Melchett
Encyclopedia
Melchett is a family line of fictional character
s appearing in the British television sitcom
series Blackadder
, played by Stephen Fry
. There were two main Melchetts: Lord Melchett and General Melchett.
. He is Lord Chamberlain
to Queen Elizabeth I
. Affectionately known to the Queen as "Melchy", the earnest Lord Melchett has set himself up as her closest personal advisor and is always close to her. He guards his position jealously and is always doing his best to please the Queen. Melchett attends the Annual Communion Wine-Tasting and is also able to officiate at marriage ceremonies, two facts which suggest that he has a career in the church alongside his duties to the Queen.
Lord Melchett's rivalry with Lord Blackadder
is illustrated by such devious deeds as an ill-considered drinking competition ("Beer
"), and Melchett's recommendation to the Queen that Blackadder be made Lord High Executioner ("Head
"), a job which amounts to a death sentence for the applicant. Despite (or perhaps because of) Melchett's toadying, the Queen has an undying affection for Blackadder and often ignores Melchett.
In "Potato
", Melchett pressures Blackadder to sail
around the deadly Cape of Good Hope
, confident that the journey would be fatal. Blackadder agreed, intending to cheat and merely "camp down in the Dordogne
for six months" and get a good suntan
, but somehow ends up in cannibal-filled Australia
instead. He gets the last laugh, however, by eventually returning to a hero
's welcome and giving Melchett (and Sir Walter Raleigh) a "fine wine
from the Far East
" as a souvenir
- which turned out to be a bottle of Baldrick
's urine.
In "Chains
", it is revealed that, as a young man, Melchett had sex with a sheep named Flossie (in fact Prince Ludwig the Indestructible
in disguise) while at a monastery in Cornwall
. He is killed by Prince Ludwig along with the rest of the supporting cast.
of Blackadder, Stephen Fry appeared in the final episode
as The Duke of Wellington
, portrayed as a loud, bellowing and bellicose warmonger with a tendency towards casual violence aimed at the serving classes (in particular the incompetent and buffoonish Prince Regent, who was then disguised as his own butler
). Eventually he kills the Prince Regent thinking he is a butler, meaning Blackadder takes the Prince's throne.
; rather than being the snivelling, slimy, reserved, intelligent, obsequious sycophant that Lord Melchett was, General Melchett is a loud, childish, unintelligent, incompetent, pompous warmonger.
The General Melchett character appearing in Blackadder Goes Forth was something of a popular caricature of World War I
generals like Field Marshal Douglas Haig
in that both his preferred battle tactics and general attitudes towards warfare are stuck firmly in a bygone era. He fails to understand or comprehend the basic concepts of modern trench warfare
and is totally unable to come up with a new strategy that would suit it. Instead he continuously sends men to a senseless death with seemingly no tactics at all. This is parodied in a scene where Haig himself (played by Geoffrey Palmer
) is talking to Captain Blackadder
on the phone. In front of Haig is a model of a trench
with rows of men on either side. He places all the models on top of the trench, then knocks them over with a stick and casually sweeps them into a waste paper bin. Blackadder also comments on this in General Hospital
; in response to General Melchett informing him that a German spy is stealing battleplans, Blackadder sardonically replies, "I didn't realise we had any battle plans."
The General is constantly trying to lift the morale of the men, completely ignorant of the fact that they are too afraid of their impending deaths to have their spirits lifted by a Charlie Chaplin
film or a drag act. Much like Lieutenant George, he has no concept of soldiers' fear, and cannot understand why Blackadder and Captain Darling are reluctant to fight (and presumably die). He also attempted to have Captain Blackadder
shot for eating his (Melchett's) pet carrier pigeon (called Speckled Jim), which he raised from a chick, causing him to have an unfair court-martial for Edmund with him as Judge, tried to marry Lieutenant George (who was in character as drag queen 'Gorgeous Georgina'), and shot Captain Kevin Darling in the foot to provide a believable alibi for undercover hospital work. Despite Blackadder's having shot his pigeon, however, he appears to prefer Blackadder to Darling, at one point asking him to be his best man at his wedding.
It appears the General is a family friend of Lieutenant George's and both make frequent references to traditional upper class life in the UK. This mostly involves heavy overuse of Public School
slang and metaphors as well as references to stereotypical upper class values. There seems to be a hint that Melchett attended Winchester College
as he makes a few references to them facing Harrow
in various sports. Melchett then went to Cambridge University
(as did George himself) with one of George's relatives. General Melchett was at George's six birthday where he set his dog on, ran over, and shot George's rabbit Flossy. Although no reason is given for him doing this, apart from the possibility that he wanted to have some rabbit pie.
