Addison Cresswell

Addison Lee Cresswell (28 June 1960 – 23 December 2013) was a British comedy talent agent and producer.[2]

Addison Cresswell
Born
Addison Lee Cresswell

(1960-06-28)28 June 1960[1]
Brighton, East Sussex, England
Died23 December 2013(2013-12-23) (aged 53)
London, England
OccupationTalent agent and producer
Spouse(s)Shelly Cresswell (??-2013; his death)

He was notable for finding many stand-up "alternative" comedians at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and at other venues,[3] promoting them and finding spots for them on television and radio over a 30-year period from the 1980s.[1] He has been called "one of the most influential people in British comedy",[4] "arguably the most powerful man in UK comedy" for two decades[5] and "the Darth Vader of the Fringe".[5]

Early life

Cresswell was born in Brighton, East Sussex.[6] His father, Peter Cresswell, was the dean of arts at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His younger brother, Luke, became a founder of the dance and percussion group Stomp.[1] He was educated at St Luke's Primary School (Brighton), Longhill High School (Rottingdean), and Brighton Polytechnic, where he studied graphic design and was the student entertainments officer.[7]

As Ents Officer at Brighton Polytechnic, he booked bands such as U2, Killing Joke, Joy Division, New Order and Madness.[8] He was able to live off the money he made.[5]

Career

He first visited the Edinburgh Fringe in 1982 with Tony Allen.[5]

He founded 'The Comedy Boom' with club promoter and comedian Ivor Dembina (who he'd viewed as a rival[5]) in Edinburgh in 1987.[9] It was the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's first venue for stand-up comedy. They found the venue - the Abercraig Lounge - simply by walking round Edinburgh. The landlord was initially sceptical, but they persuaded him to show them the basement function room and knew it was going to work.[5]

The performance poet and comedian John Hegley was Cresswell's first client. He founded a production company called Wonderdog with Paul Merton and Julian Clary who he had met at 'The Comedy Boom'.[1] His client list went on to include: Sean Lock, Jon Richardson, Jonathan Ross,[10] Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre,[3] Alan Carr, Kevin Bridges and Rich Hall.[1] He was behind Live at the Apollo, which was hosted by Michael McIntyre and Stand Up for the Week on Channel 4 Television from 2010.[10]

He founded and ran the Off the Kerb talent agency which has a television division called 'Open Mike Productions'.[1] He organised the Channel 4 Comedy Gala annually in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital.[2] Off The Kerb was a name he had been using since the early days.[5]

"He liked the idea of being a Svengali figure, like Brian Epstein with The Beatles," said Dembina, but "he wasn't a greedy person. And the thing people forget about Addison is what a brilliant designer he was. He created the most eye-catching posters".[5]

He helped his client Jonathan Ross secure a BBC contract worth £18m. When Ross became involved in the Sachsgate controversy, and lost the prime-time TV slot, it was taken over by Live at the Apollo, a show produced by Cresswell's TV production company, which helped to launch another of Cresswell's clients, Michael McIntyre.[5]

Grave of Addison Cresswell in Highgate Cemetery (West)

Death

Cresswell died of a heart attack on 23 December 2013 at the age of 53;[3][11] Cresswell is survived by his wife, Shelley.[2]

References
  1. Coveney, Michael. "Addison Cresswell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  2. "Addison Cresswell". Off The Kerb. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  3. "Comedy agent Addison Cresswell dies aged 53". BBC. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  4. Walker, Danny. "Jonathan Ross' agent Addison Cresswell has died aged 53". The Mirror. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  5. Venables, Ben (6 June 2017). "How Comedy Captured the Edinburgh Fringe: Part 3". The Skinny. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  6. General Register Office index of births registered in July, August, September 1960 – Name: Addison L. Cresswell District: Kensington, London Volume: 5C Page: 1732.
  7. "Addison Cresswell: 'Larger Than Life' Agent Dies". Sky. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  8. "The 'Art College' Basement: some recollections". Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  9. "How To Promote a Fringe Show". How To Promote a Fringe Show.
  10. Dowell, Ben. "Addison Cresswell – leading agent to top stars like Jonathan Ross – dies suddenly". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  11. Urquhart, Conal. "Addison Cresswell, top agent in British comedy, dies aged 53". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
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