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{{Infobox actor
| name = Stephen Fry
| image = Stephen Fry.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| caption = Fry in "''Happy Birthday to GNU'' (2008)"
| birthname = Stephen John Fry
| birthdate = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1957|08|24}}
| birthplace = [[London]], [[England]]
| othername =
| occupation = [[Actor]], [[comedian]], [[writer]], [[television presenter]],
| yearsactive = 1980s-present
| domesticpartner =
| website = http://www.stephenfry.com
| emmyawards = '''[[Emmy Awards|Best International Documentary Emmy Award]]'''<br>2007 ''[[Stephen Fry#Television|The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive]]''
| sagawards = '''[[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Cast - Motion Picture]]'''<br>2001 ''[[Gosford Park]]''}}

'''Stephen John Fry''' (born 24 August 1957) is an [[England|English]] [[actor]], [[comedian]], [[author]] and [[television presenter]]. With [[Hugh Laurie]], as the comedy double act [[Fry and Laurie]], he co-wrote and co-starred in ''[[A Bit of Fry and Laurie]]'', and the duo also played the title roles in ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]''. Fry played the lead in the film ''[[Wilde (film)|Wilde]]'', was [[Melchett]] in the ''[[Blackadder]]'' television series and is the host of the panel comedy trivia show, ''[[QI]]''. He has contributed columns and articles for newspapers and magazines, and has written four novels and an autobiography, ''[[Moab Is My Washpot]]''. He has also presented his [[2008 in television|2008]] television series ''[[Stephen Fry in America]]'', which saw him travelling across all 50 [[U.S. state|states]] in six episodes.

==Early life==
Fry was born in [[Hampstead|Hampstead, London]], the son of Marianne Eve ([[married and maiden names|née]] Newman) and Alan John Fry, who was an [[England|English]] [[physicist]] and inventor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/71/Stephen-Fry.html|title=Stephen Fry Biography (1957-)|publisher=Filmreference.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref><ref name=whothink>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/wdytya_s2_celeb_gallery_03.shtml|title="Who Do You Think You Are?", Series Two: Celebrity Gallery}}</ref> His maternal grandparents, Martin and Rosa Neumann<ref name=whothink/> were [[Jew]]ish immigrants from [[Surany]], [[Slovakia]],<ref name=whothink/><ref>{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Alan|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article507549.ece|title=Candles light heart of darkness - Times Online|publisher=Times Online|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> and his mother's aunt and cousins were killed in [[Auschwitz concentration camp|Auschwitz]].<ref name=whothink/> Fry grew up in the village of [[Booton, Norfolk|Booton]] near [[Reepham, Norfolk|Reepham]], [[Norfolk]], having moved from [[Chesham]], [[Buckinghamshire]] when very young. Fry would have been brought up in the [[United States]] had his father not turned down a job at [[Princeton University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/stephen-fry-in-america-1502893.html|title=Stephen Fry in America|date=October 18 2008|publisher=Independent.ie|date=2008-10-18|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

Fry briefly attended Cawston Primary School, Cawston, Norfolk, described later in his 1997 book ''Moab Is My Washpot'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cawstonparish.info/Web%20Sites%20&%20Books%20About%20Cawston.htm|title=Cawston Parish in Norfolk|publisher=Cawstonparish.info|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> before going on to [[Stouts Hill]] Preparatory School and then to [[Uppingham School]], [[Rutland]], where he joined [[Fircroft]] house. <!--He never attended Gresham's School in Holt. He has said this himself in his book 'Stephen Fry in America', as well as even coming to this article himself to remove that information about a year ago. And yet still people insist on editing this false information back in. Please stop. --> He was [[Expulsion (academia)|expelled]] from [[Uppingham School|Uppingham]] when he was fifteen, and subsequently from [[Paston College#Paston School|the Paston School]]. At seventeen, after leaving Norfolk College of Arts and Technology, Fry absconded with a [[credit card]] stolen from a family friend, was arrested in [[Swindon]], and as a result spent three months in [[Ashfield (HM Prison)|Pucklechurch Prison]] for [[fraud]].<ref name="Moab">
{{cite book| last = Fry| first = Stephen | authorlink = Stephen Fry | title = Moab Is My Washpot&nbsp;— An Autobiography | publisher = [[Hutchinson (publisher)|Hutchinson]] | location = London | year = 1997 | pages = 305–335 | isbn = 0091801613}}</ref> Following his release he resumed education at [[City College Norwich|Norwich City College]], promising administrators that he would study rigorously to sit the [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] entrance exams. He passed well enough to gain a scholarship to [[Queens' College, Cambridge]]. At Cambridge, Fry gained a degree in [[English literature]], joined the [[Footlights|Cambridge Footlights]], and appeared on ''[[University Challenge]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php/University_Challenge|title=University Challenge page at UK Game Shows}}</ref> It was at the Footlights that Fry met his future comedy collaborator Hugh Laurie.