General Melchett displays 12 medals on his tunic - in order (with associated post nominal in parenthesis) the Victoria Cross
(VC), Distinguished Service Order
(DSO), Territorial Force War Medal
, Afghanistan Medal
1878-1880, General Service Medal
1918, Egypt Medal
1882-1889, India Medal
1896, Queen's South Africa Medal
1899, King's South Africa Medal
, India General Service Medal
and finally the 1914-15 Star
. He has also been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and henceforth is awarded the title 'Sir'.
In series four, the role of the snivelling sycophant and Blackadder's rival is filled by Captain Darling, who acts as General Melchett's aide and who is always by his side, right up until Melchett sends him to the front line in the series' final episode.
, but it occasionally serves as an indication of his insanity (such as when he says "You need only look at him to see he's as sane as I am. Baaah!"). It is sometimes speculated that the noise is a reference to the character's ancestor Lord Melchett's aforementioned dalliances with sheep.
In a BBC Four
interview broadcast on 17 August 2007 and uploaded by the BBC
to YouTube
, Fry goes into some depth on the "odd history" of Melchett's "Baaah!", explaining that it began as early as his work in student productions of Shakespeare at Queens' College, Cambridge
, where he would produce strange noises in order to amuse the audience. He also notes that Melchett's "Baaah!" can be found in his other acting work (although in a more subtle form), such as Peter's Friends
.
shows Blackadder getting the last laugh, as he tricks both Melchett and the Queen into "autographing" a death warrant that condemns Melchett to be executed, and leaves Blackadder with all his property.
In the same episode, Stephen Fry plays a futuristic character named Lord Frondo, who advises Queen Asphyxia XIX, who is played by Miranda Richardson
, allowing one to infer that he is descended from the Melchetts.
In the millennium
special, Blackadder Back and Forth, Fry reprised the roles of The Duke of Wellington and Lord Melchett, and also played the Roman
General Melchicus (a character very similar to General Melchett) and the modern-day Archbishop Flavius Melchett (a character with slight similarities to both Lord Melchett and General Melchett).
As part of the Cambridge Footlights Revue
1981, "The Cellar Tapes", Stephen Fry performed a monologue named "The Letter" in which a character named Melchett is mentioned.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s appearing in the British television sitcom
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
series Blackadder
Blackadder
Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
, played by Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
. There were two main Melchetts: Lord Melchett and General Melchett.
Blackadder II (Lord Melchett)
The first Melchett appeared in series two of BlackadderBlackadder II
Blackadder II is the second series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986...
. He is Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
to Queen Elizabeth I
Queenie
"Queenie" is a caricature of the historical figure Queen Elizabeth I of England, played by Miranda Richardson in Blackadder II, the second series of the BBC historical sitcom Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England...
. Affectionately known to the Queen as "Melchy", the earnest Lord Melchett has set himself up as her closest personal advisor and is always close to her. He guards his position jealously and is always doing his best to please the Queen. Melchett attends the Annual Communion Wine-Tasting and is also able to officiate at marriage ceremonies, two facts which suggest that he has a career in the church alongside his duties to the Queen.
Lord Melchett's rivalry with Lord Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series Blackadder, each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of British history, each character is part of the same familial...
is illustrated by such devious deeds as an ill-considered drinking competition ("Beer
Beer (Blackadder)
"Beer" is the fifth episode of the BBC sitcom Blackadder II, the second series of Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England from 1558 to 1603. In the episode, an embarrassing incident with a turnip, an ostrich feather and a fanatically Puritan aunt leads to a right royal to-do in the...
"), and Melchett's recommendation to the Queen that Blackadder be made Lord High Executioner ("Head
Head (Blackadder)
"Head" is the second episode of the BBC period comedy Blackadder II, the second series of Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England from 1558 to 1603.-Plot:...
"), a job which amounts to a death sentence for the applicant. Despite (or perhaps because of) Melchett's toadying, the Queen has an undying affection for Blackadder and often ignores Melchett.
In "Potato
Potato (Blackadder)
"Potato" is the third episode of the BBC sitcom Blackadder II, the second series of Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England from 1558 to 1603.-Plot:...
", Melchett pressures Blackadder to sail
Sail
A sail is any type of surface intended to move a vessel, vehicle or rotor by being placed in a wind—in essence a propulsion wing. Sails are used in sailing.-History of sails:...
around the deadly Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
, confident that the journey would be fatal. Blackadder agreed, intending to cheat and merely "camp down in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
for six months" and get a good suntan
Suntan
Can refer to:*Sun tanning* a tan colored military uniform worn typically in the summer* the pants of a such a uniform or of similar design* in fashion, a garment of light-brown color....
