Footlights

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Footlights

Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, run by the students of Cambridge University

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge , located in Cambridge, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in the Anglosphere....
and now also the Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University, formerly Anglia Polytechnic University, is a university in England, with campuses in Cambridge and Chelmsford, England....
. The club was founded in 1883.

It grew in prominence in the 1960s, as a hotbed of comedy

Comedy

Comedy as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western culture origins are found in Ancient Greece....
and satire

Satire

Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre; although, in practice, it is also found in the graphic arts and performing arts. In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improv...
, and continues to produce the regular and very popular Smokers at the ADC Theatre

ADC Theatre

The ADC Theatre is a theatre in Cambridge, England and also a department of the University of Cambridge. It is owned by the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club , but is currently run as the smallest department of the university, with four permanent staff....
- an informal mixture of sketches and stand-up

Stand-up comedy

Stand-up comedy is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience, with the absence of the theatrical "fourth wall". A person who performs stand-up comedy is known as a stand-up comic, stand-up comedian or more informally stand up....
.

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Encyclopedia

Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, run by the students of Cambridge University

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge , located in Cambridge, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in the Anglosphere....
and now also the Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University

Comedy

Satire

ADC Theatre

Stand-up comedy

Famous Footlights members

The careers of many prominent figures in the world of entertainment began in Footlights, including:

Name	Birth	Death	Career
Douglas Adams Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams was an England author, dramatist and musician. He is best known as the author of the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series....	1952	2001	Writer
Clive Anderson Clive Anderson Clive Anderson is a former barrister, now famous for being a successful comedy author as well as a radio and television presenter in the United Kingdom....	1952	—	Comedian, television presenter
David Armand David Armand David Armand is an England comedian, actor and writer. He was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art....	1977	—	Comedian, actor
Alexander Armstrong Alexander Armstrong (comedian) Alexander Armstrong is an England comedian, actor and television presenter....	1970	—	Comedian
Pete Atkin Pete Atkin Pete Atkin is a United Kingdom singer-songwriter and radio Radio producer notable for his 1970s musical collaborations with Clive James and for producing the BBC Radio 4 series This Sceptred Isle....	1945	—	Singer-songwriter
Richard Ayoade Richard Ayoade Richard Ellef Ayoade is an England comedian, actor, writer and director.Ayoade was born an only child to a Norwegian mother and a Nigerian father....	1977	—	Comedian, actor
David Baddiel David Baddiel David Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter....	1964	—	Comedian, novelist, television presenter
Morwenna Banks Morwenna Banks Morwenna Banks is a United Kingdom actress and comedian.Banks is best known in the UK as a cast member of the British Channel 4 comedy series Absolutely , where her best-known character was a schoolgirl who sat on the edge of a scaled up desk to give the effect of making her look small....	1964	—	Comedian, actor
Humphrey Barclay Humphrey Barclay Humphrey Barclay is a comedy executive and producer....	1941	—	Comedy executive, producer
Cecil Beaton Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton CBE, was an England fashion and portrait photographer and an Academy Award-winning stage design and costume designer for films and the theatre....	1904	1980	Photographer
Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse is a United Kingdom lyricist and composer.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers....	1931	—	Lyricist, composer
Eleanor Bron Eleanor Bron Eleanor Bron is a United Kingdom stage, film and television actor and author....	1938	—	Actress, author
Tim Brooke-Taylor Tim Brooke-Taylor Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor is an English people comic actor known in Britain and Australia as a member of The Goodies and in the comedy radio shows I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, and I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again....	1940	—	Comedy writer and performer, lawyer
Robert Buckman	1948	—	Comedian, author, physician, television presenter, columnist
Tony Buffery Tony Buffery Tony Buffery is a British actor, comedian, and writer ? apart from having a career in academic psychology.Buffery got his start in the Cambridge Footlights, but his place in the London Footlights Revue was taken over by Graham Chapman when Buffery chose an academic career over one in entertainment....	—	—	Psychologist
Jon Canter Jon Canter Jon Canter is an England television comedy scriptwriter writing for Lenny Henry and other leading comedians. Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge where he became President of Footlights....	—	—	Script-writer
Graham Chapman Graham Chapman Graham Arthur Chapman was a UK comedian, actor, writer, physician and one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe. He was also the lead actor in their two narrative films, playing King Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the title character in Monty Python's Life of Brian....	1941	1989	Comedian, actor, writer, physician
John Cleese John Cleese 'John Marwood Cleese' is an Academy Award-nominated English actor, comedian, writer, film producer and singer, who is known as being a member of Monty Python, a group of comedians responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus and for all of the four Monty Python films: And Now for Something Completely Different, Monty...	1939	—	Comedian, actor, lawyer
Olivia Coleman	1974	—	Comedian, actor
Peter Cook Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook was an English people satirist, writer and comedian. He is widely regarded as the leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s....	1937	1995	Comedian, writer, satirist
Joe Craig Joe Craig Joe Craig is an England children's novelist and musician.He is cousin to Daniel Craig. The relationship between Jimmy and Georgie was inspired by the realionship between Joe's wife and her brother....	1980	—	Novelist, musician
Hugh Dennis Hugh Dennis Peter Hugh Dennis is an English people actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner Steve Punt....	1962	—	Comedian, actor, writer, voice-over artist
Jimmy Edwards Jimmy Edwards Jimmy Edwards Distinguished Flying Cross was an England comedic script writer and comedy actor on both radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in Take It From Here and as the headmaster 'Professor' James Edwards in Whack-O!....	1920	1988	Radio and television comedy actor
Alan Fleming-Baird Alan Fleming-Baird Alan Fleming-Baird is a composer of music in many media, including concert works for large orchestra.After a brief period of study with the composer Sir John Tavener he then studied composition with Jeremy Dale Roberts at the Royal College of Music in London and, while there, studied in seminars with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, George Benja...	1972	—	Composer
