# Bob Goody

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{{Short description|British actor (1951–2023)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
thumb|Goody in 2015
'''Robert Goody''' (16 April 1951 – 5 March 2023) was a British actor, librettist, writer and former member of the [Royal Shakespeare Company](/source/Royal_Shakespeare_Company).

==Early life==
Goody was born in [Brighton](/source/Brighton), East Sussex, the son of Kenneth William Goody (1926–2005), an airline training manager, and his wife, Hilda Jesse, née Parker (1925–2015). He attended [Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School](/source/Brighton_Hove_%26_Sussex_Sixth_Form_College) followed by [Brighton Technical College](/source/Brighton_MET_College).<ref name=Obit>Cottan, Rick. [https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/26/bob-goody-obituary Bob Goody obituary], [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian), 26 March 2023</ref>

==Theatre work==
Bob Goody trained at the [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art](/source/Royal_Academy_of_Dramatic_Art) (1973–1975).<ref>[https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/bob-goody/ Bob Goody], [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art](/source/Royal_Academy_of_Dramatic_Art) website</ref> He was a founder member of the acclaimed theatre company [Shared Experience](/source/Shared_Experience) performing the [Arabian Nights](/source/Arabian_Nights) trilogy. He played various characters with the company, including: Aleksandr Torra, the Torbinator and the Turnpike in ''[Hamlet](/source/Hamlet)''. In 1987, he toured as Dr. Pinch in ''[The Comedy of Errors](/source/The_Comedy_of_Errors)'' and as the Ghost and the Gravedigger in ''Hamlet'' with the [Royal Shakespeare Company](/source/Royal_Shakespeare_Company).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/hamlet.html |work=[The Royal Shakespeare Company](/source/The_Royal_Shakespeare_Company) |title=The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126082319/http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/hamlet.html |archive-date=26 January 2012 |access-date=3 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/comedyErrors.html |work=[The Royal Shakespeare Company](/source/The_Royal_Shakespeare_Company) |title=The Comedy of Errors |access-date=3 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100719235947/http://www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/comedyErrors.html |archive-date=19 July 2010 |publisher=[Macmillan Publishers Limited](/source/Macmillan_Publishers_Limited) |url-status=live }}</ref> Goody's performances with the National Theatre of Brent in the early 1980s were noted by contemporaries as influential on emerging comedians and performers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Enfield |first=Harry |date=27 March 2023 |title=Harry Enfield on Bob Goody: ‘I was too frightened to approach him and tell him how he had inspired me’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/27/bob-goody-obituary-letter-harry-enfield |url-status=live |website=The Guardian}}</ref> In 1991 he played the Chief Weasel in [Alan Bennett](/source/Alan_Bennett)'s adaptation of ''[The Wind in the Willows](/source/The_Wind_in_the_Willows)'' for the [National Theatre](/source/Royal_National_Theatre) at [The Old Vic](/source/The_Old_Vic) in London.<ref name=doollee>{{cite web |url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsG/goody-bob.html |title=Bob Goody |work=Doolee.com |year=2003 |access-date=3 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023010944/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsG/goody-bob.html |archive-date=23 October 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January and February 2016, he played Lucky opposite [Lorcan Cranitch](/source/Lorcan_Cranitch) and [Jeff Rawle](/source/Jeff_Rawle) as Vladimir and Estragon and [Richard Cordery](/source/Richard_Cordery) as Pozzo in [Samuel Beckett](/source/Samuel_Beckett)'s ''[Waiting for Godot](/source/Waiting_for_Godot)'' at the [Crucible Theatre](/source/Crucible_Theatre) in [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield). The production was described by ''[The Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)'' as having a "stark brutality", and added that "Bob Goody's Lucky is also tremendous, with his spidery, Dickensian limbs, yellowing hair and death-mask face, like some ghastly apparition resembling all their future selves."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/waiting-for-godot-sheffield-crucible-review-stark-brutality/ |title=Waiting for Godot, Sheffield Crucible, review: 'stark brutality' |newspaper=[The Telegraph](/source/The_Telegraph_(newspaper)) |date=9 February 2016 |access-date=3 May 2019 |first=Claire |last=Allfree |publisher=[Telegraph Media Group Limited](/source/Telegraph_Media_Group_Limited)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/waiting-for-godot-2 |title=Waiting for Godot |work=[Sheffield Theatres](/source/Sheffield_Theatres) website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023010705/https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/waiting-for-godot-2 |archive-date=23 October 2017 |access-date=3 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Film and television roles==
Goody made his first television appearance in ''[The Devil's Crown](/source/The_Devil's_Crown)'' (1978) and went on to appear in ''Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson'' (1979), ''[Robin's Nest](/source/Robin's_Nest_(TV_series))'' (1980), ''[Smith and Goody](/source/Smith_and_Goody)'' (as writer and actor) (1980), ''[Luna](/source/Luna_(TV_series))'' (1983), ''[Bleak House](/source/Bleak_House_(1985_TV_serial))'' (1985), ''[The Kenny Everett Television Show](/source/The_Kenny_Everett_Television_Show)'' (1985), ''[Porterhouse Blue](/source/Porterhouse_Blue_(TV_series))'' (1987), ''[Selling Hitler](/source/Selling_Hitler)'' (1991), ''[Blue Heaven](/source/Blue_Heaven_(Channel_4_TV_series))'' (1992), ''[The Blackheath Poisonings](/source/The_Blackheath_Poisonings_(TV_series))'' (1992), ''[Lovejoy](/source/Lovejoy)'' (1993), ''[Screen Two](/source/Screen_Two)'' (1993), ''[Paul Merton's Life of Comedy](/source/Paul_Merton)'' (1995), ''[McCallum](/source/McCallum_(TV_series))'' (1997), Danny the caretaker in seven episodes of ''[Crime Traveller](/source/Crime_Traveller)'' (1997), ''[Lock, Stock...](/source/Lock%2C_Stock...)'' (2000), ''[Dark Realm](/source/Dark_Realm)'' (2001), ''[Doctors](/source/Doctors_(2000_TV_series))'' (2003), four episodes of ''[The Bill](/source/The_Bill)'' (1989–2004), ''[Hotel Babylon](/source/Hotel_Babylon_(BBC_series))'' (2008), ''[Crusoe](/source/Crusoe_(TV_series))'' (2008), ''[EastEnders](/source/EastEnders)'' (2011), Gustave in ''[X Company](/source/X_Company)'' (2015), Squire in ''[Cider with Rosie](/source/Cider_with_Rosie)'' (2015) and Sir Ray Ives in ''[Queens of Mystery](/source/Queens_of_Mystery)'' (2019).<ref name=IMDb>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329586/ Bob Goody] on the [Internet Movie Database](/source/Internet_Movie_Database)</ref>

