His L.A. based show has evolved into a kind of " deconstruction of the late night TV show," as he calls it, trying to turn the form on its head and make it as ridiculous as possible, for an audience whom Ferguson has described as "strange people, stoners, and people who just have trouble sleeping"--
The best part of his show has been his comic exchange of words with his " gay robot skeleton" sidekick, ( one "Geoff Peterson") ( words provided by a highly talented voice actor named Josh Thompson)
There never was much chance of the whacky Ferguson taking over the slot of David Letterman as the prime late night comic host on CBS ( the job will be going to Stephen Colbert) ..
Craig Ferguson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the hockey player, see Craig Ferguson (ice hockey).
| Craig Ferguson | |
|---|---|
Ferguson at Comic-Con in July 2013
|
|
| Born | 17 May 1962 Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film, music, books |
| Nationality | British, American (naturalised 2008) |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, satire/political satire/news satire |
| Subject(s) | Everyday life, politics, popular culture, self-deprecation |
| Influences | The Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy[1] |
| Spouse | Anne Hogarth (1983–86; divorced) Sascha Corwin (1998–2004; divorced; 1 child) Megan Wallace-Cunningham (2008–present; 1 child) |
| Notable works and roles |
|
| Website | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson |
Ferguson has written two books: Between the Bridge and the River, a novel, and American on Purpose, a memoir.
Ferguson was also known in the United States for his (1996–2003) role as Nigel Wick on The Drew Carey Show. He also wrote and starred in three films, directing one of them.
Contents
Early life and education
Ferguson was born in Stobhill Hospital, in the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland, to Robert and Janet Ferguson, on 17 May 1962,[3][4] and raised in nearby Cumbernauld, growing up "chubby and bullied". He was raised Scottish Presbyterian.[5][6] When he was six months old, he and his family moved from their Springburn apartment to a council house in Cumbernauld. They lived there as Glasgow was re-housing many people following damage to the city from World War II.[6] Ferguson attended Muirfield Primary School and Cumbernauld High School.[7] At age sixteen, Ferguson dropped out of Cumbernauld High School and began an apprenticeship to be an electronics technician at a local factory of American company Burroughs Corporation.[8]His first visit to the United States was as a teenager to visit an uncle who lived on Long Island, near New York City.[9] When he moved to New York City in 1983, he worked in construction in Harlem.[10][11] Ferguson later became a bouncer at the nightclub Save the Robots.[12]
Career
British career
Ferguson's experience in entertainment began as a drummer in a rock band called Exposure. He then joined a punk band called The Bastards from Hell.[13] The band, later renamed "Dreamboys", and fronted by vocalist Peter Capaldi, performed regularly in Glasgow from 1980 to 1982.[14] Ferguson credits Capaldi for inspiring him to try comedy.[5]After a nerve-wracking first appearance, he decided to create a character that was a "parody of all the über-patriotic native folk singers who seemed to infect every public performance in Scotland."[5] The character, "Bing Hitler" (actually coined by Capaldi as Ferguson started under the name "Nico Fulton" but admittedly later stole the name for his "own nefarious ends"),[14] premiered in Glasgow, and subsequently became a hit at the 1986 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A recording of his stage act as Bing Hitler was made at Glasgow's Tron Theatre and released in the 1980s;[15] a Bing Hitler monologue ("A Lecture for Burns Night") appears on the compilation cassette Honey at the Core.
After enjoying success at the Edinburgh Festival, Ferguson appeared on television in Red Dwarf, STV's Hogmanay Show,[16] and the 1993 One Foot in the Grave Christmas special One Foot in the Algarve. In 1990 a pilot was broadcast The Craig Ferguson Show, a one-off comedy pilot for Granada Television, which co-starred Paul Whitehouse and Helen Atkinson-Wood.[17] This was followed by Ferguson's own 1992 show 2000 Not Out. In 1993, Ferguson presented a series on Scottish archaeology for Scottish Television entitled Dirt Detective.[18] He travelled throughout the country examining archaeological history, including Skara Brae and Paisley Abbey.
