The Other Mel Smith Double Act

It’s easy to forget that Mel Smith wasn’t always staring into the face of Griff Rhys Jones, that he was on Not The Nine O’Clock News first, and that he was actually in a double act with someone else.

Mel Smith and Bob Goody met in the mid-70s, and put on a play together at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977. It was called ‘Ave You ‘Eard The One About Joey Baker?, and was staged at the Traverse.

The Stage – Thursday 15 September 1977

In 1978, they performed the play once again, this time at the King’s Head.

The Stage – Thursday 16 March 1978

In October of 1978, they announced a new show.

The Stage – Thursday 05 October 1978

They wrote a version of Jekyll And Hyde in 1979 …

Belfast Telegraph – Thursday 08 November 1979

… which became embroiled, in a minor way, in an Equity pay dispute.

Belfast Telegraph – Tuesday 23 October 1979

Here we learn who was in that play.

Belfast Telegraph – Saturday 10 November 1979

And throughout that same year, Smith and Goody themselves put on individual performances of their late-night comedy show Irony In Dorking.

Strathearn Herald – Saturday 21 April 1979

It’s unclear whether or not Smith and Goody themselves performed at a re-staging of the Jekyll And Hyde show in Birmingham in 1980, but take note of the headline …

Sandwell Evening Mail – Tuesday 29 January 1980

Anyway, by the end of the year, the duo appeared on screen together in the Thames show Smith And Goody, a show for children.

We know from this article that the series was filmed in May of 1980.

The Stage – Thursday 14 February 1980

So after that, the duo announced a new play called The Gambler.

The Stage – Thursday 14 August 1980

And this play had a West End revival in 1986.

The Stage – Thursday 24 April 1986
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