Many people are familiar with Hugh Laurie’s iconic portrayal of Dr. Gregory House, but not everyone knows about his role in the BBC sitcom Blackadder. In each series, Laurie played a different incarnation of the same character, set in various historical periods. He was most prominent in the third and fourth series, where he joined the cast as George, the Prince Regent. Originally, Tim McInnerny was supposed to play this role, but he declined due to fear of being typecast.
Early Days of Hugh’s Career
At this point in his career, Hugh Laurie was still relatively unknown, but his popularity was steadily growing. As George, a dim-witted sidekick to the show’s main character, Laurie had to act quite childish. This persona carried over into his next role as Lt. George, a naive fop who spent three years in the trenches. Both characters are highly incompetent, yet easy to laugh at. Despite their wealth and foolishness, they are aware of their limitations and remain loyal and helpful. However, they never seem to make any real effort towards self-improvement.
Blackadder occupied a significant portion of Laurie’s time throughout the 80s. Afterward, he moved on to other projects, eventually becoming a household name. Laurie began as a guest star in Blackadder II, which led to his role as Prince George. Historically, his appearance differed greatly from George IV, the figure he was modeled after. George IV was obese during his regency, while Laurie has always been quite thin. However, the writers didn’t mind the discrepancy and believed Laurie made the part work. From this point on, his career skyrocketed, and he became a sought-after actor capable of taking on more serious roles. There have been rumors of a potential new Blackadder series, but Laurie’s busy schedule would make it difficult.
Character Personality
Although based on a real person, Laurie’s parody of Prince George fit the character perfectly. In one episode, it took him nearly a week to put on a pair of pants, which somehow ended up on his head. Lt. George, his second incarnation, is also naive and not overly intelligent. Due to his education and social status, he was promoted directly to the role of an officer, a position he was clearly unsuited for. Both versions of George are comical yet tragic, as they are ill-equipped for their stations in life and would not survive without significant help from those around them.
After seeing Laurie in House, it’s hard to imagine him playing a role that isn’t sarcastic and intelligent. However, it’s essential to remember that this was a different time in his career, and he wasn’t the star he is today.
Both the character and the actor received positive responses from critics. Laurie was considered one of the best actors in the entire series, praised for his hilarious and brilliant performance. Even when Lt. George faced the possibility of death and became morose and sad, Laurie’s portrayal was applauded for adding depth to the character.
For many, Hugh Laurie will always be the ill-tempered and sarcastic Dr. House. However, looking back at his time on Blackadder, it’s clear that he was able to pull off one of the most amusing and brainless roles of his life.
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