Ferguson has also found success in musical theatre. Beginning in 1991, he appeared on stage as Brad Majors in the London production of The Rocky Horror Show, alongside Anthony Head, who was playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter at the time.[19] In 1994, Ferguson played Father MacLean in the highly controversial production of Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom at the Union Chapel in London. The same year, he appeared again at the Edinburgh Fringe, as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, opposite Gerard Kelly as Felix and Kate Anthony as Gwendolin Pidgeon, who is now much better known as Aunty Pam in Coronation Street; the play, which was relocated to 1990s Glasgow, later toured Scotland.[20]
U.S. career
After cancellation of his show The Ferguson Theory, Ferguson moved to Los Angeles in 1994. His first U.S. role was as baker Logan McDonough on the short-lived 1995 ABC comedy Maybe This Time, which starred Betty White and Marie Osmond.His breakthrough in the U.S. came when he was cast on The Drew Carey Show as the title character's boss, Mr. Wick, a role that he played from 1996 to 2003. He played the role with an over-the-top posh English accent "to make up for generations of English actors doing crap Scottish accents." In his comedy special "A Wee Bit O' Revolution", he specifically identified James Doohan's portrayal of Montgomery Scott on Star Trek as the foundation of his "revenge". (At the end of one episode, though, Ferguson broke the fourth wall and began talking to the audience at home in his regular Scottish accent.) His character was memorable for his unique methods of laying employees off, almost always "firing Johnson", the most common last name of the to-be-fired workers.[21] Even after leaving the show in 2003, he remained a recurring character on the series for the last two seasons, and was part of the 2-part series finale in 2004.
During production of The Drew Carey Show, Ferguson devoted his off-time as a cast member to writing, working in his trailer on set in between shooting his scenes. He wrote and starred in three films: The Big Tease, Saving Grace, and I'll Be There, which he also directed and for which he won the Audience Award for Best Film at the Aspen, Dallas and Valencia film festivals. He was named Best New Director at the Napa Valley Film Festival. These were among other scripts that, "... in the great tradition of the movie business, about half a dozen that I got paid a fortune for but never got made."[22]
His other acting credits in films include Niagara Motel, Lenny the Wonder Dog, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Chain of Fools, Born Romantic, The Ugly Truth, How to Train Your Dragon, Kick-Ass and Winnie the Pooh.
Ferguson has been touring the United States and Canada with a stand-up comedy show since the late 2000s, including a performance at Carnegie Hall on 23 October 2010 and a performance at Radio City Music Hall on 6 October 2012. He has performed two stand-up television specials on Comedy Central, both released on DVD: A Wee Bit o' Revolution in 2009 and Does This Need to Be Said? in 2011. His third comedy special, I'm Here to Help, was released on Netflix in 2013, garnering positive reviews on 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix and peaking at number 6 on Billboard top comedy albums.[23][24] It also received a 2014 Grammy Award nomination for Best Comedy Album.[25]
Ferguson was awarded the Peter Ustinov Comedy Award by the Banff World Media Festival on 11 June 2013.[26]
The Late Late Show
Main article: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
In December 2004, it was announced that Ferguson would be the successor to Craig Kilborn on CBS's The Late Late Show.