==Career==
===Television===
Fry's career in television began with the 1982 broadcasting of ''[[The Cellar Tapes]]'', the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue which was written by Fry, [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Emma Thompson]] and [[Tony Slattery]]. The revue caught the attention of [[Granada Television]], who, keen to replicate the success of the [[BBC]]'s ''[[Not the Nine O'Clock News]]'', hired Fry, Laurie and Thompson to star alongside [[Ben Elton]] in ''[[There's Nothing to Worry About!]]'' A second series, re-titled ''[[Alfresco (TV series)|Alfresco]]'', was broadcast in 1983 and a third in 1984; it established [[Fry and Laurie]]'s reputation as a comedy double act. In 1983, the BBC offered them their own show, which became ''[[The Crystal Cube]]'', a mixture of science fiction and mock documentary that was axed after the first episode. Undeterred, Fry and Laurie appeared in an episode of ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]'' in 1984, and Fry in Ben Elton's 1985 series, ''[[Happy Families (TV series)|Happy Families]]''. In 1986 and 1987 Fry and Laurie also performed sketches on the LWT/Channel 4 show ''[[Saturday Live Channel 4 Show|Saturday Live]]''.

Forgiving Fry and Laurie for ''The Crystal Cube'', the BBC commissioned a sketch show in 1986 that was to become ''[[A Bit of Fry and Laurie]]''. The programme ran for 26 episodes spanning four series between 1986 and 1995, and was very successful. During this time Fry starred in ''[[Blackadder II]]'' as Lord [[Melchett]], made a guest appearance in ''[[Blackadder#Series 3: Blackadder the Third|Blackadder the Third]]'' as the [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]], then returned to a starring role in ''[[Blackadder Goes Forth]]'' as General Melchett. In 1988, he became a regular contestant on the popular [[improvisational comedy]] radio show ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]''. However, when it moved to television, he only appeared three times: twice in the first series and once in the ninth.

Between 1990 and 1993, Fry starred as [[Jeeves]] (alongside Hugh Laurie's [[Bertie Wooster]]) in ''[[Jeeves and Wooster]]'', 23 hour-long adaptations of [[P.G. Wodehouse]]'s novels and short stories.

In 2000, Fry played the role of Professor Bellgrove in the BBC serial ''[[Gormenghast (TV serial)|Gormenghast]]'' which was an adaptation of the first two novels of [[Mervyn Peake]]'s [[Gormenghast series]].

====''QI''====
In 2003, he began hosting ''[[QI]]'', an intellectual panel game that has become one of the most-watched entertainment programmes on British television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qi.com/tv/audience.php|title=QI Audience Statistics}}</ref> In 2006, he won the [[Rose d'Or]] award for "Best Game Show Host" for his work on the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000410/awards|title=IMDB: Stephen Fry — Awards|publisher=Imdb.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

====Other series====
A foray into documentary-making has seen Fry fronting the [[Emmy Award]]-winning ''[[The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive]]'' in 2006, and in 2007 a documentary on the subject of HIV and AIDS, ''[[HIV and Me]]''. Also in 2006, he appeared in the genealogy series ''[[Who Do You Think You Are?]]'', tracing his family tree to discover his [[Slovaks|Slovak]] [[Jewish]] ancestry. His six-part travel series ''[[Stephen Fry in America]]'' began on [[BBC One]] on 12 October 2008.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://stephenfry.com/blog/?p=21|title=StephenFry.com&nbsp;— Blog Entry&nbsp;— I Give Up}}</ref> A five-part companion series, ''More Fry in America'', has been commissioned for BBC Four; it will feature in-depth essays that Fry couldn't include in the original programmes because of time constraints.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a97117/fry-to-offer-thoughts-on-usa-for-bbc4.html|title=Digital Spy: Fry to offer thoughts on USA for BBC4}}</ref>

As of 2008, Fry is appearing in, and is executive producer for, the second series of legal drama ''[[Kingdom (TV series)|Kingdom]]''. He has also taken up a recurring guest role as psychiatrist Dr. Gordon Wyatt in the popular American drama ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]''. While filming in Brazil for the series ''[[Last Chance to See]]'', Fry broke his right arm.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7196783.stm|title=Fry breaks arm filming in Brazil|publisher=BBC|date=2008-01-18|accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref>