David Frost David Frost (broadcaster) Sir David Paradine Frost, Order of the British Empire is a British satirist, writer, journalist and television presenter, best known as a pioneer of political satire on television and for his serious interviews of political figures, the most notable being The Nixon Interviews with Richard Nixon....	1939	—	Television presenter
Stephen Fry Stephen Fry Stephen John Fry is an England actor, comedian, author and television presenter. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster....	1957	—	Comedian, writer, actor, novelist
Graeme Garden Graeme Garden David Graeme Garden is a United Kingdom author, actor, comedian, artist and television presenter, who first became known as a member of The Goodies....	1943	—	Comedy writer and performer, physician
Mel Giedroyc Mel Giedroyc Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc is an England television presenter, actress, and writer....	1968	—	Actor, writer, television presenter
Germaine Greer Germaine Greer Germaine Greer is an Australian-born writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant Feminism voices of the later 20th century....	1939	—	Writer, broadcaster, academic
Nick Hancock	1962	—	Actor, television presenter
David Hatch David Hatch Sir David Hatch was involved in production and management at BBC Radio, where he held many executive positions, including Head of Light Entertainment , Controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4 and later Managing Director of BBC Radio....	1939	2007	Involved in management and production at the BBC
Natalie Haynes Natalie Haynes Natalie Haynes is a United Kingdom comedian. She has been performing stand-up comedy since 1994 and was a member of Footlights at Cambridge University where she read Classics at Christ's College....	—	—	Comedian, author
Tony Hendra Tony Hendra Tony Hendra is an English satire and writer, who has worked mostly in the United States. Educated at St Albans School and Cambridge University, he was a member of the Cambridge University Footlights revue in 1962, alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Tim Brooke-Taylor....	1941	—	Satirist, writer
Kit Hesketh-Harvey Kit Hesketh-Harvey Kit Hesketh-Harvey is a British comic performer, translator and scriptwriter.He was educated as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and then Tonbridge School in Kent before moving on as a choral scholar under John Rutter to Clare College, Cambridge, later becoming a member of the Cambridge Footlights....	1957	—	Comic performer, scriptwriter
Tom Hollander Tom Hollander Thomas Anthony "Tom" Hollander is an award-winning English actor who has appeared in productions such as Enigma , Gosford Park, Cambridge Spies, Pride and Prejudice and Pirates of the Caribbean films....	1967	—	Actor
Matthew Holness Matthew Holness Matthew Holness is an England comedian and actor. Hailing from Whitstable in Kent, Holness read English literature at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was vice-president of the Cambridge Footlights....	—	—	Comedian
Claude Hulbert Claude Hulbert Claude Noel Hulbert was a United Kingdom comic actor. He was the younger brother of Jack Hulbert. Like his brother, he was University of Cambridge educated and was a member of the Footlights as an undergraduate....	1900	1964	Comic actor
Jack Hulbert Jack Hulbert John Norman Hulbert was a United Kingdom actor....	1892	1978	Actor
Eric Idle Eric Idle Eric Idle is an England comedian, actor, author, singer and composer of comic songs. He wrote and performed as a member of the internationally renowned British comedy group Monty Python....	1943	—	Comedian, actor, author, songwriter
Clive James Clive James Clive James Order of Australia is an expatriate Australian author, poet, critic, memoirist, talk show host, television presenter, travel writer and cultural commentator....	1939	—	Writer, poet, critic
Simon Jones Simon Jones (actor) Simon Jones is an England actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent in 1981....	1950	—	Actor
Jo Kendall Jo Kendall Jo Kendall is a United Kingdom actress.In August 1963 she appeared in the West End theatre in London, New Zealand and Broadway theatre, in the University of Cambridge revue Cambridge Circus directed by Humphrey Barclay, alongside Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke-Taylor, David Hatch and Chris Stuart-Clark....	—	—	Actor
Ian Lang Ian Lang Ian Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton Privy Council of the United Kingdom is a United Kingdom Scottish Conservative Party politician.Educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the Cambridge Footlights....	—	—	Former politician, British peer
Hugh Laurie Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie, Order of the British Empire is an English actor, comedian, writer and musician. He first reached fame as one half of the Fry and Laurie double act, along with his friend and comedy partner, Stephen Fry, and then as a cast member of Blackadder....	1959	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Jonathan Lynn Jonathan Lynn Jonathan Lynn is an England actor, comedy writer, and film director. He is best known as the co-writer of Yes Minister....	1943	—	Comedy writer, actor, director
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes Order of the British Empire is a British character actress, who has worked extensively in theatre, film, television and as a voice artist....	1941	—	Actor
Dan Mazer Dan Mazer Dan Mazer is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, TV/Film producer, and comedian. He is best known as the long-time writing and production partner of Sacha Baron Cohen and has worked with him on such characters as Ali G and Borat....	1971	—	Comedian, producer, screenwriter
Kevin McCloud Kevin McCloud Kevin McCloud is a United Kingdom designer, writer and Presenter#Television presenters. He is best known for his work on the Channel 4 series Grand Designs....	1959	—	Writer, designer, television presenter
