Arthur Smith

A figurehead in the burgeoning alternative comedy scene of 1980s Britain, the quirky Arthur Smith attended the University of East Anglia in the late '70s, where he studied comparative literature (including a creative writing course taught by author Malcolm Bradbury), won the 1976 UEA Dance Society's Disco Dancing Championship and--most importantly--participated in the influential fringe comedy scene. His stand-up act was met with rave reviews, but Smith found his niche in radio, taking a role in the late '80s as "consumer expert" on "Nightcap," the BBC Radio 2 show hosted by legendary announcer Peter Dickson. His stand-up career continued to flourish, and he scored some of his biggest acclaim with shows in the 2000s, including "Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen" (broadcast later on BBC Radio 4) and 2002's "Arthur Smith's Last Hangover," a routine inspired by his near-death experience with pancreatitis and his subsequently teetotal lifestyle. Back in the radio arena, Smith has contributed to the Radio 4 travel show "Excess Baggage" and the variety program "Loose Ends," while he also became increasingly involved in television, appearing on various episodes of the 2003 BBC series "Grumpy Old Men," a comedy series featuring a variety of middle-aged entertainers venting about modern issues.