On 7 May 2008, Fry gave a speech as part of a series of BBC lectures on the future of [[public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom]],<ref name="future">{{cite web | title = BBC&nbsp;— The future role of public service broadcasting&nbsp;— Stephen Fry| accessdate = 2008-06-19| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/thefuture/video_fry.shtml}}</ref> which he later recorded for a podcast.<ref name="podgrams">{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/podcasts/|title=Stephen Fry's Podgrams}}</ref>

Fry also narrates the English language version of the Spanish children's animated series ''[[Pocoyo]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citv.co.uk/page.asp?partid=68|title='&#39;Pocoyo'&#39;|publisher=CITV|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

===Film===
Having made his film debut in the 1985 film ''[[The Good Father]]'', Fry had a brief appearance in ''[[A Fish Called Wanda]]'' (in which he is knocked out by [[Kevin Kline]], who is posing as an airport security man) and then appeared in the lead role for [[Kenneth Branagh]]'s ''[[Peter's Friends]]'' in 1992. Portraying [[Oscar Wilde]] (a man of whom he had been a fan since the age of 13) in the 1997 film ''[[Wilde (film)|Wilde]]'', he fulfilled to critical acclaim a role that he has said he was "born to play". In 2001, he played the detective in Robert Altman's period costume drama, ''[[Gosford Park]]''. In the same year he also appeared in the Dutch film ''[[The Discovery of Heaven]]'', directed by [[Jeroen Krabbé]] and based on the novel by [[Harry Mulisch]].

In 2003, Fry made his directorial debut with ''[[Bright Young Things]]'', adapted by himself from [[Evelyn Waugh]]'s ''[[Vile Bodies]]''. In 2001, he began hosting the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts#Awards presented in London|BAFTA Film Awards]], a role from which he stepped down in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5413838.stm|title=Fry quits as host of film Baftas|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-10-06|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> Later that same year, he wrote the English [[libretto]] and dialogue for Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of ''[[The Magic Flute (2006 film)|The Magic Flute]]''.

Fry continues to make regular film appearances, notably in treatments of literary cult classics. He served as narrator in a film version of ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', and in 2005 he appeared in both ''[[A Cock and Bull Story]]'', based on ''[[Tristram Shandy]]'', and in ''[[V for Vendetta (film)|V for Vendetta]]''.<ref>{{imdb name|name=Stephen Fry|id=0000410}}</ref> In 2006, he played the role of gadget-master Smithers in ''[[Stormbreaker]]'', and in 2007 he appeared as himself hosting a quiz in ''[[St Trinian's (2007 film)|St Trinian's]]''. In 2007, Fry wrote a script for a [[Dambusters (2008 film)|remake]] of ''[[The Dam Busters (film)|The Dam Busters]]'' for director [[Peter Jackson]].<ref>{{cite web|author=By|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973025.html?categoryid=2523&cs=1|title=script writer for Dambusters film|publisher=Variety|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

In [[2008 in film|2008]], he participated in a film celebrating the 25th anniversary of [[GNU]], ''Happy Birthday to GNU''. Fry was offered a role in ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]'' but was unable to participate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Friday Night with Jonathan Ross: Series 16: Episode 1|work=[[BBC iPlayer]]|date=2009-01-23|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fm6wz/Friday_Night_with_Jonathan_Ross_Series_16_Episode_1/|accessdate=2009-01-24}}</ref>

===Radio===
Fry became famous to radio listeners with the creation of his supposed alter-ego, [[Donald Trefusis]], whose "wireless essays" were broadcast on the [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]] programme ''[[Loose Ends (radio)|Loose Ends]]''. In 1988, Fry wrote and presented a renowned six-part comedy series entitled ''[[Saturday Night Fry]]''; frequent radio appearances have ensued (notably on panel games ''[[Just a Minute]]'' and ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]''). In 2000, he began starring as Charles Prentiss in the Radio 4 comedy ''[[Absolute Power (comedy)|Absolute Power]]'', reprising the role for three further series on radio and two on television.