His film roles include appearances in ''[Flash Gordon](/source/Flash_Gordon_(film))'' (1980), ''[Those Glory Glory Days](/source/Those_Glory_Glory_Days)'' (1983), ''[The Stone Age](/source/The_Stone_Age_(film))'' (1989), ''[The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover](/source/The_Cook_the_Thief_His_Wife_%26_Her_Lover)'' (1989), ''[Fire, Ice and Dynamite](/source/Fire%2C_Ice_and_Dynamite)'' (1990), ''Buskers Odyssey'' (1994), ''[The Grotesque](/source/The_Grotesque_(film))'' (1995), ''[Treasure Island](/source/Treasure_Island_(1995_film))'' (1995), ''[The Borrowers](/source/The_Borrowers_(1997_film))'' (1997), ''[Lighthouse](/source/Lighthouse_(1999_film))'' (1999), ''In the Doghouse'' (2002), ''[The Thief Lord](/source/The_Thief_Lord_(film))'' (2006), ''[That Summer Day](/source/That_Summer_Day)'' (2006), ''[The Great Ghost Rescue](/source/The_Great_Ghost_Rescue_(film))'' (2011), ''[Late September](/source/Late_September_(film))'' (2012), ''[Mr. Turner](/source/Mr._Turner_(film))'' (2014), ''[Peterloo](/source/Peterloo_(film))'' (2018) and ''[23 Walks](/source/23_Walks)'' (2020).<ref name=IMDb/>

