"Mathews first met while working at ""Hot Press"". In the late 1980s, Mathews, Paul Woodfull and Kieran Woodfull formed The Joshua Trio, a U2 tribute band. The trio began writing comedy sketches to accompany their act. Mathews created the Father Ted character for his short-lived stand-up routine. Before The Joshua Trio played at gigs, Mathews would occasionally come on-stage as Father Ted and tell jokes involving his great friend, Father Dougal McGuire. In 1991, Mathews left his job at ""Hot Press"" and moved into Linehan's London home. Over the next three to four years, they worked on rough ideas for"
"Father Ted Father Ted is a British sitcom that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. Written by Irish writers Arthur Mathews & Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, including a Christmas special, for a total of 25 episodes. The show aired on RTÉ Two in Ireland, and in Australia on Nine Network (series 1) and ABC Television (series 2 and 3). Set on the fictional Craggy Island, a remote location off Ireland's west coast, the show starred Dermot Morgan as the"
"Dermot Morgan Dermot John Morgan (31 March 1952 – 28 February 1998) was an Irish comedian, actor and previously a schoolteacher, who achieved international recognition for his role as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Morgan was born on 31 March 1952 in Dublin. His parents were Donnchadh Morgan, an artist and sculptor with a passion for drama, and Hilda ""Holly"" Stokes, a ""celebrated beauty"" from Dún Laoghaire. Donnchadh died young of an aneurysm, leaving Hilda with four children: Dermot, Paul, Denise, and Ruth, who died in childhood. He was educated at Oatlands College, Stillorgan, and"
"Frank Kelly Francis O'Kelly (28 December 1938 – 28 February 2016), better known by his stage name of Frank Kelly, was an Irish actor, singer and writer, whose career covered television, radio, theatre, music, screenwriting and film. He played Father Jack Hackett in the Channel Four sitcom ""Father Ted"", and was also the son of the cartoonist Charles E. Kelly. Kelly was born, in 1938, in Blackrock, south County Dublin, where he lived most of his life. His parents were Cathleen and Charles E. Kelly, cartoonist and founder of the satirical magazine ""Dublin Opinion"". He studied law and tried journalism,"
"non-speaking cameo appearance, goading the ""fierce man"" on the stepladder at Funland. Mathews also makes a cameo as the voice on the Funland intercom; the voice Mathews adopts here is the one he used while playing ""Father Ted"" in a stand-up routine he performed prior to the series's creation. ""Good Luck, Father Ted"" ""Good Luck, Father Ted"" is the first episode to be aired of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Ted is contacted by a producer from Tele Éireann television programme, ""Faith of our Fathers"", requesting to interview Ted as a priest that works in a remote area. Ted"
"on Dublin's South Wicklow Street. Dublin had no comedy scene at the time. As a stand up, O'Hanlon won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition in 1994. For a time he was the presenter of ""The Stand Up Show"". He was spotted by Graham Linehan, who was to cast him as Father Dougal McGuire in ""Father Ted"" (1995–98). In 1995 he received the Top TV Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards for this role. In 1995, he appeared (as Father Dougal) in a Channel 4 ident (""Hello, you're watching... television""), and during Comic Relief on BBC1."
"role required. Maurice O'Donoghue, who plays Father Dick in the series, was their second choice for the role of Ted, being the right age and having a similar look and lightness. Mathews always preferred Dermot Morgan; Linehan was initially reluctant, fearing he would play Ted the same as ""Father Trendy"", a character he played on the RTÉ television show ""The Live Mike"", but Morgan lobbied hard for the role and was cast. The show was pitched directly to the UK's Hat Trick Productions and Channel 4 by the duo, contrary to rumours that RTÉ (the Irish national broadcaster) were originally"
"""Good Luck, Father Ted"" ""Good Luck, Father Ted"" is the first episode to be aired of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Ted is contacted by a producer from Tele Éireann television programme, ""Faith of our Fathers"", requesting to interview Ted as a priest that works in a remote area. Ted is elated to be asked, but as he fears that his fellow priests Dougal and Jack would embarrass him, he tells the producer that he is the only priest on Craggy Island, and arranges to meet with the television reporter at ""The Field"", one of least-rocky areas on the"
"the Channel 4 series ""Father Ted"", which was set on the fictional ""Craggy Island"" off the west coast of Ireland. Father Furlong was often seen taking charge of the St. Luke's Youth Group. After this early success, Norton moved to Channel 4 to host his own chat shows including ""So Graham Norton"" and ""V Graham Norton"". As a performer who is not only openly gay, but also camp and flamboyant, it was here that Norton's act was fully honed as a cheeky, innuendo-laden joker. In 2003, he was the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom when, on his show"
"in an unfortunate fishing village in New England. American actor John Michael Higgins was cast as Ted, but expressed concerns about the show's religious themes: ""The English have a very robust history of being unkind about religion. We don't have that in our country, we're frightened of it. It's basically that you guys are doing an Irish joke also, we don't have that. So I'll be Father Ted, we'll see how it goes."" Filming was scheduled to begin in January 2008. In January 2015, Linehan said that there had been ""a few attempts"" by US broadcasters to remake the show,"
"Channel 4's sitcom ""Father Ted"": ""Competition Time"" and ""Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading"". Chris Curran was married to Josephine Scanlon, a Limerick-born soprano, with whom he had two daughters. He died in Leopardstown Park Hospital in Dublin and is buried at Shanganagh Cemetery in Shankill. Chris Curran (actor) Chris Curran (died 19 August 1996) was an Irish actor, singer and musician. Born in Cork, Curran was four when he made his stage debut at the Cork Opera House in Frank Benson's touring production of Shakespeare's ""A Midsummer Night's Dream"". He went on to study acting under Father Seamus O'Flynn at"
"Jon Kenny Jonathan Kenny (born December 12, 1957) in County Limerick, Ireland) is an Irish comedian and actor who lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt. They were a very successful duo until 2000, releasing One Hell of a Video, D'Unbelievables, D'Video, D'Telly, D'Mother and D'collection but the group stopped touring after Kenny was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He has since made a successful recovery and still performs shows across Ireland. Kenny is best known outside Ireland for appearing in the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"" (as Michael the"
"Old Grey Whistle Theft ""Old Grey Whistle Theft"" is the fourth episode of the second series of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". The title is a pun on the BBC TV music show ""The Old Grey Whistle Test"". Ted prepares for a picnic outing with other priests, but find they have been waylayed, while Dougal makes an excuse to not be able to go as to spend more time with a rebellious new priest, Father Damien ""Damo"" Lennon, who behaves like an insolent teenager; Ted expresses his concerns about Damien to Dougal, but Dougal continues to hang out with"
"Ted, ""an idiot who thinks he knows something but actually knows nothing."" As testament to the character's enduring popularity, Irish bookmakers humorously began collecting bets on whether Dougal would succeed Pope John Paul II upon his death. The odds were 1,000-1 (better odds than some genuine candidates), and some small stakes were actually received. In 2001, O'Hanlon reprised the role of Dougal for a series of PBS advertisements to coincide with ""Father Ted""s American broadcast; these segments were included on later DVD releases as ""Fundraising with Father Dougal"". Father Dougal McGuire Father Dougal McGuire is a character in the Channel"
"and the Orange People Choice Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. In 2006, he won Ireland's Funniest Living Person Award at the People of the Year Awards. Tommy Tiernan Tommy Tiernan (; born 16 June 1969) is an Irish comedian, actor, writer and presenter. He and Hector Ó hEochagáin presented ""The Tommy and Hector Show"" on i102-104FM. Tiernan also featured in the last episode of the sitcom ""Father Ted"" as suicidal priest Father Kevin. Tiernan was born in Carndonagh, County Donegal. His father is a native of County Kerry while his mother is from County Limerick. He moved, with his"
"attempts to remake the show for American audiences. In 2004, Steve Martin was reported to have signed on to play Ted in a new version. In 2007, John Michael Higgins was cast in the part. No remake has yet entered production. Considered his family's ""idiot brother"", Ted was sent off to the priesthood while his brother, the favourite son, became a doctor, as was the custom at the time. Ted attended Saint Colm's seminary, and was bullied by the other novices, who nicknamed him Father Fluffybottom after seeing his backside in the showers. Some time after being ordained, he was"
"Father Dougal McGuire Father Dougal McGuire is a character in the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, Dougal was portrayed by comedian Ardal O'Hanlon for the programme's three series. The character is a childlike, simple-minded Roman Catholic curate exiled to Craggy Island, a small island off the coast of Galway. Dougal originated as an unseen character in a short-lived stand-up routine performed by Mathews in the late 1980s. Portraying an early version of Father Ted Crilly on-stage, Mathews occasionally discussed Dougal as one of Ted's great friends. In 1994, the writers took ""Father Ted"""
"chain of humorous events. Note: this is not a definitive list and needs expanding Guest stars in the series included Graham Kennedy, Robert Hughes, Noeline Brown, Cornelia Frances, Ray Meagher, Henri Szeps and Bruce Spence. Played by Ross Higgins. Ted, full name Edward Melba Bullpitt, is the main character of the series. He is intolerant and has a particular hatred (and fear) of Catholics. Ted was part of a kitchen unit captured by the Italians in World War Two. His favourite thing, over his wife and family, is his Holden Kingswood. He also enjoys reading the comic ""Mandrake"", sitting in"
"it would have been the ""oddest thing in the world"" on repeated viewings. Entertaining Father Stone ""Entertaining Father Stone"" is the second episode of Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Arthur Mathews introduces this episode by stating that the idea for Father Stone came from a 'friend' of a friend who stayed with the friend for his holidays and used to cheat at golf. This person had the ability to dominate and ruin the atmosphere of a room. Ted announces to a horrified Dougal that Father Paul Stone (Michael Redmond) has come for his holidays. For the preceding six years, Father"
"on stand-up comedy; the fourth featured domestic routines (with Diane Hart as Ted Ray's wife and Kenneth Connor as ""that interfering brother-in-law""); the fifth and six—with new writers—concentrated on sketch comedy and were branded 'New Edition' and '1959 Edition' to underline the difference. Ted Ray (comedian) Ted Ray (born Charles Olden; 21 November 1905 – 8 November 1977) was an English comedian of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, on radio and television. His BBC radio show ""Ray's a Laugh"" ran for 12 years. Ray was born Charles Olden in Wigan, Lancashire, England. His parents moved to Liverpool within days of"
"Are You Right There Father Ted? ""Are You Right There Father Ted?"" is the first episode of the third series of the Channel 4 television sitcom ""Father Ted"", and the 18th episode overall. It is notable for being the first episode aired after the death of Dermot Morgan, who had died the day after filming for the final episode had been completed. As a mark of respect to Morgan, the original transmission of the first episode was delayed by a week. In the episode's prologue, Ted – who has apparently been promoted, likely as a result of the Golden Cleric"
"was initially reluctant, fearing he would play Ted the same as his previous character ""Father Trendy"", but Morgan lobbied hard for the role. Linehan stated that they would have named the character differently if the possible sexual connotations of ""Dick Byrne"" had occurred to them. Competition Time ""Competition Time"" is the fourth episode of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". The annual ""All Priests Stars in Their Eyes Lookalike Competition"" is approaching, and Ted, Dougal, and Jack are preparing for their entries, though Ted is dismayed they all dressed like Elvis Presley. Father Dick Byrne, Ted's rival from the Rugged"
"Ted Ray (comedian) Ted Ray (born Charles Olden; 21 November 1905 – 8 November 1977) was an English comedian of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, on radio and television. His BBC radio show ""Ray's a Laugh"" ran for 12 years. Ray was born Charles Olden in Wigan, Lancashire, England. His parents moved to Liverpool within days of his birth, and Liverpudlians regard him as a local. While he was a boy his parents changed their name to Olden. As a comedian of the 1940s and 1950s he demonstrated his ad-libbing skills in his weekly radio show ""Ray's A Laugh"" from"
"Competition Time ""Competition Time"" is the fourth episode of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". The annual ""All Priests Stars in Their Eyes Lookalike Competition"" is approaching, and Ted, Dougal, and Jack are preparing for their entries, though Ted is dismayed they all dressed like Elvis Presley. Father Dick Byrne, Ted's rival from the Rugged Island parochial house, calls up Ted and taunts him that the Rugged Island priests will win this year. Ted insists that since the guest judge, TV presented Henry Sellers, is staying at the Craggy Island parochial house, that he will have a better chance at"
"would probably be working in The Projects in New York City, living with ""a girl and a gay fella"" and rapping Mass. In 2016, Rooney reprised the role of Damo for an Over The Top wrestling match alongside Patrick McDonnell and Michael Redmond as Eoin McLove and Father Stone. Old Grey Whistle Theft ""Old Grey Whistle Theft"" is the fourth episode of the second series of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". The title is a pun on the BBC TV music show ""The Old Grey Whistle Test"". Ted prepares for a picnic outing with other priests, but find they"
"Entertaining Father Stone ""Entertaining Father Stone"" is the second episode of Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Arthur Mathews introduces this episode by stating that the idea for Father Stone came from a 'friend' of a friend who stayed with the friend for his holidays and used to cheat at golf. This person had the ability to dominate and ruin the atmosphere of a room. Ted announces to a horrified Dougal that Father Paul Stone (Michael Redmond) has come for his holidays. For the preceding six years, Father Stone has visited the parochial house; he is pathologically boring and is totally"
"Ardal O'Hanlon Ardal O'Hanlon (; born 8 October 1965) is an Irish comedian and actor. He played Father Dougal McGuire in ""Father Ted"", George Sunday/Thermoman in ""My Hero"", and DI Jack Mooney in ""Death in Paradise"". Ardal O'Hanlon was born on 8 October 1965 in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, the son of politician and doctor Rory O'Hanlon and Teresa Ward. He has five siblings. The episode of ""Who Do You Think You Are?"" which aired on 6 October 2008 revealed that O'Hanlon's paternal grandfather, Michael O'Hanlon, was a UCD medicine student who had joined the IRA during the Irish War of"
"also co-stars David McSavage. Patrick McDonnell (actor) Patrick McDonnell (Irish: ""Pádraig Mac Domhnaill"", born 1967) is an Irish actor and comedian. He has starred in the RTÉ hidden camera comedy show ""Naked Camera"" and the sketch show ""Stew"". However he is probably best remembered at home and abroad for his role as Eoin McLove in the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Patrick McDonnell is a native of Dromiskin, County Louth. He studied in Dundalk CBS and St Patrick's College, Maynooth holding a master's degree in Irish history. He has played various roles in hit Irish comedy show ""The Savage Eye"","
"Patrick McDonnell (actor) Patrick McDonnell (Irish: ""Pádraig Mac Domhnaill"", born 1967) is an Irish actor and comedian. He has starred in the RTÉ hidden camera comedy show ""Naked Camera"" and the sketch show ""Stew"". However he is probably best remembered at home and abroad for his role as Eoin McLove in the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". Patrick McDonnell is a native of Dromiskin, County Louth. He studied in Dundalk CBS and St Patrick's College, Maynooth holding a master's degree in Irish history. He has played various roles in hit Irish comedy show ""The Savage Eye"", which is written and"
"therefore could not claim his father's title. That son married an Italian kitchen maid named Maria Bertalucci - an ancestor of Bruno. The title was first bestowed by Henry VIII to a man whom he gave a large section of his forest or the King's Wood, hence the title. Played by Judi Farr. Thelma, known as ""Thel"" for short, is Ted's wife and mother of Craig and Greta. She often answers the telephone with catch phrases in the hope of winning the latest prize from ""TV Week"" or whatever competition is currently running on the radio. Thelma also keeps a"
"Tony Guilfoyle Tony Guilfoyle (born March 30, 1960) is an English actor. He was born in Washford, Somerset, England, of Irish parents Mary Josephine Guilfoyle (née Cullinan) and James (Jimmy) Guilfoyle. He is best known for his recurring role as the accident-prone Father Larry Duff in TV comedy ""Father Ted"". In theatre he is better known for his long collaboration with the Quebecois theatre director Robert Lepage and his company Ex Machina. Included in this association are Kindertoten Lieder Lincoln Centre NY and world tour, The Geometry Of Miracles performed at The Royal National Theatre and world wide, The Dragons"
"TV show ""Network"". They also both appeared on the """" episode ""I, Mudd"" (1967). In 2009, Ted played the ""Old Man Dalton"" character in the movie ""D4"", an action-thriller directed by Darrin Dickerson. The LeGarde Twins The LeGarde Twins are a pair of identical twins, Tom and Ted (b. 15 March 1931, in Mackay, Ted LeGarde passed Aug 2,2018 Queensland), from Australia who play country music. The twins left home at the age of 15 and after trying their luck on the rodeo circuit as cowboys, they began playing music (they both sing and play guitar) and performed throughout Australia"
"also set up a Twitter page for the character, and a website where fans can purchase customised Father Purcell video greetings. Think Fast, Father Ted ""Think Fast, Father Ted"" is the second episode of the second series of the Channel 4 sitcom ""Father Ted"". The title is a play on the novel ""Think Fast, Mr. Moto"" by John P. Marquand, and the film of the same title starring Peter Lorre. The parochial house has a leak, which happens to be over Jack's head. Ted and Dougal move him, only to have another leak start over Jack's new position. Ted decides"