by Steve Coogan
Comedy Store 266, 281, 282
Comic Strip Presents …, The 297
Connery, Sean 176, 253
Conservative Party 76, 128, 144, 226, 227, 229, 236, 265, 274, 278, 305, 314
Coogan, Brendan (brother) 110, 112, 115, 121, 123, 141, 209, 210, 221–2, 223
Coogan, Clare (sister) v, 3, 26, 89, 90, 91, 101, 103, 105, 107, 108, 110, 121–2, 123, 141, 162, 179, 213, 217, 220, 223, 269
Coogan, David (brother) 110, 121, 123, 131, 157, 189, 205, 213
Coogan, Kathleen (mother):
birth 97
Catholicism 122–3, 124, 143, 211
character 117–18, 145, 154–5
childhood 97, 129
class and 93, 95–6, 129
eightieth birthday 36
family background 96. 97–8
fiftieth wedding anniversary 94
football, love of 118
fostering of children 102, 136, 139–44
holidays in Ireland 111
humour 118
Irish Troubles and 226
James Anderton and 117–18
maiden name 97
marriage 101, 118, 119, 151, 166
meets husband 100–1
Morris Minor 155
musical taste 217–18
politics 226–7
running of Coogan household during SC’s childhood 102, 103, 104, 105, 111, 112, 154–5, 170
SC’s meningitis and 157, 158, 159–60
SC’s teenage sexuality and 181, 182, 183, 184, 185
SC’s success and 5, 33, 169, 278–9
Coogan, Kevin (brother) 108, 109, 112–13, 121, 122, 123, 160, 186, 195, 210, 237
Coogan, Martin (brother) 102, 110, 112, 114, 116, 121, 123, 125, 136, 144, 179, 191, 203, 213, 214–15, 216, 217, 218, 223, 225, 259
Coogan, Nana (paternal grandmother) 97–8, 158
Coogan, Patricia (aunt) 225, 236–7
Coogan, Peter (uncle) 98, 99, 221–2, 228
Coogan, Pierce ‘Pop’ (paternal grandfather) 97, 98, 99, 100
Coogan, Steve:
acting career ix, 8, 15–16, 17, 18, 22–5, 34, 49, 51, 52, 59, 60, 61–3, 64–72, 161–2, 228, 284 see also Manchester Polytechnic and under individual film or TV show name
agents v, 12, 13, 28, 261, 263, 275, 279, 286, 291
audiences and 4, 8, 10, 16, 148–50, 249, 266, 267, 276, 278, 279, 281, 284, 290, 312–13, 315, 316
awards 4, 32–5, 43, 65, 117, 250, 255, 330, 331, 336–7, 338–9, 340
birth 121
birthdays, childhood 130–2
Brighton, life in 6, 56, 75, 158
cars, love of 105, 124, 127, 155, 204–5, 211–12, 213, 268–9, 318, 338
Catholicism and ix, 17–18, 30, 31, 36–9, 40, 41, 42–3, 44, 89–91, 93, 96, 98, 107, 108, 122–5, 126, 143, 164, 170, 181, 188, 196, 201–3, 210–11, 222, 226, 269, 293
characters, comedy see under individual character name
childhood ix, x, 5, 17–18, 43, 89–92, 93–110, 111–19, 120–9, 130–232
cinema and 109, 132, 133, 171, 175, 180–1, 185, 195, 201, 202, 209, 225
class and x, 5, 17, 19, 20, 26, 83, 84, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 128, 137, 170, 174–5, 177, 210, 214, 227, 240, 265, 288, 298
collaboration, preference for 26, 251–2
Coogan name 97
corporal punishment, experience of in childhood 195, 196–7, 198, 201, 207, 221
corporate gigs 269, 276, 315
creative angst 11–12
Daily Mail and 22, 75, 80, 85, 95
decision to be true to self 14–15
drama schools, applies to 236–45, 246 see also Manchester Polytechnic, studies drama at
drug taking x, 7, 46, 331–5
Edinburgh Festival and see Edinburgh Festival
education/intelligence/academic record and 18, 114, 160–1, 163–5, 196, 199, 208, 230–1, 235, 239, 240
Englishness and 173–5
equality of opportunity, on British problem with 264–5
fame and ix, 34, 73, 294, 317
film work see under individual film name
finances 3, 4, 11, 73, 81, 82, 89, 90, 99, 102–3, 104, 105, 113, 222, 235, 236, 250, 251, 252, 258, 263, 267–9, 271, 279, 281, 317, 335, 338