His first show as the regular host aired on 3 January 2005. By May
2008, Ben Alba, an American television historian and an authority on
U.S. talk shows, said Ferguson "has already made his mark, taking the TV
monologue
to new levels with an underlying story. But he is only just starting
... He is making up his own rules: It's the immigrant experience."[21]The Late Late Show averaged 2.0 million viewers in its 2007 season, compared with 2.5 million for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[27] In April 2008, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson beat Late Night with Conan O'Brien for weekly ratings (1.88 million to 1.77 million) for the first time since the two shows went head-to-head with their respective hosts.[28]
By the end of 2009, Craig Ferguson topped Jimmy Fallon in the ratings with Ferguson getting a 1.8 rating/6 share and Fallon receiving a 1.6 rating/6 share.[29]
As of 2014, Ferguson's ratings have faltered, trailing those of Late Night with Seth Meyers with an average of 1.35 million viewers versus 2.02 million.[30] Ferguson's contract expires in June 2015 and media reports suggest that CBS may replace him with another host. However, because he was not selected as the replacement for Letterman's Late Show, Ferguson may receive as much as US$10 million as part of his current contract.[31]
Ferguson announced he will leave The Late Late Show at the end of 2014.[32] CBS Entertainment Chair Nina Tassler said, following the announcement, that in his decade as host Ferguson had "infused the broadcast with tremendous energy, unique comedy, insightful interviews and some of the most heartfelt monologues seen on television." CBS intends to continue the franchise with a new host.[33]
Television and appearances
Craig Ferguson has made guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Rachael Ray, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, The Howard Stern Show, The Daily Show, The View, Loveline, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Soup, The Talk, The Price Is Right, Kevin Pollak's Chat Show and The Dennis Miller Show. He also co-hosted Live with Regis & Kelly with Kelly Ripa and was guest host on the April Fools Day episode of The Price Is Right in 2014.
Ferguson co-presented the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama with Brooke Shields in 2008. He has done voice work in cartoons, including being the voice of Barry's evil alter-ego in the "With Friends Like Steve's" episode of American Dad; in Freakazoid! as Roddy MacStew, Freakazoid's mentor; and on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command as the robot vampire NOS-4-A2. He was the voice of Susan the boil on Futurama, which was a parody of Scottish singer Susan Boyle. He makes stand-up appearances in Las Vegas and New York City. He headlined in the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and in October 2008 Ferguson taped his stand up show in Boston for a Comedy Central special entitled A Wee Bit o' Revolution, which aired on 22 March 2009.
British television comedy drama Doc Martin was based on a character from Ferguson's film Saving Grace – with Ferguson getting writing credits for 12 episodes.[36] On 6 November 2009, Ferguson appeared as himself in a SpongeBob SquarePants special titled SpongeBob's Truth or Square.[37] He hosted Discovery Channel's 23rd season of Shark Week in 2010. Ferguson briefly appeared in Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" music video released on 10 October 2011.[38]
In September 2013, Ferguson guest-starred on the season finale of Hot in Cleveland as a priest/tabloid journalist who turns out to be the father of Joy's (Jane Leeves) son. The show reunited him with former co-star and frequent Late Late Show guest Betty White. Ferguson will reprise the role for several episodes when the show returns in March 2014.
Literature
Ferguson's novel Between the Bridge and the River was published on 10 April 2006. He appeared at the Los Angeles Festival of Books, as well as other author literary events. "This book could scare them", he said. "The sex, the violence, the dream sequences and the iconoclasm. I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with that. I understand that. It was very uncomfortable to write some of it."[39] Publishers Weekly called it "a tour de force of cynical humor and poignant reverie, a caustic yet ebullient picaresque that approaches the sacred by way of the profane."[citation needed] His novel Between the Bridge and the River is dedicated to his elder son, Milo and to his grandfather, Adam. He revealed in an interview that he is writing a sequel to the book, to be titled "The Sphynx of the Mississippi".[40] He also stated in a 2006 interview with David Letterman that he intends the book to be the first in a trilogy.[41]Ferguson signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish his memoirs.[42] The book, entitled American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot, focuses on "how and why [he] became an American" and covers his years as a punk rocker, dancer, bouncer and construction worker as well as the rise of his career in Hollywood as an actor and comic. It went on sale 22 September 2009 in the United States.[43][44] On 1 December 2010 the audiobook version was nominated for a Best Spoken Word Album Grammy.[45]
In July 2009, Jackie Collins was a guest on The Late Late Show to promote her new book Married Lovers. Collins said that a character in her book, Don Verona, was based on Ferguson because she was such a fan of him and his show.[46]
Personal life
Ferguson is a fan of Scottish football team Partick Thistle F.C.[14] as well as the English television show Doctor Who. He has five tattoos which include the Join, or Die political cartoon on his right forearm;[47][48] a Ferguson family crest with the Latin motto Dulcius ex asperis ("Sweeter out of [or from] difficulty") on his upper right arm in honour of his father;[49] and a Celtic Cross with the Ingram clan motto Magnanimus esto (Be great of mind) on his upper left arm in honour of his mother.[50][51] He has often stated that his Join, or Die tattoo is to signal his patriotism.[47]Ferguson holds an FAA private pilot licence issued 31 July 2009.[52] Ferguson announced on 8 April 2011 broadcast that he is pursuing an instrument rating.