Rory McGrath Rory McGrath Patrick Rory McGrath is a United Kingdom comedian.He studied at Redruth Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, from which he received a third class degree....	1956	—	Comedian
Ben Miller Ben Miller Ben Miller, is an England comedian, television director and actor....	1966	—	Comedian, director, actor
Jonathan Miller Jonathan Miller Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller, Order of the British Empire is a United Kingdom comedian, neurologist, theatre and opera director, author, television presenter, humorist and sculptor....	1934	—	Neurologist, theatre and opera director, humorist, sculptor
David Mitchell David Mitchell (actor) David Mitchell is a United Kingdom actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb whom he met at Cambridge University....	1974	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Lucy Montgomery Lucy Montgomery (actor) Lucy Montgomery is an England comedienne, actress and writer who has become well known for her television work.While at Cambridge University she was a member of Footlights, an amateur theatrical club....	1975	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Neil Mullarkey Neil Mullarkey Neil Mullarkey is an England actor, writer and comedian.At University of Cambridge, Mullarkey was Junior Treasurer to Footlights in the academic year 1981 to 1982 and was president in that ending 1983....	—	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Jimmy Mulville Jimmy Mulville James Thomas Mulville is an England comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. Jimmy Mulville is best known for co-founding in 1986 the United Kingdom independent television production company Hat Trick Productions ....	1955	—	Comedian, comedy writer, television presenter and producer
Simon Munnery Simon Munnery Simon Munnery, also known by his stagenames of Alan Parker: Urban Warrior and The League Against Tedium, is an England comedy writer and experimental standup comedian....	—	—	Comedian
Richard Murdoch Richard Murdoch Richard Bernard Murdoch was a United Kingdom comedian radio, film and television performer.Richard Bernard Murdoch attended Charterhouse School....	1907	1990	Radio, film and television performer
Bill Oddie Bill Oddie William Edgar Oddie, Order of the British Empire is an England author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who first became famous as one of The Goodies....	1941	—	Comedy writer and performer, author, composer, musician, ornithologist, television presenter
John Oliver John Oliver (comedian) John William Oliver is an United Kingdom comedian, correspondent and writer for The Daily Show. His previous credits include The Department with Chris Addison and Andy Zaltzman, Political Animal , Fighting Talk and Mock the Week....	1977	—	Comedian, comedy writer, television personality of Daily Show fame
Sue Perkins Sue Perkins Susan Elizabeth Perkins , more commonly known as Sue Perkins, is an England radio and television presenter, actor, and writer....	1969	—	Actress, writer, television presenter
Steve Punt Steve Punt Stephen Punt is a United Kingdom writer, comedian and actor, best known for his long-time comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis. Punt lives in Wimbledon, London with his girlfriend and two children....	1962	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Jan Ravens Jan Ravens Jan Ravens is an England actress and Impressionist , famous for her voices on Spitting Image and Dead Ringers ....	1958	—	Actor, impressionist
Griff Rhys Jones Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones , better known as Griff Rhys Jones, is a Wales comedian, writer and actor. He came to national attention in the 1980s when he starred with Mel Smith in a number of Sketch comedy programmes on British TV....	1953	—	Comedian, actor, writer
Charles Shaughnessy Charles Shaughnessy Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy is an England television, theatre and film actor....	1955	—	Television and film actor
Julian Slade Julian Slade Julian Penkivil Slade was an English writer of musical theatre best-known for the show Salad Days, which he wrote in six weeks in the 1954 and became the UK's longest-running show of the 1950s with over 2,288 performances....	1930	2006	Writer
Tony Slattery Tony Slattery Anthony Declan James Slattery is an England actor and comedian....	1959	—	Comedian, actor
Dan Stevens Dan Stevens Daniel Jonathan Stevens is a United Kingdom actor. He was educated at Tonbridge School and University of Cambridge. Whilst at Cambridge he was a member of Cambridge Footlights and read English Literature at Emmanuel College....	1982	—	Actor
William Sutcliffe William Sutcliffe William Sutcliffe is a United Kingdom novelist.An alumnus of Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Sutcliffe started his career with a novel about school life entitled New Boy , which was followed by his best-known work so far, Are You Experienced? , a pre-university gap year novel, in which a group of young Brits travel to India wit...	1971	—	Novelist
Emma Thompson Emma Thompson Emma Thompson is a two-time Academy Award-, Emmy Award-, BAFTA Award- and Golden Globe-winning English actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She is also a patron of the Refugee Council....	1959	—	Comedian, actress, screenwriter
Sandi Toksvig Sandi Toksvig Sandi Toksvig is a Denmark-born England comedienne, author and presenter on radio presenter and television presenter....	1958	—	Comedian, author, radio presenter
Mark Watson Mark Watson (comedian) Mark Andrew Watson is a British Stand-up comedy and novelist. He was born in Bristol of a Welsh family....	1980	—	Comedian, novelist
Robert Webb Robert Webb (actor) Robert Webb is an England comedian, actor and writer, and one half of the Mitchell and Webb double act, alongside David Mitchell ....	1972	—	Comedian, actor, writer

