- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDermot John Morgan
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Dermot went to University College Dublin, where he studied English and Philosopy. In 1974 he took up a teaching post, but left 2 years later to persue the comedy career that he had started at university. In 1979 his first introduction to TV came with an appearance on "Live Mike" on RTE television as Fr. Trendy, a catholic priest who was religiously hip. He became a regular for the next 4 years. His career took a slump in the mid-eighties, when his humour didn't fit in with the views of RTE who controlled the media in Ireland at the time. In 1988 he set up his own production company, Cue Productions and began work on a radio show called "Scrap Saturday". This show lampooned Irish politicians, and allowed him to use his wonderful talent for mimicry. In 1991, at the height of it's success the show was cancelled by RTE. He remained angry about the cancellation of the show for many years. He returned to doing stand up comedy. In 1995 he started his most popular show, "Father Ted" which won him several awards. He had just completed the third series of "Father Ted" when he died.
- IMDb mini biography by: <cormacj@vincents.ie>
- SpouseSuzanne (divorced, 2 children)
- Best known for his role as Father Ted Crilly in the sitcom Father Ted (1995)
- His ability to do flawless impersonations of well-known figures
- Grey hair
- Thick full head of hair
- Dark, heavy eyebrows
- Just weeks before his death, he said that he did not want to continue playing the role of Father Ted for fear of being typecast and had written a new TV drama series that was in the process of being made.
- Had a habit of phoning in to Irish chat shows (especially the Late Late Show (1962)) when well-known politicians were appearing and willing to answer questions from the public. Would proceed to ask a pertinent political question in their own voice.
- Was a full-time teacher at St Michael's College, Dublin before he started his comedy career.
- Had two sons Don and Bobby from his first marriage to his long-term sweetheart Suzanne. For the last 11 years he lived with Fiona, the mother of his son Ben at their home in Richmond.
- He and his partner, Fiona, had been hosting a dinner party for friends at their home in Richmond, South-west London, when he collapsed and suffered what is believed to have been a heart attack late on Saturday night.
- My standard response to people asking me, 'Will you hear my confession, Father?' is, 'I only handle the heavy stuff. So if it's just stealing from your mother's purse, forget it. But if you've been a senior member of the Conservative Party, I'll hear it.'
- Before Ted, my fame ended at Howth. There's something disingenuous about comedians saying, 'Oh, fame's so heavy.' Obviously sometimes it's intrusive, but it's ungrateful to bellyache about the effects of fame if you've actively sought it. If you don't like it, then piss off and sell insurance.
- It doesn't at first glance look like a winner. But people like the characters. If you want the audience to stick with you, you have to have attractive characters. Dougal and Ted are an idiot who knows nothing and an idiot who thinks he knows something but actually knows nothing. Ted is an Everyman guy, bumbling through life with a half-wit - half may even be overstating the fraction.
- Things that give us a good laugh are not that plentiful. OK, political life gives us enormous laughs. As a professional comedian, one feels miffed that the amateurs are upstaging us. I had a satirical radio show on RTE, and it was getting harder and harder to outstrip reality.
- One trendy priest had a cut at us in an article. But the reasons why he didn't like it can't have been cogent, or they would have stayed with me. The Church has greater problems than Father Ted. It's a spent force. I've heard they have zero admissions at some seminaries. I'm old enough to recall the clout they had in the 1960s, when people used to talk about 'the belt of a crozier' whenever they cracked down on secular society. Now I genuinely sympathise with priests for what is a largely untenable position. Anyone suggesting that it is the infallible will of the Church that priests should remain celebate is talking nonsense. That is going to do far more damage than Father Ted.
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