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Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English comedian, writer, actor, and voice-over artist. Mayall was best known for his comedy partnership with Adrian "Ade" Edmondson, for his energetic "post-punk" style of acting, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s. He appeared in numerous cult classic sitcoms, including The Young Ones (1982–84), Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987), The New Statesman (1987–94), Bottom (1991–95), and Blackadder, and in the comedy films Drop Dead Fred (1991) and Guest House Paradiso (1999).
Mayall was described by Danny Cohen, director of BBC television, at the time of his death as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars.
Mayall, the second of four children, was born in Harlow, Essex, to John and Gillian Mayall. He had an older brother, Anthony, and two younger sisters, Libby and Kate. When Mayall was three years old, he and his parents—who taught drama—moved to Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, where he spent the rest of his childhood and performed in his parents' plays. After attending The King's School, Worcester, Mayall went to the University of Manchester in 1976 to study drama, where he befriended his future comedy partner Ade Edmondson. There he also met Ben Elton, a fellow student, and Lise Mayer, with whom he later co-wrote The Young Ones.
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