FAQ
Did you enjoy making the series and playing Rimmer? And who of the cast was the most fun to work with and why?
Making RD was always hard work but always enjoyable. The writing was invaribly high quality and I felt that if we weren't working at our best we would be letting the show down. All the other cast members are great fun to work with.
What is the best show to work on, Massive Machines or Red Dwarf?
Difficult to compare the two in terms of actually making them. I enjoy them both, that is why I did the best part of eight series of Red Dwarf and why I have just said yes to doing another series of 'Massive'. (This version is going to be call Massive Speed.)
Would you like to do more stand up comedy?
I still do what can be termed stand up comedy although it is more of an after dinner speech these days.
Where did you start and how did you calm your nerves?
The biography section will cover the early parts of my career and yes it was occasionally nerve racking, but (in those days!) nothing that a couple of pints of lager couldn't calm.
Do you keep in touch with the Brittas cast?
I don't keep in touch with the Brittas cast as much as I would like. Hopefully we will have a reunion again soon as in 2007 it will have been 10 years since we finished the last Brittas recording.
Why wasn't Julia St John in the last series?
It would probably be best to ask her. She played Laura superbly and possibly thought that the character had been just about fully explored. She was certainly missed in later series.
Did I keep the Austin Maestro used in the Brittas Series?
No! (No disrespect to all Maestro Owners)
Will there be a Red Dwarf 9?
As far as i know the main concentration is on producing a movie but perhaps one day someone will see the good sense in making another series of Red Dwarf.
Is there going to be a Red Dwarf Movie?
A popular question to say the least! Sadly I can.t shed any new light on this. Obviously I would love the movie to happen but I am rapidly reaching the stage where it would be just good to do some new Red Dwarf product, whether it be a movie or TV special.
How did you originally get the job of lead voice actor on Son Of Cliche & what memories do you have working on this show?
I was offered the job by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor after working with them on the Jasper Carrot Show. They thought I would be a worthwhile member of the team alongside Nick Wilton and Nick Maloney. We did the first series upstairs at the Latchmere pub in Battersea. I associate the time with the carefree days of the early 80s, we had alot of fun doing the show, similar to early Red Dwarf days.
Recently you've been moving towards presenting rather than acting. What prompted this move and what are your plans for the future?
I'm not totally new to presenting work, however, no attractive meaty acting jobs were coming in, so I decided that presenting a show dealing with subjects close to my heart was a way forward. I enjoyed the first series of Massive Engines and a new show entitled Chris Barrie's Heavy Duty is on its way and I want to do more.
Early on, you were involved in satirical shows eg: Spitting Image, Son of Cliche. Was this a conscious decision on your part or where they simply the jobs offered to you?
At the beginning, I did not consciously seek out only satirical work but clearly if mimicry is part of your act then you'll be considered for satirical shows.
Robert Llewellyn has written several novels, do you see yourself writing anything in the future?
No. I don't have the temperament. I'm the kind of guy who's been staring at the screen for 4 hours wondering whether I'll ever improve on the 10 words I've written.
You mention on the website that you may be doing something else for Discovery.
Yes, it is called Chris Barrie's Heavy Duty. Similar style to Massive Engines but concentrating on heavy duty transport and industrial equipment eg: submarines, tanks, bombers, cranes, helicopters. I'm working on it during the summer, ready for transmission in January 2005. I'll keep you posted on all updates.
Do you plan to embark on a stand-up or any other stage based shows in the future?
No plans for such a show but if the right situation arises then I will certainly consider it.
Do you plan to use your talent as an impressionist in future projects?
I do occasionally use mimicry when I present at corporate events so it's not altogether a dormant muscle!!
What inspired you to become a performer?
I was running out of things to do, because I kept getting the sack from various jobs - performing was the only thing left to try. So far, it seems to be working!
Do you enjoy doing the commentaries for the DVD releases and do you know if you will be contributing to future DVDs on something other than commentaries?
Yes, I do enjoy it. It's a chance to look over the series again, meet the cast, have a laugh and a chat.We meet up annually and we rekindle the fun we had whilst making the shows. No plans at the moment to do anything but commentatries although we all do an interview which is hopefully worthwhile.
How did you first get into voices? I started impersonating teachers at school and then mimicked various members of staff in early jobs. In 1981, when it was suggested that I do it professionally, I began working up a few voices of famous people, starting with the late Kenneth Williams.
Do the members of the Red Dwarf cast get on well off the set?
After successfully working together for so long it is difficult not to get on well. Every time we meet there doesn.t seem to be enough time to catch up!
Are you as irritating as Gordon Brittas in real life?
Yes, definitely! . ask anyone who knows me!
What character in Red Dwarf, apart from Rimmer, would I most like to play?
Of course they are all great roles but I have always thought that Kryten would be the most suitable for me . he has had some excellent storylines, scenes and dialogue. Frankly though I wouldn.t be terribly keen to put the mask on everyday . Robert deserves a medal!
Favourite Red Dwarf episode?
Very difficult to choose one episode from 8 series. I have to say .Dimension Jump. stands out as it was the first time I had the opportunity to play Smeghead Rimmer and Ace together. I had a ball doing Ace (what hair!) and the scenes between the two Rimmers were great fun. .Gun Men of the Apocalypse. is also superb.
Favourite line in Red Dwarf?
Even more difficult to answer and for now I am not going to commit myself. When I have some time I am going to compile my top 20 favourite Red Dwarf Lines and put them on the site . look out for them.
Is there going to be another series of The Brittas Empire?
In all probability No. I do remember someone suggesting that we should all meet up on a cruise ship sometime in 2010ish with Brittas as the Entertainments Officer. Who knows??
What is it like working with Angelina Jolie?
Great! Angelina is a super actress, a very intelligent and decent person and dare I say it, damn gorgeous!
Which voices did I do on Spitting Image?
Between 1983 . 1990 I provided the voices for Ronald Reagan, Michael Foot, Prince Charles, David Coleman, Paul Daniels, Sir John Gielgud, and quite a few others . it seems a long time ago!
What was your favourite/ the most impressive machine to work with on Massive Engines?
Like favourite episodes of Red Dwarf, there were so many favourite machines on .Massive Engines.. The Gressley A4 class Pacific .Union of South Africa., the .Blower. Bentley, the 1920.s Ford Tri-motor Airliner, the Papplewick pump house, the Caterpillar 789 dump truck, the Ducatti 999, the Foden 6 ton steam wagon, the paddle steamer Waverley .. the list goes on. All of these were just magnificent pieces of kit and to have a job actually spending a day on them is, for me, simply paradise!
Do you prefer impressions or acting?
I don't prefer one over the other really. It's very difficult to compare the two… impressions is very much a case of 'you can either do it or you can't', where as acting generally requires a lot more thought and hard work.
In 'Stoke Me a Clipper' you returned as Ace Rimmer. When you are riding your motorcycle and shooting a pistol using your throttle hand, how is the bike still moving?
Ah Ha, you clearly haven't noticed the special foot throttle inboard of the brake pedal (operated by the inner right heel) which, in such eventualities, overrides the hand throttle. (It has to be pointed out here that this is not a frequently asked question, in fact it is possibly the one and only time it will ever be asked!).
