Life's Too Short
Encyclopedia
Life's Too Short is an observational sitcom series, created and written by Ricky Gervais
and Stephen Merchant
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
Life's Too Short is an observational sitcom series, created and written by Ricky Gervais
and Stephen Merchant
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
Life's Too Short is an observational sitcom series, created and written by Ricky Gervais
and Stephen Merchant
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
. During filming, Davis told them about the trials of life for a man of 3 feet 6 inches in height, such as having to use a broom handle to reach objects on the high shelves in supermarkets, and people touching him for luck as if he were a leprechaun
. Gervais told reporters: "The real Warwick tells us these great stories. They're comedy gold." Stephen Merchant commented of Davis that "he helped create the idea and came to us with the story." When asked by an interviewer if the title of the show offended him, Davis stated that far from being offended, he was in fact the person who had come up with it.
Gervais and Merchant approached the BBC about developing a show centred on a character based on Davis.
Gervais described it as "A cross between Extras and Curb your Enthusiasm
and One Foot in the Grave
but with a dwarf. That is out and out funny." In an interview with Entertainment Weekly he elaborated: "It’s a single camera sitcom following the trials and tribulations of ‘Warwick Davis, showbiz dwarf.’ Warwick is playing a twisted version of himself. He’s quite conceited and arrogant and manipulative. And he runs a [small person] talent agency, which he does in real life. Me and Steve Merchant pop up as ourselves, just to add some realism. Warwick comes round and says, ‘Doing any more Extras? Got any work?’ And we go, ‘Ooh, no, not really.’ And we try to get rid of him. It’s fantastic. We did some casting today. I’m off to America for some shows and then I come back after that and we shoot a little pilot, just like we did with The Office ten years ago, and then we’ll see.” In an interview with Jonathan Ross
, Davis said that his character is egotistical and suffers from small man syndrome
, while Gervais said of the character "he refuses to live his life as a disabled person. We're making him empowered but also give him these foibles". He also described it as "Third in our trilogy of TV sitcoms ... another naturalist observational comedy, dealing with everyday problems, human foibles and social faux pas ... but with a dwarf." Gervais also said of the series and of Davis' character: "It's returning to our Office roots of fake documentary ... It follows the life of a showbiz dwarf, Warwick Davis, who's really a showbiz dwarf. He plays a twisted version of himself and he's doing this documentary to try to get his career back on track. He has a big tax bill, he's going through a messy divorce and he's trying to get back his Hollywood career. He's a conniving, back-biting little Napoleon."
The pilot for the comedy was commissioned by the BBC
in April 2010. Gervais reported on progress in his blog. In April 2010 he stated: "Some reports are saying that the "Life's Too Short" pilot we are shooting in the summer will be aired. It wont [sic]. It is a non-broadcast pilot. We will shoot the whole series before anything is aired. We're not sure how many eps [episodes] we will record (probably 6) and not sure when the series will air."
Gervais wrote on his blog in June 2010 "Found the last location today for Life's Too Short. It feels great doing this project. Just like The Office and Extras. Starting from scratch, just me and Steve in a room crafting a brand new show. It doesn't get better than that for me." He later wrote that filming of the pilot was undertaken in June and July 2010. Gervais commented in July 2010 "Finished the pilot for Life's Too Short too. Just have to write the series now". The series will be produced by Charlie Hanson
, who previously produced Extras, and Michelle Farr. The series is executive produced by Gervais and Merchant along with Mark Freeland. On 17 September 2010 the BBC announced, via the BBC Two Controller Janice Hadlow
, and the Controller of BBC Comedy Commissioning Cheryl Taylor, that the six-part series has been commissioned and will be filmed in 2011.
In June 2010, while talking at the Banff World Television Festival, Gervais described Life's Too Short as "the funniest thing we've done." Gervais told The Hollywood Reporter
"We're having so much fun working with Warwick. Pound for pound he is one of the funniest men I know." Stephen Merchant said of Davis: "Warwick is very funny, a very physical comedian which we really made use of ... He's very charismatic, very charming in it ... I was really pleased. He's a real comic star in waiting."