Footlights President

The elected leader of Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club is known as the Footlights President. There is also a Vice President. Past presidents have included The Goodies

The Goodies

:For information about the television series, see The Goodies The Goodies are a trio of United Kingdom comedians , who created, wrote, and starred in a surrealism British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketch comedy and situation comedy....
members Tim Brooke-Taylor

Tim Brooke-Taylor

Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor is an English people comic actor known in Britain and Australia as a member of The Goodies and in the comedy radio shows I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, and I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again....
and Graeme Garden

Graeme Garden

David Graeme Garden is a United Kingdom author, actor, comedian, artist and television presenter, who first became known as a member of The Goodies....
, as well as Peter Cook

Peter Cook

Peter Edward Cook was an English people satirist, writer and comedian. He is widely regarded as the leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s....
, Hugh Laurie

Hugh Laurie

James Hugh Calum Laurie, Order of the British Empire is an English actor, comedian, writer and musician. He first reached fame as one half of the Fry and Laurie double act, along with his friend and comedy partner, Stephen Fry, and then as a cast member of Blackadder....
, David Mitchell

David Mitchell (actor)

David Mitchell is a United Kingdom actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb whom he met at Cambridge University....
, Tony Slattery

Tony Slattery

Anthony Declan James Slattery is an England actor and comedian....
, and Monty Python

Monty Python

Monty Python is a group of six comedians who created Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on October 5, 1969....
member Eric Idle

Eric Idle

Eric Idle is an England comedian, actor, author, singer and composer of comic songs. He wrote and performed as a member of the internationally renowned British comedy group Monty Python....
(who was first to allow women to join the Footlights).

The current Footlights President is Alastair Roberts.

List of Presidents

1886 - F.W. Mortimer
1887 - J.J. Withers
1888 - W.S. Gilbert
1890 - Oscar Browning
Oscar Browning

Oscar Browning was an England writer, historian and educational reformer.He was born in London, the son of a merchant, William Shipton Browning, and educated at Eton College where he was a pupil of William Johnson Cory , and at King's College, Cambridge, where he became fellow and tutor, graduating fourth in the classics tripos of 1860, an...
1891 - C.M. Rae
1892 - Oscar Browning
Oscar Browning

Oscar Browning was an England writer, historian and educational reformer.He was born in London, the son of a merchant, William Shipton Browning, and educated at Eton College where he was a pupil of William Johnson Cory , and at King's College, Cambridge, where he became fellow and tutor, graduating fourth in the classics tripos of 1860, an...
1894 - Oscar Browning
Oscar Browning

Oscar Browning was an England writer, historian and educational reformer.He was born in London, the son of a merchant, William Shipton Browning, and educated at Eton College where he was a pupil of William Johnson Cory , and at King's College, Cambridge, where he became fellow and tutor, graduating fourth in the classics tripos of 1860, an...
1895 - Oscar Browning
Oscar Browning

