Lee Cornes


Lee Cornes is an English television actor and writer born in Hayes, [Greater London, England|Hayes].
A stand up comedian since 1980, he was a regular compere at London's Comedy Store throughout the 1980s and won best Stand Up Comedian at the Charrington [London Fringe Awards] in 1987.
Cornes appeared in three series of Blackadder, in two episodes of The [Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones] and as barman 'Dick Head' in the TV show Bottom. He made an appearance in the first episode of Filthy, Rich & Catflap as a binman. Appeared in the Comic Strip episode "Slags". Appearances on Saturday Night Live. Cornes also starred in children's drama Grange Hill as Mr. Jeff Hankin ; provided voices for characters in the children's television series TUGS, and featured in the Doctor Who story "Kinda" as the Trickster. He appeared in Red Dwarf as Paranoia in the series one episode "Confidence and Paranoia". He also appeared several times in the BBC Scotland sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt, once as a DSS Clerk and again as a barman in a Highland pub.
He played a major role as the harassed talent agent Dickie Valentino in the 1994 partially-improvised comedy film There's [No Business... (1994 film)|There's No Business...], alongside comedy duos Raw Sex and The Oblivion Boys.
He appeared in the 2002 S Club Juniors video "One Step Closer (S [Club 8 song)|One Step Closer]." In November 2010 he appeared as Dave in Episode 6 of E4 comedy Phoneshop. He appeared as the Tooting Flasher in Matt Berry's Toast of London pilot. Appeared in Hustle. Also appearances in French and Saunders, The Lenny Henry Show, Detectives (1993 TV series)|The Detectives], After You've Gone, and My Family.
Stage appearances include Ken Campbell's The Warp at the Liverpool Everyman, several roles at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond. Figaro at The Watford Palace Theatre, as well as pantomime roles. Co-writer and performer The WOW Show at the Wyndham's Theatre. He toured Britain with Neal from the Young Ones.
Cornes was one of the lead writers for Mr Bean, The Animated Series, and a writer on Cavegirl and Channel 4's Gophers!. He was a co-writer of Channel 4's animation series The Bird, and writer/storyliner on What's Up Doc?, a writer and performer on Thames TV's After Hours and joint writer on two series of The WOW Show on Radio 4. He has appeared in various children's television shows such as My Parents are Aliens, Bear Behaving Badly, Jackanory.
In a 2010 interview in The Times, Cornes was cited as one of fellow comedian Sean Lock's biggest comedic influences. Lock said: "He’s not very well known but he is my main influence — he used to compere at the Comedy Store. He’s the comedians’ comedian. He used to be very unpredictable, which is a great skill in a comedian, not knowing where to go next. He also used to play the physics teacher in Grange Hill."

Filmography

;Film/TV
YearTitleRoleNotes
1980The Further Adventures of Oliver TwistBarney3 episodes
1982Doctor WhoTrickster"Kinda" Parts 2 and 3
1982UliissesUnknownFilm
1984The [Comic Strip Presents...]Arch Crippledick1 episode
1984The Young OnesMC
Spasspecker		2 episodes
1985The Lenny Henry ShowVarious1 episode
1985Up Our StreetVarious4 episodes
1986Blackadder II2nd Guard1 episode
1986Lenny Henry ToniteUnknown1 episode
1987The Love ChildMan in SupermarketFilm
1987Filthy Rich & CatflapDustman1 episode
1987Blackadder the ThirdShelley1 episode
1988Red DwarfParanoia1 episode
1988KnowhowTobias Trumble1 episode
1988-1990Colin's SandwichGraham8 episodes
1989Morris Minor's Marvellous MotorsCooper 31 episode
1989TugsGrampus
Billy Shoepack
Boomer
Fuel Depot		Voice
1989Close to HomeParrot1 episode, voice
1989Blackadder Goes ForthPrivate Fraser1 episode
1989Mornin' SargeOily2 episodes
1990-2002Grange HillMr. Hankin
1990-1993Rab C. NesbittD.S.S. Clerk
Barman		3 episodes
1991Screen OnePreston Scott1 episode
1991PerformanceMarty Feldman1 episode
1991-1995BottomDick Head3 episodes
1993French and SaundersDickie Valentino1 episode
1993I, LovettBingley1 episode
1993The Full MontyVarious
1994The All New Alexei Sayle ShowVarious1 episode
1994There's No BusinessDickie Valentino
1995Jack & Jeremy's Police 4DetectiveTV Movie
1995Spot's Magical ChristmasDeer 2Voice, UK version
1995Eleven Men Against ElevenJournalistTV Movie
1995Drunk and DisorderlyUnknown
1996-1997DetectivesDr. Pete2 episodes
1996Saturday LiveVarious1 episode
1996Jack and Jeremy's Real LivesVarious4 episodes
1997Loved by YouGary1 episode
1997Like It or Lump ItUnknown1 episode
1997Does China Exist?UnknownTV Movie
1998Adam's Family TreeJack1 episode
2002-200415 Storeys HighUnknown2 episodes
2005HustleRay Bond1 episode
2006Jam & JerusalemPatient1 episode
2008Teenage KicksTim Bennet1 episode
2008After You've GoneMr. Deakin1 episode
2009Bear Behaving BadlyTodd1 episode
2010My FamilyCouncil Official1 episode
2010PhoneShopDave1 episode
2012Toast of LondonFlasher1 episode
2016The National Union of Space PeopleNews ReaderFilm
2024Bottom: ExposedSelfDocumentary

;Writing Credits
YearTitleNotes
1990Gophers!2 episodes
1994What's Up Doc?14 episodes
2002-2003Mr. Bean: The Animated Series7 episodes