Gervais reported in his blog on the progress of writing Life's Too Short throughout November 2010: "Had a great week writing Life's Too Short. It's the hardest bit, the most important bit and the most invigorating bit", and in a later entry "Wrote one of the funniest sketches we've ever done for Life's Too Short. Six hours hard labour for a potential two minutes screen time." In January 2011 he reported that he was still working on the scripts for the show, and in February that he and Merchant were trying to finish writing Life's Too Short.
The owner of a house used as a location for the pilot commented on the BBC Radio 4
programme Broadcasting House
on 30 January 2011 that a scene filmed there had involved Davis and a dog-sized pet flap
, and in a February 2011 filmed conversation with American comedian Jerry Seinfeld
, Gervais told him that he wanted him to appear in Life's Too Short as a version of himself, playing "quite a whiny Upper East Side Jewish guy".
In March 2011 Gervais reported on his blog "Getting ready to film Life's Too Short." Stephen Merchant confirmed that filming would begin in May 2011. Confirmed cast members include Jo Enright
, who played Warwick Davis' wife in the pilot, Shaun Williamson
, who played himself (known as "Barry
off Eastenders
") in Extras, Cat Deeley
, Rosamund Hanson
, Kiruna Stamell
and Jamie Dodd. Boxer Mike Tyson
also asked Gervais to consider casting him in a role.
On 31 March 2011 Gervais confirmed on his blog that "We've basically got first drafts of all seven episodes of Life's Too Short now. Yes seven!". As the pilot has already been filmed, the series will comprise eight shows. On 1 April he stated "Started casting Life's Too Short this week too. So much fun." On 29 April he wrote "Did the last of the casting today on Life's Too Short. Some amazing cameos too. You know about the [Johnny] Depp one, but hopefully we might be able to keep a couple of the other really big ones under wraps. Not just because of the surprise factor but because it takes the focus away from the real meat of the show." On 11 May the cast had their first read-through
of all seven episodes, and rehearsals started on the week beginning 16 May 2011 with Gervais commenting "We've put together an amazing cast so it should be a joy." Filming started on Monday 30 May 2011.
On 22 June 2011 it was announced that Sting and Steve Carell
would be filming cameos for the series. The teaser trailer released on the same day featured Keith Chegwin
, Les Dennis
and Shaun Williamson
as well as the three main stars. On 11 July Gervais hinted on his blog that a Doctor Who
-related cameo would be in the show, as well as posting a link to a YouTube video of him and Warwick Davis filmed on the set of Life's Too Short. Earlier in that week he had blogged about how "Matt Groening
's favourite character from The Office will make a cameo in Life's Too Short", along with an on-set photograph of actor Ewen MacIntosh who played Big Keith
in The Office
.
Principal filming ran for eight weeks, ending on 22 July 2011.
Gervais and Davis attended a question and answer session to discuss the making of Life's Too Short at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2011.
A half-hour long documentary, The Making of Life's Too Short, aired on BBC Two
on 5 November 2011, prior to the start of the seven-episode series run on BBC Two on 10 November 2011.
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
and Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis is an English actor. He is most notable for playing the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun film series, as well as for his roles in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and the Harry Potter movies. Davis currently stars in the sitcom Life's Too Short, written...
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
Life's Too Short is an observational sitcom series, created and written by Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
and Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis is an English actor. He is most notable for playing the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun film series, as well as for his roles in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and the Harry Potter movies. Davis currently stars in the sitcom Life's Too Short, written...
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
Life's Too Short is an observational sitcom series, created and written by Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
and Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
, from an idea by Warwick Davis
Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis is an English actor. He is most notable for playing the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun film series, as well as for his roles in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and the Harry Potter movies. Davis currently stars in the sitcom Life's Too Short, written...
