- Hal Roach (comedian)
Hal Roach (born
November 4 1927 inWaterford ), is a prominent Irishcomedian . 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 withtour 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 , retrieved29 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/RajonDVDs/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 MusicReferences
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.