Hal Roach (comedian)

Hal Roach (born November 4 1927 in Waterford), is a prominent Irish comedian. He has spent over 60 years in show business, and was featured in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest-running engagement of a comedian at the same venue: 26 years at Jury's Irish Cabaret, Jury's Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin. [The Val and Hal show, "Daily Mail", London - February 8, 2007]

Born John Roach, he began his career after winning a local talent competition as a boy soprano. He initially toured with an illusionist and specialised in magic, but later moved to comedy. [ [http://www.northeasttimes.com/2004/0311/rita.html Hal Roach’s success has been no magic act] , Rita Charleston, "Northeast Times", Philadelphia, March 11, 2004]

He is popular particularly with American tourists visiting Ireland. His "act" plays heavily on traditional tourist imagery of Ireland and on Irish jokes. Several of his shows have been released on cassette and CD, and they are popular with tour bus drivers in several English-speaking countries who play them to passengers to help pass the time between destinations.

A typical (perhaps top quartile) Hal Roach joke is as follows: "He told me that I have a cult following, at least I think that's what he said".

Another-"There is a man sitting in the middle of the road casting his fishing line... now none of us is perfect, but c'mon! So I asked him, "How many have you caught today?" He said, "You're the ninth."

Perhaps his most famous Catchphrase is "Write it down, it's a good one!".

Roach has been cited as a major influence by other comedians such as Brendan Grace. [Feeny, Seán P. (2008) [http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/DN/free/343166347492122.php "Grace by Name, Funny by Nature"] , "Donegal News", 25 January 2008, retrieved 29 March 2008 "I learned from the men whom I considered the band leaders, like Hal Roach the 'Daddy' of all Irish comedians"]

Albums

*"The King of Blarney" Irish Records
*"We Irish Talk Like That" Irish Records/Ceol
*"He Must Be Joking" Irish Records/Ceol/Rajon
*"An Audience With" Irish Records/Ceol/Rajon
*"The Best Of Irish Humour" Grainne Music/Ceol/Rajon
*"Hal Roach & Friends" Ovation
*"Write It Down" Grainne Music/Rajon
*"It's That Man Again!" Grainne Music/Rajon
*"He's At It Again" Grainne Music/BMG/Rajon

DVDs/Videos

*"Hal Roach It's himself Live at Jurys Cabaret" Sony BMG
*"An Audience With Hal Roach, The King of Blarney" Emdee
*"Hal Roach The King of Irish Comedy" (2005) Irish Records (double-DVD)
*"Tony Kenny's Ireland - The Green Island" (guest appearance)

Books

*"Ireland's International Comedian: Hal Roach (His Greatest Collection of Irish Humor and Wit, Featuring the "Unnecessary Sayings" of the Irish in conversation)" (1995) Folens
*"Party Laughs" (1995) Grainne Music

References