in his career was his participation in the American series Doctor House.
The role of a disabled doctor who hates people, but at the same time is a brilliant diagnostician, brought the actor incredible popularity around the world and a lot of awards. Moreover, thanks to the role of Dr. Gregory House, Laurie got into the Guinness Book of Records as an artist who collected the maximum number of viewers from TV screens.
Today, the actor is actively filming, participating in television shows, and also tours with his group around the world. In 2005, he, following the example of Stephen Fry, published his book, and in 2007 the Queen of Great Britain awarded him the Order of the British Empire.
The actor is friends with Stephen Fry to this day, in addition, it is Jeeves who is the godfather of all his children.
Other cast members
This project allowed many other talented British actors to prove themselves. Among them, Robert Dawes, who played Berti's recent and amorous friend - Tappi.
This magnificent actor of small roles has already had a chance to star in the Fry and Laurie Show, so he gladly agreed to participate in this project. Having established himself in the series, Dawes began to act a lot, mainly on television. Unfortunately, most of the television series with his participation were not shown in Russia, except for the beautiful costume series “House of the Elliot Sisters,” where Robert played a completely different character.
Another bright star of the series was experienced theater actress Brenda Bruce, who played Aunt Delia in the first season, who loves her stupid nephew and wants to finally attach him. In her youth, Brenda starred in television productions, and also participated in the television show of her husband. After the end of the series, she starred in two more films, and in 1996 she died.
The famous Full Lady (Elizabeth Spriggs) from the first Harry Potter adventure film also participated in the filming of several episodes of the television series, replacing Mary Wimbush, who previously played the role of Aunt Agatha, in the fourth season.
The actress was perfectly able to replace her predecessor. After the end of the series, she often starred in films in secondary roles. She even happened to star in Mikhalkov’s film “The Siberian Barber”. With Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth later worked together in the movie "Mind and Feelings," it is noteworthy that in this project she played his mother-in-law.
A bright and unforgettable character who participated in the adventures of Jeeves and Worcester in all four seasons, was also Roderick Spode, who was fascinated by the ideas of fascism.
This character was played by John Turner. Despite the fact that this actor began acting in films at the age of twenty-four, he still could not achieve particular success, although he had a chance to participate in many interesting projects. The role in the series "Jeeves and Worcester" became the most significant for him, although he continued to act actively after the television series, until in 2000 he left the profession.
In the series "Jeeves and Worcester," many talented actors starred, but most of them are unknown outside the homeland.
Despite the fact that the series was released more than a quarter of a century ago, it is still popular all over the world. In many countries, when learning English to develop the correct pronunciation, students include excerpts from the Jeeves and Worcester series.
The actors who played in this film, interior designers and costumes, as well as the entire crew of the film crew so successfully conveyed the feeling of the era in which the action takes place, that the series received two awards from the British Film Academy for the best design and graphics.
"Jeeves and Worcester" - a series that is one of the pearls of British and world cinema. First of all, it is the merit of comedians Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, who managed to make their heroes alive and vibrant. It is unfortunate that they did not receive the proper awards for this work, but popularity and audience love exceed any gilded figurines or medals.