Mel Smith

Mel Smith (born in Chiswick, London on 3 December 1952) is an English comedian, actor, film director, writer and producer. Smith's father Kenneth was born in Tow Law, County Durham, and worked at a coal mine in the Second World War looking after the pit ponies. After the war he moved to London, and married Smith's mother, whose parents owned a greengrocers store in Chiswick, West London. When the government legalised High Street betting, he turne... more

Mel Smith (born in Chiswick, London on 3 December 1952) is an English comedian, actor, film director, writer and producer. Smith's father Kenneth was born in Tow Law, County Durham, and worked at a coal mine in the Second World War looking after the pit ponies. After the war he moved to London, and married Smith's mother, whose parents owned a greengrocers store in Chiswick, West London. When the government legalised High Street betting, he turned the shop into the first betting shop in Chiswick Smith was born and raised over the shop, and was educated at Hogarth Primary School, Chiswick, Latymer Upper School and New College, Oxford. While at Oxford University he produced The Tempest, and this led to his joining the Royal Court Theatre production team in London, and then Bristol Old Vic. He was also associate director of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre for two years. Later, he directed a theatre production of "Not in Front of the Audience". Also at Oxford, he performed at the Edinburgh... less