, but somehow ends up in cannibal-filled Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
instead. He gets the last laugh, however, by eventually returning to a hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
's welcome and giving Melchett (and Sir Walter Raleigh) a "fine wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
from the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
" as a souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
- which turned out to be a bottle of Baldrick
Baldrick
Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series Blackadder. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil to the lead character...
's urine.
In "Chains
Chains (Blackadder)
"Chains" is the final episode of the BBC sitcom Blackadder II, the second series of Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England from 1558 to 1603. Power-mad and self-professed "master of disguise", Prince Ludwig the Indestructible kidnaps Lord Blackadder and Lord Melchett...
", it is revealed that, as a young man, Melchett had sex with a sheep named Flossie (in fact Prince Ludwig the Indestructible
Prince Ludwig the Indestructible
Prince Ludwig the Indestructible is a fictional character played by Hugh Laurie in the BBC sitcom Blackadder II. He appears in "Chains", the final episode of Blackadder II, as a German master of disguise who kidnaps Lord Blackadder and Lord Melchett, in 1566 and imprisons them in his dungeon under...
in disguise) while at a monastery in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He is killed by Prince Ludwig along with the rest of the supporting cast.
Blackadder 3rd (Duke of Wellington)
Although the character Melchett did not appear in the third seriesBlackadder the Third
Blackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
of Blackadder, Stephen Fry appeared in the final episode
Duel and Duality (Blackadder)
"Duel and Duality" is the sixth and final episode of the third series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder.-Plot:Prince George has finally had a sexual encounter, but to Blackadder's astonishment, it emerges that it was with the two nieces of the Duke of Wellington . Blackadder warns the Prince that...
as The Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, portrayed as a loud, bellowing and bellicose warmonger with a tendency towards casual violence aimed at the serving classes (in particular the incompetent and buffoonish Prince Regent, who was then disguised as his own butler
Mr. E. Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder, Esq. is the main character in the third series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder. He was played by Rowan Atkinson.The series was set in the reign of George III of the United Kingdom . The character is in keeping with the trend of the series Blackadder is lower in rank in this series,...
). Eventually he kills the Prince Regent thinking he is a butler, meaning Blackadder takes the Prince's throne.
Blackadder Goes Forth (General Melchett)
The Melchett dynasty has changed quite a bit in Blackadder Goes ForthBlackadder Goes Forth
Blackadder Goes Forth is the fourth and final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One....
; rather than being the snivelling, slimy, reserved, intelligent, obsequious sycophant that Lord Melchett was, General Melchett is a loud, childish, unintelligent, incompetent, pompous warmonger.
The General Melchett character appearing in Blackadder Goes Forth was something of a popular caricature of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
generals like Field Marshal Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
in that both his preferred battle tactics and general attitudes towards warfare are stuck firmly in a bygone era. He fails to understand or comprehend the basic concepts of modern trench warfare
Trench warfare
Trench warfare is a form of occupied fighting lines, consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are largely immune to the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery...
and is totally unable to come up with a new strategy that would suit it. Instead he continuously sends men to a senseless death with seemingly no tactics at all. This is parodied in a scene where Haig himself (played by Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Palmer (actor)
Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE is an English actor, best known for his roles in sitcoms such as Butterflies and As Time Goes By.-Career:...
) is talking to Captain Blackadder
Captain Blackadder
Captain Edmund Blackadder is the main fictional character in the fourth and final series of the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder, Blackadder Goes Forth...
on the phone. In front of Haig is a model of a trench
Trench
A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground. Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide , and by being narrow compared to their length ....
with rows of men on either side. He places all the models on top of the trench, then knocks them over with a stick and casually sweeps them into a waste paper bin. Blackadder also comments on this in General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
; in response to General Melchett informing him that a German spy is stealing battleplans, Blackadder sardonically replies, "I didn't realise we had any battle plans."
The General is constantly trying to lift the morale of the men, completely ignorant of the fact that they are too afraid of their impending deaths to have their spirits lifted by a Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
film or a drag act. Much like Lieutenant George, he has no concept of soldiers' fear, and cannot understand why Blackadder and Captain Darling are reluctant to fight (and presumably die). He also attempted to have Captain Blackadder
Captain Blackadder
Captain Edmund Blackadder is the main fictional character in the fourth and final series of the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder, Blackadder Goes Forth...
shot for eating his (Melchett's) pet carrier pigeon (called Speckled Jim), which he raised from a chick, causing him to have an unfair court-martial for Edmund with him as Judge, tried to marry Lieutenant George (who was in character as drag queen 'Gorgeous Georgina'), and shot Captain Kevin Darling in the foot to provide a believable alibi for undercover hospital work. Despite Blackadder's having shot his pigeon, however, he appears to prefer Blackadder to Darling, at one point asking him to be his best man at his wedding.
