{"id":1534,"date":"2024-07-30T15:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T14:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/?p=1534"},"modified":"2025-07-09T14:43:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T13:43:05","slug":"ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature","title":{"rendered":"Ronald Corbett: The Man Who Joked About His Own Stature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Edinburgh&#8217;s cultural scene is truly remarkable in its diversity. It seems impossible to find such a concentration of talented individuals, boasting an incredible array of creative qualities, anywhere else. What&#8217;s particularly fascinating is how many of them seamlessly blend multiple roles, which only makes them more vibrant and unique as <a href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2594-valri-bromfield-the-multifaceted-journey-of-a-creative-talent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">individuals<\/a>. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\">edinburgh-trend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ronald Corbett<\/strong> was one such person. He rose to fame as a television presenter, actor, comedian, and writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a288ddd2e475\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a288ddd2e475\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#Early_Life\" >Early Life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#Realising_His_Dream\" >Realising His Dream<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#From_Perceived_Flaw_to_Signature_Trait\" >From Perceived Flaw to Signature Trait<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#A_Winning_Partnership\" >A Winning Partnership<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#Beloved_Duo\" >Beloved Duo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#Incredible_Charisma\" >Incredible Charisma<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#An_Extraordinary_Personality\" >An Extraordinary Personality<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#Another_Sensation\" >Another Sensation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#%E2%80%9CDark%E2%80%9D_Humour\" >&#8220;Dark&#8221; Humour<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1534-ronald-corbett-the-man-who-joked-about-his-own-stature\/#An_Unusual_Project\" >An Unusual Project<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Life\"><\/span>Early Life<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The versatile Edinburgh native was born on 4th December 1930.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His educational journey began at institutions like James Gillespie&#8217;s High School and The Royal High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After his school years, young Ronald felt a strong pull towards acting. Even then, he was already performing in plays at his church youth club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Realising_His_Dream\"><\/span>Realising His Dream<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>However, sooner or later, every young man faces military service, and Corbett was no exception. This meant he had to put his acting aspirations on hold for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once his service was complete, Ronald pursued his true passion. He decided to kickstart his acting career not in his native Edinburgh, but in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_Perceived_Flaw_to_Signature_Trait\"><\/span>From Perceived Flaw to Signature Trait<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, Ronald had a distinctive physical trait that became his personal &#8220;trademark.&#8221; He was quite short, standing at just 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch). This detail not only set him apart from his colleagues but also allowed him to play &#8220;younger&#8221; roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s more, he often joked about his &#8220;compactness&#8221; himself, which endeared him to audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among Ronald&#8217;s early works, it&#8217;s worth mentioning his roles in films such as <em>You&#8217;re Only Young Twice<\/em>, <em>Rockets Galore!<\/em>, <em>Casino Royale<\/em>, <em>Some Will, Some Won&#8217;t<\/em>, and <em>No Sex Please, We&#8217;re British<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Winning_Partnership\"><\/span>A Winning Partnership<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A significant phase in Corbett&#8217;s career was his collaboration with Ronnie Barker on the project <em>The Frost Report<\/em>. This show captivated audiences with its unique blend of music, satirical monologues, and sketches. The chemistry between Ronnie and Ronald was so strong that many speculated about their close bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These rumours were further fuelled by their appearance in the &#8220;Class sketch.&#8221; <strong>Corbett&#8217;s short stature became a genuine highlight of the sketch<\/strong>, with many jokes revolving around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Beloved_Duo\"><\/span>Beloved Duo<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edinburgh-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2024\/07\/ad_4nxezcllpshlmjzp6antvloeenfwztpeolugyyjpvtu8vyj1s5q3jnvk46gfa_s882jflpdaeh2k0euug0tiw55dqtnuniczme5gtwwdpfxkg8yj0s74nrlnub0rsjy_ik2gzkdyjqv29mzphzhzuym_r3fbnkeyio_bfxoupnuwjogs60k_8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1971, the beloved duo of Corbett and Barker surprised thousands of television viewers with a new show. This was the comedy sketch show <em>The Two Ronnies<\/em>, which aired from 1971 to 1987. It mainly consisted of musical numbers and sketches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of this show, it&#8217;s worth mentioning an unusual technique Ronald successfully employed in one episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He stretched a single joke into a short story, drawing it out for several minutes. During his monologue, he&#8217;d even allow himself to lose his train of thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s fair to say that this quirky method proved quite successful with the audience. Viewers found it all incredibly funny and witty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incredible_Charisma\"><\/span>Incredible Charisma<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, Corbett possessed a unique charisma. This is precisely why his work was so adored by audiences. It was impossible not to remember him or for him not to stand out among his peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from <em>The Two Ronnies<\/em>, he gained immense popularity for his role in the sitcom <em>Sorry!