Family
In an episode of The Late Late Show that aired 8 December 2008, a somber Ferguson talked about his mother, Janet (3 August 1933 – 1 December 2008). He ended the program by playing her favourite song, "Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.[53] Ferguson eulogized his father on-air on 30 January 2006.Ferguson has two sisters (one older and one younger) and one older brother.[54] His elder sister's name is Janice and his brother's name is Scott. His younger sister, Lynn Ferguson Tweddle, is also a successful comedienne, presenter, and actress, perhaps most widely known as the voice of Mac in the 2000 stop-motion animation film Chicken Run. She was a writer on The Late Late Show until July 2011.[55]
Ferguson has married three times and divorced twice as a result of what he describes as "relationship issues". His first marriage was to Anne Hogarth from 1983 to 1986, during which time they lived in New York. From his second marriage (to Sascha Corwin, founder and proprietor of Los Angeles' SpySchool), he has one son, Milo Hamish Ferguson, born in 2001. He and Corwin share custody of Milo, and live near each other in Los Angeles. On 21 December 2008, Ferguson married art dealer Megan Wallace-Cunningham in a private ceremony on her family's farm in Chester, Vermont.[56] Ferguson announced 14 July 2010 on Twitter that they were expecting a child. He wrote: "Holy crackers! Mrs F is pregnant. How did that happen? ... oh yeah I know how. Another Ferguson arrives in 2011. The world trembles."[57] The child, a boy named Liam James, was born 31 January 2011.[58]
Alcoholism
Ferguson is a recovering alcoholic, and has been sober since 18 February 1992.[59] Ferguson said he had considered committing suicide on Christmas Day 1991, but when offered a glass of sherry by a friend for celebrating the holiday, he was distracted from jumping off Tower Bridge in London as he had planned.[5]American citizenship
Ferguson is a naturalized citizen of the United States.During 2007, Ferguson, who at the time held only British citizenship, used The Late Late Show as a forum for seeking honorary citizenship from every state in the U.S. He has received honorary citizenship from Nebraska, Arkansas, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and was "commissioned" as an admiral in the tongue-in-cheek Nebraska Navy.[60] Governors Jon Corzine (New Jersey), John Hoeven (North Dakota), Mark Sanford (South Carolina), Mike Rounds (South Dakota), Rick Perry (Texas), Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Jim Gibbons (Nevada) sent letters to him that made him an honorary citizen of their respective states. He received similar honours from various towns and cities, including Ozark, Arkansas; Hazard, Kentucky; and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Ferguson became an American citizen on 1 February 2008[61] and broadcast the taking of his citizenship test as well as his swearing in on The Late Late Show.[62]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Bogie Man | ||
| 1998 | Modern Vampires | Richard | |
| 1999 | The Big Tease | Crawford Mackenzie | Writer |
| 2000 | Chain of Fools | Melander Stevens | |
| 2000 | Born Romantic | Frankie | |
| 2000 | Saving Grace | Matthew Stewart | Writer |
| 2002 | Life Without Dick | Jared O'Reilly | |
| 2002 | Prendimi l'anima (The Soul Keeper) | Richard Fraser | |
| 2003 | I'll Be There | Paul Kerr | Director, Writer |
