Christopher Guest

One of the most unique voices in contemporary comedy, Christopher Guest earned a following with the acutely observed characters and spontaneous improvised spirit of "This is Spinal Tap" (1984), "Waiting for Guffman" (1997), and "Best in Show" (2000). Offbeat and satirical in nature, Guest's portraits of regular people with big dreams were effectively compelling. The densely packed humor of his endlessly quotable ensemble comedies was unique for its basis in hyper-real, ultra-detailed characters that Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy created specifically for his troupe of exceptional actors. And his finest work as a director resulted from giving those actors the freedom to improvise their dialogue as he, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer did in their legendary rock-n-roll comedy "This is Spinal Tap" - inarguably the most truthful film about the rock lifestyle ever made, despite being a spoof. While his fictitious band spun off into a real life touring and recording act, the line between actor and character blurred further with frequent personal appearances as Tap's addled guitarist Nigel Tufnel, followed years later as 1960s folkie Alan Barrows from his folk music send-up "A Mighty Wind" (2003). Guest's impeccable eye for detail, his dry wit, and his abundant talent as a writer, director and performer made for an innovative voice in film with an exceedingly well-respected body of work.