Oscar Browning was an England writer, historian and educational reformer.He was born in London, the son of a merchant, William Shipton Browning, and educated at Eton College where he was a pupil of William Johnson Cory , and at King's College, Cambridge, where he became fellow and tutor, graduating fourth in the classics tripos of 1860, an...
1896 - H.C. Pollitt
1897 - H.C. Pollitt
1898 - M.V. Leveaux
1899 - S.W. Burgess
1900 - O.J. Goedecker
1901 - R.J. White
1902 - E.K. Fordham
1904 - G.S. Heathcote
1905 - G.S. Heathcote
1906 - H. Rottenburg
1907 - H. Rottenburg
1908 - J.S. Murray
1909 - L.B. Tillard
1910 - A.R. Inglis
1911 - A.R. Inglis
1912 - P.D. Ravenscroft
1913 - C.A.A. Douglas Hamilton
1914 - M. Cutherston
1919 - B.D. Nicholson
1920 - B.D. Nicholson
1921 - M.D. Lyon
1922 - M.D. Lyon
1923 - F.E. Powell
1924 - J.A.C. Barradale
1925 - H.J. Warrender
1926 - J.D. Houison Craufurd
1927 - H.C. Martineau
1928 - H.E.R. Mitchell
1929 - J. Fell Clark

1930 - J.C. Byrom

1931 - R.S. Hill

1932 - P.E. Lyon

1933 - J.A. Coates

1934 - Lord Killanin

Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin

Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, Order of the British Empire, Territorial Decoration was an Irish journalism, author,, , sports official, the sixth president of the International Olympic Committee ....

1935 - Harry Lee

1936 - Peter Crane

1937 - Albert E.P. Robison

1938 - P.B. Meyer

1939 - Sir Robert Ricketts

1947 - D.C. Orders

1948 - D.C. Orders

1949 - Simon Phipps

Simon Wilton Phipps

Simon Wilton Phipps Military Cross was Bishop of Lincoln between 1974 and 1987....

1950 - Adrian Vale

1951 - Ian Kellie

1952 - Andrew Davidson

1953 - Peter Firth

1954 - Leslie Bricusse

Leslie Bricusse

Leslie Bricusse is a United Kingdom lyricist and composer.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers....

1955 - Brian Marber

1956 - Tim Berington

1957 - Allan Mitchell

1958 - Peter Stroud

1959 - Adrian Slade

Adrian Slade

Adrian Slade, born 1936, is a United Kingdom Liberal Democrats politician.He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge Cambridge University, where he became Presidents of the Footlights, and famously recruited Peter Cook to the society....

1960 - Peter Cook

Peter Cook

Peter Edward Cook was an English people satirist, writer and comedian. He is widely regarded as the leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s....

1961 - Peter Bellwood

1962 - Robert Atkins

Robert Atkins (politician)

Sir Robert James Atkins is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. Educated at Highgate School, he was the Member of Parliament for Preston North and South Ribble from 1979 to 1997 and became a Member of the European Parliament for the North West England region in 1999....

1963 - Tim Brooke-Taylor

Tim Brooke-Taylor

1964 - Graeme Garden

Graeme Garden

David Graeme Garden is a United Kingdom author, actor, comedian, artist and television presenter, who first became known as a member of The Goodies....

1965 - Eric Idle

Eric Idle

Eric Idle is an England comedian, actor, author, singer and composer of comic songs. He wrote and performed as a member of the internationally renowned British comedy group Monty Python....

1966 - Andrew Mayer

1967 - Clive James

Clive James

Clive James Order of Australia is an expatriate Australian author, poet, critic, memoirist, talk show host, television presenter, travel writer and cultural commentator....

1968 - Jonathan James-Moore

Jonathan James-Moore

Jonathan James-Moore was an England theatre manager and BBC radio producer and executive.He was born in Worcestershire and educated at Bromsgrove School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a degree in engineering....

1969 - Barry Brown

1970 - Adrian Edwards

1971 - Richard MacKenna

1972 - Steve Thorn

1973 - Robert Benton

1974 - Jon Canter

Jon Canter

Jon Canter is an England television comedy scriptwriter writing for Lenny Henry and other leading comedians. Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge where he became President of Footlights....

1975 - Clive Anderson

Clive Anderson

Clive Anderson is a former barrister, now famous for being a successful comedy author as well as a radio and television presenter in the United Kingdom....

