Quick Facts
Biography
Barry Ernest Fantoni (born 28 February 1940) is an author, cartoonist and jazz musician of Italian and Jewish descent, most famous for his work with the magazine Private Eye, for whom he also created Neasden F.C. He has also published books on Chinese astrology. Fantoni hosted a short lived mid 1960s BBC TV show called "A Whole Scene Going" which won him the title of Male TV Personality of the Year. On 27 January 2007 he debuted on BBC Radio Five Live's Fighting Talk. He scored 28 points thus finishing in last place which is a programme tradition for a debutant. In September 2007 he was a guest on Private Passions, the weekly music discussion programme hosted by Michael Berkeley on BBC Radio 3.
E. J. Thribb (17½)
Fantoni is also the creator and writer of poems supposedly penned by one E. J. Thribb—the fictitious poet-in-residence at Private Eye. His poems are usually about recently deceased famous people, and always begin "So, farewell then...".
Thribb also usually mentions the deceased's "catchphrase" or theme song and his poems often feature his friend Keith, or Keith's mum, who usually does something "like" the deceased. The poetry consists of a stream of consciousness which is just broken up into lines.
Selected filmography
- Just Like a Woman (1967)
- The Strange Affair (1968)
- Otley (1968)