<\/em>, where he played a 40-year-old man living by the rules of his domineering mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The show resonated with viewers and enjoyed a long run, airing from 1981 to 1988.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Extraordinary_Personality\"><\/span>An Extraordinary Personality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s fair to say that <strong>Corbett was a unique example of someone who excelled equally in two roles<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Specifically, we&#8217;re talking about his professions as an actor and a presenter. Regardless of the role Ronald took on for the audience, the result was always top-notch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, in 1994, a television quiz show hosted by Corbett, called <em>Small Talk<\/em>, hit the screens. This programme proved highly engaging for the public, leading to its broadcast until 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Another_Sensation\"><\/span>Another Sensation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edinburgh-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2024\/07\/ad_4nxcjla2lhzcoezgmgenhodbskuuvru9ewb_uuv8jhrj1ey87ryvjabhpcppnxhypkwiodvvqnhryvpifax2nzptac2bw5chhhd7t-h6h4xz78eo1ivrjjjlk4ilnjqnifuvwjyzfpdrt1l6o1azpstkcb40keyio_bfxoupnuwjogs60k_8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Later, Ronald&#8217;s career transitioned primarily to supporting roles. He also appeared in commercials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, a project that once again caused a sensation among viewers emerged in 2005. This was related to the revival of Corbett&#8217;s partnership with Ronnie Barker, in a programme called <em>The Two Ronnies Sketchbook<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From 2006 onwards, the artist made numerous appearances in various shows, including <em>The F Word<\/em>, <em>Sarah Jane Adventures<\/em>, and <em>Little Britain Abroad<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CDark%E2%80%9D_Humour\"><\/span>&#8220;Dark&#8221; Humour<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2010, Ronald starred in a rather unconventional comedy titled <em>Burke &amp; Hare<\/em>. The humour in this film can accurately be described as &#8220;dark.&#8221; This is because the plot was based on real events that took place in Edinburgh in the 1820s: a series of murders committed to &#8220;supply&#8221; corpses to Robert Knox, one of the most renowned anatomists and surgeons. The doctor needed the bodies for dissection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Unusual_Project\"><\/span>An Unusual Project<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Also in 2010, Corbett was given the chance to host a rather unusual programme. This was <em>Ronnie Corbett&#8217;s Supper Club<\/em>. The show&#8217;s premise involved guests choosing a culinary dish, and Ronald&#8217;s task was to prepare it as accurately as possible. Of course, the cooking process was accompanied by engaging conversation, generously &#8220;seasoned&#8221; with Corbett&#8217;s signature humour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edinburgh-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2024\/07\/ad_4nxd8lxg1tlwta8p0icsgdijt5pwjsm8nhyufbghahqs0vgxhqkdhbmsdr_1nqsx67g1hgxka61ri3tyxddaa6mopanzqdrcswzj2cchjjwn1fo93kulhvo4sst7ex9pjbd1kkx55idn3tmttf1yvyie3eplqkeyio_bfxoupnuwjogs60k_8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, <strong>Ronald Corbett remains one of Edinburgh&#8217;s brightest television personalities<\/strong>. His ability to turn any situation into something hilarious made him truly unique. And his ironic attitude towards his own appearance was a testament to his incredible friendliness and wit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadly, Ronald&#8217;s life journey came to an end in 2016. But the memory of him and his sharp jokes lives on. This truly means his creative path was not in vain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture\/2016\/mar\/31\/ronnie-corbett-obituary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture\/2016\/mar\/31\/ronnie-corbett-obituary<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/8217498\/The-One-Ronnie-BBC-One-A-timeline-of-Ronnie-Corbetts-career.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/8217498\/The-One-Ronnie-BBC-One-A-timeline-of-Ronnie-Corbetts-career.html<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/m.imdb.com\/name\/nm0179196\/bio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/m.imdb.com\/name\/nm0179196\/bio\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/tv\/2016\/03\/31\/ronnie-corbett-a-fine-comic-and-an-entertainment-treasure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/tv\/2016\/03\/31\/ronnie-corbett-a-fine-comic-and-an-entertainment-treasure\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Edinburgh&#8217;s cultural scene is truly remarkable in its diversity. It seems impossible to find such a concentration of talented individuals, boasting an incredible array of creative qualities, anywhere else. What&#8217;s particularly fascinating is how many of them seamlessly blend multiple roles, which only makes them more vibrant and unique as individuals. More on edinburgh-trend. Ronald [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":405,"featured_media":1536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[792,800,796,798,790,802,799,794,797,791,801,795,803,793,789],"moimportance":[31,32,35],"motype":[160],"moformat":[246],"class_list":{"0":"post-1534","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kino","8":"tag-british-comedian","9":"tag-burke-hare","10":"tag-classic-british-tv","11":"tag-comedy-icon","12":"tag-edinburgh-personalities","13":"tag-entertainment-history","14":"tag-ronald-corbett","15":"tag-ronnie-barker","16":"tag-scottish-actors","17":"tag-sitcom-star","18":"tag-small-talk","19":"tag-the-two-ronnies","20":"tag-tv-presenter","21":"tag-uk-comedy-legend","22":"tag-variety-show","23":"moimportance-aktualna-bilshe-roku","24":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","26":"motype-eternal","27":"moformat-c-l"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1534"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1535,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534\/revisions\/1535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edinburgh-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=1534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}