, and is described by Gervais as being about "the life of a showbiz dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
", with Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. Gervais and Merchant appear in cameos as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, who co-produced the series with the BBC, has picked up the US rights and will air the series in 2012.
Genesis
The genesis of the show came when Davis worked with Gervais and Merchant in an episode of the second series of Extras, when he co-starred with Daniel RadcliffeDaniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....
. During filming, Davis told them about the trials of life for a man of 3 feet 6 inches in height, such as having to use a broom handle to reach objects on the high shelves in supermarkets, and people touching him for luck as if he were a leprechaun
Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...
. Gervais told reporters: "The real Warwick tells us these great stories. They're comedy gold." Stephen Merchant commented of Davis that "he helped create the idea and came to us with the story." When asked by an interviewer if the title of the show offended him, Davis stated that far from being offended, he was in fact the person who had come up with it.
Gervais and Merchant approached the BBC about developing a show centred on a character based on Davis.
Gervais described it as "A cross between Extras and Curb your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
and One Foot in the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series written by David Renwick. The show ran for six series, including seven Christmas specials, two Comic Relief specials, over an eleven year period, from early 1990 to late 2000...
but with a dwarf. That is out and out funny." In an interview with Entertainment Weekly he elaborated: "It’s a single camera sitcom following the trials and tribulations of ‘Warwick Davis, showbiz dwarf.’ Warwick is playing a twisted version of himself. He’s quite conceited and arrogant and manipulative. And he runs a [small person] talent agency, which he does in real life. Me and Steve Merchant pop up as ourselves, just to add some realism. Warwick comes round and says, ‘Doing any more Extras? Got any work?’ And we go, ‘Ooh, no, not really.’ And we try to get rid of him. It’s fantastic. We did some casting today. I’m off to America for some shows and then I come back after that and we shoot a little pilot, just like we did with The Office ten years ago, and then we’ll see.” In an interview with Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
, Davis said that his character is egotistical and suffers from small man syndrome
Napoleon complex
Napoleon complex is an informal term describing an alleged type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people, especially men, who are short in stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of...
, while Gervais said of the character "he refuses to live his life as a disabled person. We're making him empowered but also give him these foibles". He also described it as "Third in our trilogy of TV sitcoms ... another naturalist observational comedy, dealing with everyday problems, human foibles and social faux pas ... but with a dwarf." Gervais also said of the series and of Davis' character: "It's returning to our Office roots of fake documentary ... It follows the life of a showbiz dwarf, Warwick Davis, who's really a showbiz dwarf. He plays a twisted version of himself and he's doing this documentary to try to get his career back on track. He has a big tax bill, he's going through a messy divorce and he's trying to get back his Hollywood career. He's a conniving, back-biting little Napoleon."
Development
Gervais first mentioned Life's Too Short on his blog in February 2010, when he and Merchant were writing and casting the project.The pilot for the comedy was commissioned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in April 2010. Gervais reported on progress in his blog. In April 2010 he stated: "Some reports are saying that the "Life's Too Short" pilot we are shooting in the summer will be aired. It wont [sic]. It is a non-broadcast pilot. We will shoot the whole series before anything is aired. We're not sure how many eps [episodes] we will record (probably 6) and not sure when the series will air."
Gervais wrote on his blog in June 2010 "Found the last location today for Life's Too Short. It feels great doing this project. Just like The Office and Extras. Starting from scratch, just me and Steve in a room crafting a brand new show. It doesn't get better than that for me." He later wrote that filming of the pilot was undertaken in June and July 2010. Gervais commented in July 2010 "Finished the pilot for Life's Too Short too. Just have to write the series now". The series will be produced by Charlie Hanson
Charlie Hanson
Charlie Hanson is a critically acclaimed British producer and director.Charlie Hanson's work as a producer spans over two decades of television drama and comedy...