1976 - Chris Keightley

1977 - Jimmy Mulville

Jimmy Mulville

James Thomas Mulville is an England comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. Jimmy Mulville is best known for co-founding in 1986 the United Kingdom independent television production company Hat Trick Productions ....

1978 - Martin Bergman

Martin Bergman

Martin Bergman is a Hollywood Theatrical producer, writer and Theatre director.After leaving Cambridge University in 1979, where he was a member of the theatrical troupe Footlights , Bergman produced several live arena shows with his Australian partner Michael Edgley, including the world tour of ice skaters Torvill and Dean....

1979 - Robert Bathurst

Robert Bathurst

Robert Guy Bathurst is a United Kingdom actor. Bathurst was born in Ghana and raised in Republic of Ireland and England. He took up amateur dramatics while at boarding school and continued acting with the Cambridge Footlights at university, alongside reading for a degree in law....

1980 - Jan Ravens

Jan Ravens

Jan Ravens is an England actress and Impressionist , famous for her voices on Spitting Image and Dead Ringers ....

1981 - Hugh Laurie

Hugh Laurie

1982 - Tony Slattery

Tony Slattery

Anthony Declan James Slattery is an England actor and comedian....

1983 - Neil Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey is an England actor, writer and comedian.At University of Cambridge, Mullarkey was Junior Treasurer to Footlights in the academic year 1981 to 1982 and was president in that ending 1983....

1984 - Nick Hancock

Nick Hancock (actor)

Nick Hancock is an English actor, comedian and television presenter.Probably TV's most well known Stoke City F.C. supporter, he hosted the sports quiz They Think It's All Over for 10 years....

1985 - Kathryn Crew

1986 - Nick Golson

1987 - Tim Scott

1988 - Peter Bradshaw

Peter Bradshaw

Peter Bradshaw is a United Kingdom writer and film critic. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he was President of Footlights.Bradshaw is film critic for The Guardian....

1989 - Roland Kenyon

1990 - Henry Naylor

Henry Naylor

Henry Naylor is a United Kingdom comedy writer and performer, best known for his work with comedy partner Andy Parsons in Parsons and Naylor's Pull-Out Sections....

1991 - Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins

Susan Elizabeth Perkins , more commonly known as Sue Perkins, is an England radio and television presenter, actor, and writer....

1992 - Dan Gaster

1993 - Mark Evans

Mark Evans (comedian/writer)

Mark Evans is a Welsh comedian, actor, and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , The Late Edition , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ....

1994 - Robert Thorogood

1995 - Charlie Hartill

1996 - David Mitchell

David Mitchell (actor)

David Mitchell is a United Kingdom actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb whom he met at Cambridge University....

1997 - Sarah Moule

1998 - Richard Ayoade

Richard Ayoade

Richard Ellef Ayoade is an England comedian, actor, writer and director.Ayoade was born an only child to a Norwegian mother and a Nigerian father....

1999 - Kevin Baker

2000 - Matt Green

Matt Green (actor)

Matt Green is an English actor and comedian. He was the President of the Cambridge Footlights from 1999-2000 . Since graduating in 2000 he has worked as an actor and comedian based in London....

2001 - James Morris

2002 - Dorian House

2003 - Stefan Golaszewski

Stefan Golaszewski

Stefan Golaszewski is a English writer, performer, director and pop singer. He is part of comedy sketch group Cowards....

2004 - Ed Riches

2005 - Raph Shirley

2006 - Simon Bird

Simon Bird

Simon Bird is an English actor and writer who plays Will in E4?s comedy The Inbetweeners.He won the 2008 British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer, and is the youngest winner of any award in the event's 18 year history....

2007 - Tom Sharpe

2008 - Sam Sword

2009 - Alastair Roberts

Footlights book

Information about the Footlights Revues during the first one hundred years of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club (1883—1983), and the people who appeared in them — with a foreword by Eric Idle:

Footlights

Famous Footlights members

Footlights President

List of Presidents

Footlights book

See also

External links