Barry Fantoni

Barry Ernest Fantoni (born 28 February 1940) is an author, comic strip cartoonist and jazz musician of Italian and Jewish descent, most famous for his work with the magazine Private Eye, for whom he also created Neasden F.C. As of 2005 he remains a shareholder in the company that owns Private Eye, Pressdram Limited. He has also published books on Chinese astrology.

On 27 January 2007 he debuted on BBC Radio Five Live's Fighting Talk. He scored 28 points thus finishing in last place which is a programme tradition for a debutant. In September 2007 he was a guest on Private Passions, the weekly music discussion programme hosted by Michael Berkeley on BBC Radio 3.^[1]

Fantoni is the cousin of both Roy Deverell the film producer, and John Deverell the tour operator who operated the first-ever charter flights from Britain to the Soviet Union.

E. J. Thribb (17½)

Fantoni is also the creator and writer of poems supposedly penned by one E. J. Thribb—the fictitious poet-in-residence at Private Eye. His poems are usually about recently deceased famous people, and always begin "So, farewell then...".

Thribb also usually mentions the deceased's "catchphrase" or theme song and his poems often feature his friend Keith, or Keith's mum, who usually does something "like" the deceased. The poetry consists of a stream of consciousness which is just broken up into lines.

Selected filmography

• The Strange Affair (1968)

References

External links

• Fighting Talk website
• British Cartoon Archive – University of Kent – biographical page on Barry Fantoni