In 2007, he hosted ''Current Puns'', an exploration of wordplay, and ''Radio 4: This Is Your Life'', to celebrate the radio station's 40th anniversary. He also interviewed [[Tony Blair]] as part of a series of podcasts released by [[10 Downing Street]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://podcast.ulcc.ac.uk/WebContent/number10/TonyBlairStephenFry.mp3|title=Stephen Fry interviews Tony Blair}}</ref>

In February 2008, Fry began presenting podcasts entitled ''[[Stephen Fry's Podgrams]]'', in which he recounts his life and recent experiences.<ref name="podgrams"/> In July 2008, Fry appeared as himself in ''I Love Stephen Fry'', an ''[[The Afternoon Play (BBC)|Afternoon Play]]'' for Radio 4 written by former ''Fry and Laurie'' script editor Jon Canter.<ref>''Radio Times'' 28 June–4 July 2008: Fry's a Dream Date</ref>

In August 2008 he hosted ''Fry's English Delight'', a three part series on BBC Radio 4 about [[metaphor]], [[quotation]] and [[cliché]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/frys_english.shtml|title=BBCradio 4, - Program Guide for '&#39;Fry's English Delight'&#39;|publisher=BBC|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

In February 2009 it was announced that Fry is to be one of a trio of hosts to replace [[Humphrey Lyttelton]] on ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' (the others being [[Jack Dee]] and [[Rob Brydon]]).<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a147836/fry-brydon-dee-to-host-clue-return.html|title = Digital Spy: Fry, Brydon, Dee to host 'Clue' return}}</ref>

===Theatre===
Fry wrote a play entitled ''Latin!'' (or ''Tobacco and Boys'') for the 1980 Edinburgh Festival, where it won the "Fringe First" prize. ''The Cellar Tapes'', the Footlights Revue of the following year, won the [[Perrier Comedy Award]]. In 1984, Fry adapted the hugely successful 1930s musical, ''[[Me and My Girl]]'', for the West End, where it ran for eight years.
He also famously starred in Simon Gray's 1995 play, ''[[Cell Mates (play)|Cell Mates]]'', from which he left three days into the West End run, pleading stage fright. He later recalled the incident as a hypomanic episode in his documentary on bipolar disorder. In 2007, Fry wrote a Christmas pantomime, ''[[Cinderella]]'', which ran at London's [[Old Vic Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldvictheatre.com/whatson.php?id=37|title=Old Vic Theatre&nbsp;— Cinderella}}</ref>
Fry is a long-time fan of the 1960s anarchic British musical comedy group, the ''[[Bonzo Dog Band]]'' and, particularly, of its eccentric front man, the late [[Vivian Stanshall]]. Fry helped to fund an ill-fated 1988 London re-staging of the Stanshall's acclaimed ''[[Stinkfoot, a Comic Opera]]'', written by Vivian and [[Ki Longfellow|Ki Longfellow-Stanshall]] for the [[Bristol]]-based [[The Thekla (Old Profanity Showboat)|Old Profanity Showboat]]. Fry performed several of Stanshall's numbers as part of the Bonzo's 26 January 2006 reunion concert at the [[London Astoria]]. He also appears as a shiny New Millennium Bonzo on their post-reunion album, ''[[Pour l'Amour des Chiens]]'', including his reciting of a recipe for "Salmon Proust", playing a butler in "Hawkeye the Gnu", and voicing ads for the fictitious "Fiasco" stores.

===Video games===
Fry's voice has been featured in a number of video games, including an appearance as a main character in the [[Xbox 360]] game ''[[Fable II]]'', and as the narrator in ''[[LittleBigPlanet]]'' on [[PlayStation 3]]. He also served as narrator on the first two [[Harry Potter]] games (''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'').

===Literature===
Since the publication of his first novel, ''[[The Liar]]'', Fry has written three additional novels, several non-fiction works and an autobiography, all of which have been much acclaimed by critics. ''[[Making History (novel)|Making History]]'' is partly set in an alternative universe where Hitler's father is made infertile and his replacement proves a rather more effective Führer. The book won the [[Sidewise Award for Alternate History]]. [[The Hippopotamus]] centres around Edward (Ted/Tedward) Wallace and his stay at his old friend Lord Logan's country manor in Norfolk. [[The Stars' Tennis Balls]] describes the life of Edward (Ned) Maddstone, and is very similar to [[The Count of Monte Cristo]], by Fry's own admission.

Fry's book, ''[[The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within]]'', is a guide to writing poetry.
In the United Kingdom, he is a well-known narrator of audiobooks, notably the [[Harry Potter]] series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hpana.com/news.20304.html|title=News: Rowling & Stephen Fry attend British Comedy Awards|publisher=www.hpana.com|accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He has recorded audio versions of works by [[Roald Dahl]], [[Michael Bond]], [[A. A. Milne]], [[Anthony Buckeridge]] and [[Douglas Adams]], as well as several of his own books.