| 2004 | Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | Person of Indeterminate Gender | |
| 2004 | Lenny the Wonder Dog | Dr. Wagner | |
| 2005 | Vampire Bats | Fisherman | |
| 2006 | Niagara Motel | Phillie | |
| 2007 | Trust Me | Ted Truman | |
| 2008 | Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit O' Revolution | Himself | Stand-up Comedy |
| 2009 | The Ugly Truth | Himself | |
| 2010 | The Hero of Color City | ||
| 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon | Gobber | Voice |
| 2010 | Kick-Ass | Himself | |
| 2011 | Winnie the Pooh | Owl | Voice |
| 2011 | Totally Framed | Jeffrey Stewart | |
| 2011 | Does This Need to Be Said? | Himself | Stand-up Comedy |
| 2012 | Brave | Lord Macintosh | Voice |
| 2012 | Big Top Scooby-Doo! | Whitney Doubleday | Voice |
| 2012 | My Fair Lady | David | Post-production |
| 2013 | I'm Here to Help | Himself | Stand-up Comedy |
| 2014 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Gobber | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Red Dwarf | Confidence | Episode: Confidence and Paranoia |
| 1989 | The Big Gig | Himself | Regular Comic |
| 1989 | High | Schoolteacher | Unaired CBS Pilot, with Zach Braff |
| 1991 | Have I Got News for You | Himself | Episode: 2x07 |
| 1993 | One Foot in the Grave | Glaswegian beach bully | Christmas Special "One foot in the Algarve" |
| 1994 | The Dirt Detective: A History of Scotland | Travel documentary series | Host |
| 1994 | The Ferguson Theory | Himself | Host |
| 1995–1996 | Maybe This Time | Logan McDonough | 18 episodes |
| 1995–1997 | Freakazoid! | Roddy MacStew | 7 episodes |
| 1996–2004 | The Drew Carey Show | Nigel Wick | 170 episodes |
| 2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | NOS 4 A2 | Voice, 5 episodes |
| 2001 | The Legend of Tarzan | Samuel T. Philander | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2005 | Life as We Know It | Oliver Davies | 1 episode |
| 2005–present | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Himself | Host |
| 2006 | American Dad! | Evil Barry | Voice, Episode: With Friends Like Steve's |
| 2009 | Family Guy | Himself | Episode: We Love You, Conrad |
| 2009 | SpongeBob's Truth or Square | Himself | TV movie |
| 2010 | Futurama | Susan Boil | Episode: Attack of the Killer App |
| 2010 | Shark Week | Himself | Host |
| 2010 | Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon | Gobber | Voice, TV short film |
| 2011 | Gift of the Night Fury | Gobber | Voice, Short Film |
| 2011 | Book of Dragons | Gobber | Voice, Short Film |
| 2011 | Archer | Announcer | Episode: Jeu Monégasque |
| 2013-14 | Hot in Cleveland | Simon | Recurring, Seasons 4-5 |
| 2013 | Sean Saves the World | Andrew, Sean's Former Boss | Episode: Of Moles and Men |
| 2014 | The Price is Right | Himself | Guest host |
Comedy specials
- A Wee Bit o' Revolution. Comedy Central. 2009.
- Does This Need to Be Said? EPIX, Comedy Central. 2011.
- I'm Here To Help. Netflix. 2013.
Discography
- Live at the Tron (as Bing Hitler). Jammy Records. 1986. Catalogue number JRLP 861.
- I'm Here To Help. New Wave Dynamics. 2013.
Bibliography
- Ferguson, Craig (2006). Between the Bridge and the River. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-5375-0.
- Ferguson, Craig (2009). American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-171954-7.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered