Fry and Laurie is a famous duo known for their epic comedy, A Bit of Fry and Laurie. The two met through Emma Thompson, a mutual friend. They all attended the University of Cambridge.
Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry gained popularity due to sketchy comedies in the 1990s. They collaborated to establish other projects, such as the Wooster and Jeeves. Fry and Laurie also participated in sketchy television series.
Fry and Laurie Comedy set
The duo had their first set of Comedy with Thompson, known as The Crystal Cube, which was canceled after the first show.
However, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, with its popularity in the 1980s to 1990s, gave them a second chance. During that time, Fry starred in the popular BBC comedy Blackadder with Laurie.
The two reunited in Jeeves and Wooster in 1993. Participating in the roles was Fry’s time of shining, but Laurie’s turn was yet to come. Fry took the lead in the path of sketchy comedy.
Fry and Laurie parting ways
Laurie was anxious to break into serious roles, unlike Fry. The duo parted ways, and Fry’s career took a different turn in 1995 when he participated in the West End Play Cell Mates. He walked out of the show and fled to Belgium.
Fry claimed that he walked out of the show due to anxiety. Rumors state that Fry could not complete the show due to poor performance. The play could only proceed with him.
Fry was so affected that he almost took his life. Later, he participated in the ITV Kingdom play. People criticized him for taking part in the role—the BBC TV commissioned Fry by giving him endless opportunities to run shows.
Laurie’s career took a different turn when he participated in Sense and Sensibility. He took a more serious role, adapting a novel by Jane Austin featuring Thompson. Laurie landed a life-changing in-house role in the US.
The in-house role was designed to fit an American doctor. However, Laurie’s exclusive performance led to his appointment for the role. According to the director, Laurie’s American accent was the best fit for the role.
He was also applauded for his boldness while playing Dr. Gregory in the role. The play gained Laurie much popularity, making him a star. The role earned him a whopping $ 700,000, including two Golden Globes at that time.
A Glimpse into Fry and Laurie in Hollywood
Fry has been acting in Hollywood since his eighties but has yet to get a breakthrough role.
He was close to breaking through during his role in the Oscar Wilde film, for which he was awarded a Golden Globe. Since then, Fry has appeared as a conceited character in films.
Fry was the voice behind the chachier cat in Alice in Wonderland. He also took a role in the Master of Laketown, a film that adopted The Hobbit. Fry also took part as a pilot for the Comedy SuperClyde.
The Comedy was dropped after one episode. The CBC said it differed from their standards, but they would try it without Fry. Canceling the episode affected Fry emotionally.
Laurie has been versatile in his moves, taking part in active roles such as the Man in the Iron Mask, an animation version of the 101 Dalmatians. He also appeared in the Maybe Baby comedy and Tomorrowland, a science fantasy.
Laurie’s most significant move was his role in Frederick Litle. He played the father to the Stuart Little Films mouse hero. The Guinness World Record recognized him as the lead Man to watch on television.
Fry and Laurie’s friendship today
Fry and Laurie from A Bit of Fry & Laurie are on different paths. The duo took different turns in their film careers. Each celebrates their wins and has been awarded independently.
Their friendship is still intact following an Instagram post by Laurie on 25th August 2024 wishing Fry a happy birthday.