fraud, feeling like a 11–12, 14
funniest performance 309–10
Greater Manchester Theatre Company 240–2
guilt, feelings of 83, 108, 181, 269, 271, 288, 290, 293, 318
holidays, childhood 90–2, 105–7, 109–10, 111–12, 333
impressions/voices ix, 11, 12, 64, 148, 166, 185–6, 191, 203, 204, 239, 253, 258–9, 260, 261, 262, 263, 265, 267, 270, 271–4, 275, 278, 280, 285, 286–7, 296, 299, 303, 324, 325, 330, 331
inferiority complex 299–300
jobs 99, 254–5, 256–7, 258
kiss-and-tell stories and 74–6
lateness 220, 312, 319, 328
Leveson Inquiry and 82, 83
loss of memory during childhood after bicycle accident 113–14
Lourdes, childhood trip to 89–91
love/sex life and 6–7, 12, 36, 70, 75–6, 80, 85, 91, 94, 102, 111–12, 115, 117, 130, 131, 141, 172, 180–5, 202, 207, 208–10, 212, 255–6, 281, 292–4, 317, 326
managers and 275–6, 280
Manchester Polytechnic, studies drama at 8, 242–4, 246–8, 250–7, 258, 261, 262, 263–5, 268, 291, 299, 300, 308
media and 6–7, 46, 73–85
meningitis, childhood 114, 157–8
middle age, effect of approach upon 95
music and 90, 125–6, 211, 213, 214–18
name 231–2
News International, sues 76–8, 79–83, 85
nostalgia for childhood 105–6
Owen Wilson alleged suicide attempt and 75
parents and see Coogan, Kathleen (mother) and Coogan, Tony (father)
patriotism and 174
Philomena and 36–9, 123
philanthropy/duty and 108
phone hacking and 76, 77–8, 79–85
poetry and 36, 62, 163, 230
politics and 76, 93, 128, 131, 144, 176–8, 190–1, 226–7, 228–9, 235–6, 240, 241, 254, 264, 265, 272, 273, 274, 277, 278, 302, 305, 312, 314–15
postmodernism and 54, 61, 285, 288–9
practicality 112, 113
press regulation and 83–4
radio appearances see under individual radio show name
Rhodes residency, 1991 13–14, 295
schooldays 18, 89–92, 113, 114, 161–2, 163–5, 190, 220–1, 226
screenwriting see Alpha Papa and Philomena
self-doubt 18–19, 193, 237, 318
silliness/fooling around in childhood 166–9
snobbery and 19, 90, 170, 173, 199, 213, 216–17
stagehand, Royal Exchange Theatre 256–7, 258
stand-up ix, 3–7, 8–16, 117, 169, 251, 252, 258, 259–61, 262, 264, 266–7, 278, 279–82, 287, 292, 306–7, 317–18, 321–4, 327–8, 327–30 see also under individual gig or venue name
style 135–6, 137–8, 194–5, 281–2, 339
success and failure, reaction to 8, 30–1, 65–7, 339–40
therapy 73, 333, 334
TV, first appears on 259–61
TV, influence upon as a child 170–8, 179–80
TV shows see under individual TV show name
voiceover artist 11, 171, 258, 259, 261–2, 263, 267, 271–2, 283
Coogan, Tommy (uncle) 98, 99
Coogan, Tony (father):
appearance 100, 118–19
as authority figure during SC’s childhood 116, 117, 167, 168, 218, 219, 222
birth 97
Catholicism 98, 122–3, 124, 132, 210, 211, 222
‘charmer’ 118–19
childhood 97, 98, 99, 100, 102–3
cinema and 132
conservative style 111, 134–6, 137–8, 155, 156, 217–18
contradictions within nature of 223
egalitarian character 123
Ency
clopedia Britannica and 93, 170
family background 96, 97–8
family holidays and 109, 110, 209
fiftieth wedding anniversary 94
fostering of children 102, 139–44
grammar, emphasis on importance of 93, 94, 163
house fire and 223–4
humour 191
IBM job 20, 101–2, 110, 112, 114, 123, 134, 135, 151, 153–4
Knowing Me Knowing You, reaction to 317
lateness 225
marriage 101, 102, 118, 119
media stories about SC, reaction to 117
meets wife 100
morality and 122, 135, 139, 228–9
Morris Oxford 103, 132, 135, 155, 156
musical taste 217–18
Philomena and 36–9, 123
