Harry Thompson
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- This article is about the British comedy producer; for information on the American who spied for Japan please see Harry Thompson (spy)
Harry Thompson (February 6, 1960 - November 7, 2005) was a British producer and writer of comedies, and a successful novelist and biographer. He has a claim to be the most influential comedy producer of his generation.
Thompson, who attended Highgate School, going on to read history at Brasenose College, Oxford, was best known for co-creating the BBC panel shows Have I Got News For You and They Think It's All Over, producing the latter for the first five years of its run.
Earlier in his career he produced the radio comedy programmes The News Quiz and The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Following his success in the TV format he went on to produce Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Newman and Baddiel in Pieces, Harry Enfield and Chums and Monkey Dust.
He was instrumental in the creation of the comic character Ali G for The 11 O'Clock Show, and as a comedy writer his credits included Da Ali G Show.
During these productions he was able to gain exposure for a very large proportion of those who went on to become prominent figures in contemporary British comedy, including: Sacha Baron Cohen, Angus Deayton, Harry Enfield, Ricky Gervais, Nick Hancock, Ian Hislop, Mark Lamarr, Paul Merton and Paul Whitehouse.
In addition, he also wrote biographies of Peter Cook, Richard Ingrams and Tintin creator Hergé. In June 2005, Thompson's first and only novel, entitled This Thing Of Darkness (a historical novel chronicling the life of Robert Fitzroy), was published and long-listed for the Booker prize.
In 2003, The Observer listed him as one of the 50 funniest or most influential people in British comedy. In December 2005 he was to have received the Jury's Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy at the British Comedy Awards.
He was diagnosed with inoperable (stage III) lung cancer in April 2005, despite never having smoked, and died on November 7 the same year. He married his girlfriend, Lisa Whadcock, on the day of his death.