, who previously produced Extras, and Michelle Farr. The series is executive produced by Gervais and Merchant along with Mark Freeland. On 17 September 2010 the BBC announced, via the BBC Two Controller Janice Hadlow
Janice Hadlow
Janice Hadlow is a British television executive. She is the current controller of the BBC television channel BBC Two, taking over this position in November 2008 having previously been controller of BBC Four....
, and the Controller of BBC Comedy Commissioning Cheryl Taylor, that the six-part series has been commissioned and will be filmed in 2011.
In June 2010, while talking at the Banff World Television Festival, Gervais described Life's Too Short as "the funniest thing we've done." Gervais told The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
"We're having so much fun working with Warwick. Pound for pound he is one of the funniest men I know." Stephen Merchant said of Davis: "Warwick is very funny, a very physical comedian which we really made use of ... He's very charismatic, very charming in it ... I was really pleased. He's a real comic star in waiting."
Gervais reported in his blog on the progress of writing Life's Too Short throughout November 2010: "Had a great week writing Life's Too Short. It's the hardest bit, the most important bit and the most invigorating bit", and in a later entry "Wrote one of the funniest sketches we've ever done for Life's Too Short. Six hours hard labour for a potential two minutes screen time." In January 2011 he reported that he was still working on the scripts for the show, and in February that he and Merchant were trying to finish writing Life's Too Short.
The owner of a house used as a location for the pilot commented on the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House (radio programme)
Broadcasting House is a current affairs programme on BBC Radio 4, presented by Paddy O'Connell. It is broadcast every Sunday between 09:00 and 10:00....
on 30 January 2011 that a scene filmed there had involved Davis and a dog-sized pet flap
Dog door
A dog door is a hinged or spring operated door rather than the more commonly known 'flap' set into a door, wall or window to allow dogs to enter and exit a house on their own without needing a person to open the door. Flaps are hung from the top of the opening and do exactly that - flap. Dog doors...
, and in a February 2011 filmed conversation with American comedian Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
, Gervais told him that he wanted him to appear in Life's Too Short as a version of himself, playing "quite a whiny Upper East Side Jewish guy".
In March 2011 Gervais reported on his blog "Getting ready to film Life's Too Short." Stephen Merchant confirmed that filming would begin in May 2011. Confirmed cast members include Jo Enright
Jo Enright
Jo Enright is an English stand-up comedian and actress who has appeared in a number of television and radio comedy programmes.-Biography:...
, who played Warwick Davis' wife in the pilot, Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson is an English actor, singer, media personality and occasional presenter, best known for his former role as Barry Evans in soap opera EastEnders and as a version of himself in BBC sitcom Extras.- Career :...
, who played himself (known as "Barry
Barry Evans (EastEnders)
Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
off Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
") in Extras, Cat Deeley
Cat Deeley
Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley is an English television presenter and model. Since 2006, Deeley has also been the host of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition...
, Rosamund Hanson
Rosamund Hanson
Rosamund Abigail Hanson is an English film and television actress who played the role of Michelle in 2006 film This Is England and its 2010 television sequel This Is England '86...
, Kiruna Stamell
Kiruna Stamell
Kiruna Stamell is an Australian actress. She was born in Sydney, Australia at the Royal Woman's Hospital and diagnosed with restricted growth .-Life and career:...
and Jamie Dodd. Boxer Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
also asked Gervais to consider casting him in a role.
On 31 March 2011 Gervais confirmed on his blog that "We've basically got first drafts of all seven episodes of Life's Too Short now. Yes seven!". As the pilot has already been filmed, the series will comprise eight shows. On 1 April he stated "Started casting Life's Too Short this week too. So much fun." On 29 April he wrote "Did the last of the casting today on Life's Too Short. Some amazing cameos too. You know about the [Johnny] Depp one, but hopefully we might be able to keep a couple of the other really big ones under wraps. Not just because of the surprise factor but because it takes the focus away from the real meat of the show." On 11 May the cast had their first read-through
Read-through
The read-through, table-read, or table work is a stage of film and theatre production when an organized reading around a table of the screenplay or script by the actors with speaking parts is conducted....
of all seven episodes, and rehearsals started on the week beginning 16 May 2011 with Gervais commenting "We've put together an amazing cast so it should be a joy." Filming started on Monday 30 May 2011.
