Hal Roach

Comedy A typical Hal Roach joke is as follows: "He told me that I have a cult following, at least I think that's what he said".

Another- "There is a man sitting in the middle of the road casting his fishing line... now none of us is perfect, but c'mon! So I asked him, "How many have you caught today?" He said, "You're the ninth."

Perhaps his most famous catchphrase is "Write it down, it's a good one!".

He was a regular panelist on the 1970s RTÉ television show What's My Line? which was based on the original American version of the same name.

Roach has been cited as a major influence by other comedians such as Brendan Grace.

Death After suffering from a long bout of ill health, Roach died on 28 February 2012. The following month, RTÉ broadcast a tribute to Roach in one of its graveyard slots, a repeat airing of a programme from the That's Entertainment series first broadcast in 1972.

Recordings Albums The King of Blarney Irish Records We Irish Talk Like That Irish Records/Ceol He Must Be Joking Irish Records/Ceol/Rajon I Think I'm Having One of My Turns Cabaret Records An Audience With Irish Records/Ceol/Rajon The Best of Irish Humour Grainne Music/Ceol/Rajon Hal Roach & Friends Ovation Write It Down Grainne Music/Rajon It's That Man Again! Grainne Music/Rajon He's at It Again Grainne Music/BMG/Rajon

DVDs/videos Hal Roach It's himself Live at Jurys Cabaret Sony BMG An Audience With Hal Roach, The King of Blarney Emdee Hal Roach The King of Irish Comedy (2005) Irish Records (double-DVD) Tony Kenny's Ireland - The Green Island (guest appearance)

Books Ireland's International Comedian: Hal Roach (His Greatest Collection of Irish Humour and Wit, featuring the "Unnecessary Sayings" of the Irish in conversation) (1995) Folens Party Laughs (1995) Grainne Music