I can’t believe that Ken Campbell is dead, or that he was only 66. But it says so in his obituary, so it must be true.
I saw two of his live performances, one-man shows… one in Deptford and another in a tent on Blackheath. Both were wonderful. He was a master of surreal storytelling, he had the audience in the palm of his hands on both occasions.
I also remember a story that he almost halted recording of the second radio series of The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because he was unable to deliver the line “Marvin’s got Poodoo” (or similar) without collapsing in laughter. Douglas Adams – who wrote it – and Geoffrey Perkins – who produced it – are dead too. Sad sad sad.