Ronnie Corbett, Half of Comedy’s ‘Two Ronnies,’ Dies at 85

This is a Feb. 16, 2012 file photo of of British comedian Ronnie Corbett after he received his Commander of the British Empire (CBE), at Buckingham Palace in London. British comedian Ronnie Corbett, half of much-loved duo The Two Ronnies, has died at the age of 85. Rebecca Naden/PA via AP

LONDON—British comedian Ronnie Corbett, half of much-loved duo The Two Ronnies, has died at the age of 85, his publicist said.

Paul Sullivan said Corbett died Thursday “surrounded by his loving family.” The cause of death wasn’t disclosed.

Born in Edinburgh on Dec. 4, 1930, Corbett had stage, film and cabaret roles before coming to prominence on David Frost’s satirical 1960s TV show “The Frost Report.” One classic sketch—still frequently used to illustrate Britain’s class system—teamed 5-foot 1-inch Corbett, the taller comedian Ronnie Barker, and the towering John Cleese to represent the working, middle and upper classes.

In 1971 Corbett teamed up with Barker for a sketch show, “The Two Ronnies.” It ran for a dozen series over 16 years and at its peak had 17 million viewers.

And it's good night from Ronnie Corbett. Thanks for all the laughs mate.

— Russel Crowe