politics 226–7, 228–9
practical nature 20, 101–2, 110, 112, 113, 118, 120–1, 152–4, 155, 168, 171, 286
questioning of received wisdom 222–3
Round Table and 224–5
sax playing 99, 101
SC’s comedy characters and 286
SC’s meningitis and 157, 158, 159
SC’s prurience/silliness and 166–9, 181, 219
SC’s success and 117, 169, 278–9, 317
SC’s teenage sexuality and 183
science and technology, belief in 132, 134–5, 145–6, 222
Second World War and 98
talkative character 120–1
telephone manner 219
temper 116
TV comedy and 191–2
Volvo car 109, 122, 154, 155–6, 246
Coogan and Hayley’s Seaside Special 280–1
Coogan’s Run 256, 260
Coonan, Bernard (uncle) 111, 134
Coonan, Nana (maternal grandmother) 75, 97, 185
Coonan, Pop (maternal grandfather) 97
Corbett, Harry H. 192
Corbett, Ronnie 259, 273, 280
Cornfeld, Stuart 34
Cottrell Boyce, Frank 174
Coulson, Andy 75–6, 77, 80, 84
Courtenay, Tom 237
Coward, Noël: The Vortex 263–4, 265
Crosby, Stills and Nash 217
Cruise, Tom 71
Curtis, Tony 172
Dacre, Paul 80, 85
Dad’s Army 58, 173, 305
Daily Mail 22, 75, 80, 85, 95
Daily Mirror 73–4, 78
Daily Telegraph 84
David, Larry 174
Davies, Nick 80, 83
Davies, Windsor 181
Davis, Julia 3, 4, 6, 55
Davy, John 13
Dawkins, Richard 42
Dawson, Les 97, 99, 175–6, 191, 289
Day Today, The 270, 296, 306, 307, 308, 309–10, 317, 318, 339
Day, Simon 287
de La Fontaine, Jean 188
De La Salle Brothers/De La Salle Foundation 97, 195
De Niro, Robert 259, 337
Dead Good Show, The 324
Dench, Judi 20, 22, 24, 30, 44, 118
Des O’Connor Show 275–6
Desplat, Alexandre 33
Diana, Princess 321
Disorderly, Duncan (SC comedy character) 287, 304
Dixon, Anthony 185
Doctor Who 176
Dodd, Ken 276
Dog Day Afternoon 50
Doonican, Val 214
Dowler, Gemma 84, 85
Dowler, Milly 76, 79, 80, 82–3, 84
Downton Abbey 174–5
Dr No 185, 253
Duff, Graham 56
Dum Show, The 318, 332
Durst, Will 280
Earle, Kenneth 275–6
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (Biskind) 172
Eddisford, Maurice 143, 184
Eddisford, Michelle 184
Edge, The 45
Edinburgh Festival 9
1988 269–70
1989 280–1
1990 9–12
1991 12–13
1992 12, 13, 14, 117, 250, 255, 287, 292, 317–18, 321–4, 327–8, 331–5, 336–9
1995 291
Edmondson, Ade 191
Elephant Man, The 34
Elizabeth II, Queen 226, 272
Elton, Ben 190, 261, 272, 275, 276, 277
Emmy Awards 33
Enfield, Harry 272, 281, 286–7
Equity card 8, 252, 259
Fast Show, The 255
Fawcett-Majors, Farrah 213
Fawlty Towers 4, 58, 173, 186, 189–90, 305, 339
Fellowes, Julian 174–5
Fellows, Graham: Guide to Stardom 337, 338
Ferrell, Will 17
Ferrino, Tony (SC comedy character) 3, 276
Festen 29
Financial Times 80
First Exposure 259–60, 262, 266, 280
Firth, Tim 266
Fix, The 48, 265
Fleetwood Mac 213
Fluck, Peter 258
Foot, Michael 235, 236–7
Fox Searchlight 48
Foxx, John 216
Francis, Alan 246, 291
Francis, Pope 38–9, 40–1, 42, 44
Frears, Stephen 20, 30, 36, 38, 84
Free Trade Hall, Manchester 126
French and Saunders 297
Friday Night Live 275
Front, Rebecca 295, 299, 301, 303
Frost, Nick 300
Fry, Stephen 84, 261, 272, 275
Fun Boy Three 211
Gallagher, Liam 27
Gallery 369, Edinburgh 329, 338
Gallery, Neil 253
Galton, Ray 192, 193
Gannet, Gavin (SC comedy character) 286, 304, 328
general election:
1979 209, 227
1983 235–6
1992 274
Generation Game, The 173
Generation X 214
Genesis 213
Gervais, Ricky 70–1
Gibbons, Neil 26, 52–4, 55, 83, 148
Gibbons, Rob 26, 52–4, 55, 83, 148
Gide, André 69
Gilbert, Colin 251
Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh 11, 329
Gleeson, Brendan 51
Glover, Jon 286
Good Life, The 173, 190
Goon Show, The 168, 191, 236, 297
Gorman, Dave 329
Gort, Sandy 10, 261, 263, 275
Granada TV 12–13, 162, 239, 262, 263, 287, 324
Granada Up Front 12–13
Grant, Hugh 84, 85
Grease 90, 217
Greater Manchester Theatre Company 240–4
Green, Theresa 182
Greenroom, Manchester 259, 280, 329
Greenall, Simon 250, 251, 252–3, 255
Greengrass, Paul 20, 48, 265
Guardian 14, 17, 22, 72, 79, 80, 83, 150, 254
Guildford pub bombings, 1974 98
Hacked Off 84–5
Hague, William 227
Haircut 100 211
Hammer Horror 180
Hancock, Nick 288
Hancock, Tony 58, 191, 192, 297
Hancock’s Half Hour 191, 192
Happy Mondays 60
Hardee, Malcolm 266, 267
Harding, Keith 201
Hardy, Thomas 188
Hardwicke, Edward 239
Hardy, Jeremy 337
Hare, David 84
Harries, Andie 324
Harris, Rolf 273
Harry, Debbie 213
Hartley, L. P.: The Go-Between 95, 112, 184
Harvey, Marcus 291
Harvey, Miles 291
Hayley, Mike 280, 281
Hazlegrove, Jane 237
Healey, Denis 34
Heath, Edward ix, 203
Heaven 17 211
Hennessey, Brother David 202, 203, 206, 210, 227
Henry VIII, King 126, 127
Herring, Richard 280, 295, 296, 303, 318
Heseltine, Michael 259, 272
Hesketh-Harvey, Kit 281
Hess, Michael 28
Hill, Ben
ny 142, 181
Hill, Bernard 250
Hirst, Damien 291–2
Hollywood 17, 28, 47–9, 59, 70–1, 287
Hooper, Tom 32
Howarth, Mrs 143, 144
Howe, Geoffrey 272
Hughes, Sean: A One Night Stand 12
Human League, The 90, 211, 216
Hunt, Gareth 172
Hurd, Douglas 272
Hurt, John 176
Hutton, Will 84
Hytner, Nic 256
I, Partridge 147–8
Iannucci, Armando:
Alpha Papa and 46, 49, 53, 54
education 18, 299, 308
I’m Alan Partridge and 252
Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge and 311, 312, 315, 319
On the Hour and 18, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 301–2, 303, 304, 306, 308
SC writing process with 26
SC’s relationship with 301–2
IBM 101–2, 110, 112, 123, 134, 135, 151, 153–4
I’m Alan Partridge 3, 4, 7, 15, 57–8, 250, 252, 302, 319
Ickler, Ernest (SC comedy character) 304
Independent 80, 329–30
Independent Talent v, 28
Industrial Revolution 94, 115, 227
IRA 98–9, 226–7, 228
Ireland 52
Philomena and 19, 21, 26, 37, 38, 39, 40–1, 44, 45
SC’s ancestry and 37, 93, 96–100
SC’s childhood holidays in 17–18, 26, 40, 105–7, 108–10, 111, 147, 221–2, 228, 333
Troubles and 98–9, 130, 226–7, 228
ITV 20, 172, 173, 176, 237, 258, 271
Izzard, Eddie 282
Jam, The 90
Jarre, Jean Michael 216
Jefferies, Christopher 84
Jeffrey Dahmer is Unwell 291
Jerry Springer: The Opera 280
Jobs, Steve 135
Jóhannsson, Jóhann: IBM 1401, A User’s Manual 101–2
John Paul II, Pope 40
Jones, Bernadette 40, 210, 211, 212, 281
Jones, Maggie 281
Jones, Mar 201–2
Jones, Terry 163, 176, 186
Jongleurs 13, 266, 281
Joy Division 213
Joyce, James 106
Karcher, Monsignor Guillermo 43, 44
Keane, Roy 118
Keats, John 69
Keelan, Claire 69
Kempinska, Maria 13
Kennedy, John F. 120
Kes 177, 197
Key, Tim 54, 55
Kick up The Eighties, A 191, 251
Kidd, Jerry 125
King Jr, Martin Luther 159
Kinnock, Neil 261, 271, 272, 273, 274
‘kiss-and-tell’ stories 74–5
Kit & the Widow 281
Knibb, Mike 112
Knibb, Mrs 112, 113
Knibb, Timmy 112
Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge:
birth of idea 311–12
complaints from listeners to radio series 313–14
radios series 58, 193, 294, 306, 312–16, 317, 318–19, 321, 329–30, 338, 339
title 311
title music 3–4
TV series of 54, 294