On 22 June 2011 it was announced that Sting and Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
would be filming cameos for the series. The teaser trailer released on the same day featured Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
, Les Dennis
Les Dennis
Les Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...
and Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson is an English actor, singer, media personality and occasional presenter, best known for his former role as Barry Evans in soap opera EastEnders and as a version of himself in BBC sitcom Extras.- Career :...
as well as the three main stars. On 11 July Gervais hinted on his blog that a Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
-related cameo would be in the show, as well as posting a link to a YouTube video of him and Warwick Davis filmed on the set of Life's Too Short. Earlier in that week he had blogged about how "Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
's favourite character from The Office will make a cameo in Life's Too Short", along with an on-set photograph of actor Ewen MacIntosh who played Big Keith
Keith Bishop (The Office)
Keith Bishop is a fictional character in BBC's The Office, played by Ewen MacIntosh. He works as an accountant for the fictional paper merchants Wernham Hogg, as run by David Brent. An overweight man, his nickname is appropriately 'Big Keith'....
in The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
.
Principal filming ran for eight weeks, ending on 22 July 2011.
Gervais and Davis attended a question and answer session to discuss the making of Life's Too Short at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2011.
A half-hour long documentary, The Making of Life's Too Short, aired on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 5 November 2011, prior to the start of the seven-episode series run on BBC Two on 10 November 2011.
Cast
- Warwick DavisWarwick DavisWarwick Ashley Davis is an English actor. He is most notable for playing the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun film series, as well as for his roles in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and the Harry Potter movies. Davis currently stars in the sitcom Life's Too Short, written...
as himself - Ricky GervaisRicky GervaisRicky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
as himself - Stephen MerchantStephen MerchantStephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
as himself - Jo EnrightJo EnrightJo Enright is an English stand-up comedian and actress who has appeared in a number of television and radio comedy programmes.-Biography:...
as Sue - Rosamund HansonRosamund HansonRosamund Abigail Hanson is an English film and television actress who played the role of Michelle in 2006 film This Is England and its 2010 television sequel This Is England '86...
as Cheryl Wilkins
Cameo appearances
- Helena Bonham CarterHelena Bonham CarterHelena Bonham Carter is an English actress of film, stage, and television. She made her acting debut in a television adaptation of K. M. Peyton's A Pattern of Roses before winning her first film role as the titular character in Lady Jane...
(Episode 3) - Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
- Steve CarellSteve CarellSteven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
(Episode 4) - Keith ChegwinKeith ChegwinKeith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
- Cat DeeleyCat DeeleyCatherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley is an English television presenter and model. Since 2006, Deeley has also been the host of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition...
- Les DennisLes DennisLes Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...
(Episode 4) - Johnny DeppJohnny DeppJohn Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
(Episode 2) - Sophie Ellis-BextorSophie Ellis-BextorSophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer, songwriter, model and occasional DJ. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s...
- Sylvester McCoySylvester McCoySylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to...
- Liam NeesonLiam NeesonLiam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
(Episode 1) - Right Said FredRight Said FredRight Said Fred is an English pop band, formed in 1989 by brothers Richard Fairbrass and Fred Fairbrass, later joined by their friend Rob Manzoli. The group is named after a song of the same name which was a hit for Bernard Cribbins in 1962...
(Episode 4) - Sting
- Shaun WilliamsonShaun WilliamsonShaun Williamson is an English actor, singer, media personality and occasional presenter, best known for his former role as Barry Evans in soap opera EastEnders and as a version of himself in BBC sitcom Extras.- Career :...
a.k.a. "BarryBarry Evans (EastEnders)Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
off EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
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Episodes
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