Ronnie Corbett was one of the nation’s most popular entertainers and enjoyed a career stretching more than 50 years.
Here we take a look back at some of the comedian’s memorable moments.
The Frost Report
Ronnie first appeared on the BBC’s satirical comedy, The Frost Report, in 1966 – it was the first time he starred alongside Ronnie Barker.
John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett star together in the class sketch (BBC)
The show, which also featured John Cleese, gave rise to the the famed Class sketch – which saw all three actors line up in descending height order in a bid to represent the British class system.
Corbett – at 5ft 1 and the “lower class” against Cleese and his 6ft 5 “upper class” frame – was famed for his delivery of the catchphrase “I know my place”.
The Two Ronnies
Ronnie Corbett was best known for his pairing with Ronnie Barker in the hit BBC sketch show, The Two Ronnies.
Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker (BBC/PA)
The pair spent 15 years delivering witty exchanges, performing sketches and musical numbers. Corbett also presented numerous comedic monologues from his armchair.
Four Candles
Coming out of The Two Ronnies, in what is possibly one of the most memorable and funniest skits, was the Four Candles sketch first broadcast in 1976.
In it the character played by Barker can be seen asking hardware shopkeeper Corbett for what sounds like “four candles,” but what actually transpires to be fork handles.
The exchange lasts a number of minutes as they continue to misunderstand what the other is asking for.
Sorry!
Running at the same time as The Two Ronnies, Corbett also starred as Timothy Lumsden in Sorry! which ran from 1981 to 1988, and saw the librarian character domineered by his mother Phyllis.
Through the comedy sitcom, the catchphrase “language Timothy” was coined.
No Sex Please, We’re British
In 1973 Ronnie starred in the film version of No Sex Please, We’re British, adapted from the long-running stage play of the same name.
Ronnie Corbett pictured in 1970 (PA)
He played bank worker Brian Runnicles who tries desperately to dispose of a package containing porn that has mistakenly been delivered to him.
Casino Royale
Orson Welles in Casino Royale (PA)
This 1967 spy comedy film saw Ronnie feature as the supporting character, Polo, a SMERSH agent in the spoof Bond movie.
The film starred big-name actors of the day including David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr and Jacqueline Bisset.
Small Talk
Ronnie Corbett (Fiona Hanson/PA)
Presented by Ronnie, this TV game show aired between 1995 and 1996, and saw adults attempt to guess how they thought children would respond to certain questions.
The One Ronnie
In a one-off comedy sketch show to mark his 80th birthday in 2010, Ronnie made a comeback for the Christmas Day special, The One Ronnie.
He teamed up with other celebrities, including Sir Lenny Henry, Miranda Hart, Catherine Tate, David Walliams, Harry Enfield and James Corden for the BBC programme.
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