==As a writer==
While Goody and [Mel Smith](/source/Mel_Smith) were working on a two-man show at the [Traverse Theatre](/source/Traverse_Theatre), they teamed up with composer [Peter Brewis](/source/Peter_Brewis) and together created three [black comedy](/source/black_comedy) musicals, '''Ave You 'Eard the One About Joey Baker?'', ''Irony in Dorking'' which won a [Fringe First Award](/source/Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe) and ''The Gambler'' whose 1986 revival at the [Hampstead Theatre](/source/Hampstead_Theatre) was nominated for an [Olivier Award](/source/Olivier_Award)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item98521/olivier-winners-1986/ |work=The Olivier Awards for 1986 website |title=Oliver Winners 1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401012230/http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item98521/Olivier-Winners-1986/ |archive-date=1 April 2012 |access-date=3 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was also recorded by the specialist musical theatre label [First Night Records](/source/First_Night_Records).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/view/item98521/Olivier-Winners-1986/ |title=Oliviers: Olivier Winners 1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111154052/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/view/item98521/Olivier-Winners-1986/ |archive-date=11 January 2012 |work=The [Society of London Theatre](/source/Society_of_London_Theatre) |date=24 April 2008 |access-date=3 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://first-night-records.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=189 |title=''Gambler, The'' – Original London Cast |work=[First Night Records](/source/First_Night_Records) |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> He wrote the [libretto](/source/libretto) for ''The Fashion'', an opera for [Deutsche Oper am Rhein](/source/Deutsche_Oper_am_Rhein), with music by [Giorgio Battistelli](/source/Giorgio_Battistelli). This was performed in the company's 2008 season. He co-wrote the [BBC](/source/BBC) sitcom ''Wilderness Road'' as well as two volumes of performance poetry: ''Mixing With The Sharks'' and ''Life and Death And A Few Other Bits and Pieces''.

Goody played Bill Maddox in the 1996 video game ''[Privateer 2: The Darkening](/source/Privateer_2%3A_The_Darkening)''.

==Personal life and death==
Bob Goody was 6' 4" tall and lived in [Bloomsbury](/source/Bloomsbury) in central London.<ref name=doollee/> He is survived by his wife Gina (nee Donovan), whom he married in 1978, their daughters Gemma, Seonaid and Sophie, grandchildren Zack, Ayah, Constance and Dolores, and his brother Dave Goody.<ref name=Obit/>

Goody died from cancer on 5 March 2023, aged 71.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whittock |first=Jesse |date=2023-03-14 |title=Bob Goody Dies: Classically Trained Actor And Co-Writer Of BBC Comedy 'Wilderness Road' Was 71 |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/bob-goody-dead-actor-and-writer-of-bbc-drama-wilderness-road-was-71-1235298955/ |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0329586}}
*[http://operachic.typepad.com/opera_chic/deutsche_oper_am_rhein/ ''The Fashion'' –  Deutsche Oper am Rhein – on the ''Opera Chic'' website (3 February 2008)] 
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151010041549/http://users.skynet.be/spier/opera%20pages/opera%20dusseldorf.htm ''The Fashion'' on Argo Spier's Opera Critique website]
*[http://www.ricordi.it/cms/news-events/events/battistelli-in-dusseldorf ''The Fashion'' on Casa Ricordi website]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goody, Bob}}
Category:1951 births
Category:2023 deaths
Category:Male actors from Brighton
Category:20th-century British male actors
Category:21st-century British male actors
Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Category:British male television actors
Category:British male film actors
Category:British male stage actors
Category:British male television writers
Category:Deaths from cancer in England
Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bob Goody](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Goody) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Goody?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.