It appears the General is a family friend of Lieutenant George's and both make frequent references to traditional upper class life in the UK. This mostly involves heavy overuse of Public School
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
slang and metaphors as well as references to stereotypical upper class values. There seems to be a hint that Melchett attended Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
as he makes a few references to them facing Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
in various sports. Melchett then went to Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(as did George himself) with one of George's relatives. General Melchett was at George's six birthday where he set his dog on, ran over, and shot George's rabbit Flossy. Although no reason is given for him doing this, apart from the possibility that he wanted to have some rabbit pie.
General Melchett displays 12 medals on his tunic - in order (with associated post nominal in parenthesis) the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(VC), Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO), Territorial Force War Medal
Territorial Force War Medal
The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Services who served overseas in World War I; it is the rarest of the five British Great War medals....
, Afghanistan Medal
Afghanistan Medal (United Kingdom)
The Afghanistan Medal was awarded for the military actions involving the British Army and local Indian units in Afghanistan between 1878–1880. This was the Second Anglo-Afghan War, the first being from 1839–1842....
1878-1880, General Service Medal
General Service Medal
The General Service Medal can refer to any one of the following medals:* General Service Medal * General Service Medal * General Service Medal * General Service Medal * New Zealand General Service Medal 1992...
1918, Egypt Medal
Egypt Medal
The Egypt Medal 1882-1889 was awarded for the military actions involving the British Army during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War. The war become due to the British involvement in Egypt deepened after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and foreign armies mutinied and triggered an anti-European...
1882-1889, India Medal
India Medal
The India Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1896 for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies.The India Medal was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, chiefly for service on the North-West Frontier during 1895 to 1902. This medal replaced the India General...
1896, Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
1899, King's South Africa Medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
, India General Service Medal
India General Service Medal
The India General Service Medal can refer to any one of five medals, each issued by the British government as campaign medals for military service in India, over the course of around 130 years:*Army of India Medal...
and finally the 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
. He has also been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and henceforth is awarded the title 'Sir'.
In series four, the role of the snivelling sycophant and Blackadder's rival is filled by Captain Darling, who acts as General Melchett's aide and who is always by his side, right up until Melchett sends him to the front line in the series' final episode.
"Baaah!"
Melchett shared the trademark bellow "Baaah!" with Fry's earlier portrayal of Wellington, which would be delivered at random intervals for no apparent reason. Fry has put it down to smoker's asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, but it occasionally serves as an indication of his insanity (such as when he says "You need only look at him to see he's as sane as I am. Baaah!"). It is sometimes speculated that the noise is a reference to the character's ancestor Lord Melchett's aforementioned dalliances with sheep.
In a BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
interview broadcast on 17 August 2007 and uploaded 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...
to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, Fry goes into some depth on the "odd history" of Melchett's "Baaah!", explaining that it began as early as his work in student productions of Shakespeare at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, where he would produce strange noises in order to amuse the audience. He also notes that Melchett's "Baaah!" can be found in his other acting work (although in a more subtle form), such as Peter's Friends
Peter's Friends
Peter's Friends is a 1992 British comedy-drama film written by Rita Rudner and her husband Martin Bergman, and directed and produced by Kenneth Branagh....
.
Other Melchetts
Blackadder's Christmas CarolBlackadder's Christmas Carol
Blackadder's Christmas Carol is a one-off episode of Blackadder, a parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is set between Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth , and is narrated by Hugh Laurie...
shows Blackadder getting the last laugh, as he tricks both Melchett and the Queen into "autographing" a death warrant that condemns Melchett to be executed, and leaves Blackadder with all his property.
In the same episode, Stephen Fry plays a futuristic character named Lord Frondo, who advises Queen Asphyxia XIX, who is played by Miranda Richardson
Miranda Richardson
Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....
, allowing one to infer that he is descended from the Melchetts.
In the millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
special, Blackadder Back and Forth, Fry reprised the roles of The Duke of Wellington and Lord Melchett, and also played the Roman
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
General Melchicus (a character very similar to General Melchett) and the modern-day Archbishop Flavius Melchett (a character with slight similarities to both Lord Melchett and General Melchett).
As part of the Cambridge Footlights Revue
Cambridge Footlights Revue
The Cambridge Footlights Revue is an annual revue by the Footlights Club - a group of comic writer-performers at the University of Cambridge. Two of the more notable revues are detailed below.-"A Clump of Plinths" — "Cambridge Circus":...
1981, "The Cellar Tapes", Stephen Fry performed a monologue named "The Letter" in which a character named Melchett is mentioned.