When writing a book review for ''[[Tatler]]'', Fry wrote under an alias, Williver Hendry, editor of ''A Most Peculiar Friendship: The Correspondence of Lord Alfred Douglas and Jack Dempsey'', a field close to Fry's heart as an Oscar Wilde enthusiast. Once a columnist in ''[[The Listener]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', he now writes a weekly technology column in the Saturday edition of ''[[The Guardian]]''. His [http://www.stephenfry.com/blog/ blog] attracted over 300,000 visitors in its first two weeks of existence.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

===Acclaim===
{{Prose|date=October 2008}}
* In 1995, Stephen Fry was presented with an [[honorary doctorate]] from the [[University of Dundee]], which named their main [[Dundee University Students' Association|Students' Association]] bar after one of his novels (The Liar Bar). Fry is patron of its Lip Theatre Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dusa.dundee.ac.uk/lip/history/history.htm|title=Lip Theatre: History|publisher=Dusa.dundee.ac.uk|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> He served two consecutive terms (1992–1995 and 1995–1998) as the student-elected [[Rector of the University of Dundee|Rector of the University]] (only the second [[rector]] of the university to be elected twice, the first being [[Clement Freud]]); coincidentally, this post is currently held by his secondary school classmate, controversial former diplomat [[Craig Murray]].
* Fry was also awarded an honorary degree from [[Anglia Ruskin University]] in Cambridge in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/microsites/honorary/fry.html|title=Anglia Ruskin University's Honorary Graduate Site|publisher=Anglia.ac.uk|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/4459724.stm|title=England &#124; Cambridgeshire &#124; Fry talks of Cambridge 'elitism'|publisher=BBC News|date=2005-11-22|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
* In 2005, Fry was made honorary president of the Cambridge University Quiz Society and honorary fellow of [[Queens' College, Cambridge]].
* In a 2005 poll to find ''The Comedians' Comedian'', Fry was voted amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and business insiders, and, in September 2006, number 9 in a poll of TV's Greatest Stars as voted for by the general public.
* In December 2006 he was ranked 6th for the BBC's Top Living Icon Award,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/12_december/01/icons.shtml|title=Living Icons|publisher=BBC|date=2006-12-11|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> was featured on ''[[The Culture Show]]'', and was voted most intelligent man on television by readers of ''[[Radio Times]]''.
* 23rd on the previous year's list, the ''[[Independent on Sunday]]'' Pink List named Fry the second most influential gay person in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] in May 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2516664.ece|title=Independent on Sunday Pink List 2007|publisher=News.independent.co.uk|date=2007-05-06|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
* Later the same month he was announced as the 2007 ''BT Mind Champion of the Year''<ref>[http://www.mind.org.uk/News+policy+and+campaigns/Press+archive/championwinner07.htm Stephen Fry named BT Mind Champion of the Year 2007] Mind</ref> in recognition of the awareness raised by his documentary on bipolar disorder, and was also nominated for Best Entertainment Performance ''(QI)'' and Best Factual Series ''(Secret Life of the Manic Depressive)'' at the 2007 [[British Academy Television Awards]].
* [[BBC Four]] dedicated two nights of programming to Fry on 17–18 August 2007, in celebration of his 50th birthday. The first night, comprising programmes ''featuring'' Fry, began with a 60-minute documentary entitled ''Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out''. The second night was composed of programmes ''selected'' by Fry, as well as a 60-minute interview with [[Mark Lawson]] and half-hour special, ''Stephen Fry: Guilty Pleasures''. ''Stephen Fry Weekend'' proved such a ratings hit for BBC Four that it was repeated on [[BBC Two]] on 16–17 September.
*He claims to hold the UK record for saying "[[fuck]]" the most times on a live television broadcast.<ref>Stephen Fry, ''Paperweight'' (Random House, 1992), p.173.</ref>
* Fry was the last person to be named [[Pipe Smoker of the Year]] before the award was discontinued for legal reasons.
* He is a Patron of the Norwich Playhouse theatre and a Vice President of The Noël Coward Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noelcoward.net/html/committee2007.html|title=Welcome to the Noël Coward Society|publisher=Noelcoward.net|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
* He was granted a lifetime achievement award at the [[British Comedy Awards]] on 5 December 2007.<ref>{{cite news | last = Hemley | first = Matthew | title = Gavin and Stacey sweeps British Comedy Awards | work = The Stage | date = 2007-12-06 | url = http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19070/gavin-and-stacey-sweeps-british-comedy-awards | accessdate = 2007-12-16}}</ref>
*Fry is mentioned in the Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip song Thou Shalt Always Kill, in the line "thou shalt not question Stephen Fry"
* In 2007 ''[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]]'' magazine listed Fry at #4 in its "Hot 100" list of influential on-screen performers, describing him as a [[polymath]] and a "[[national treasure]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Hot 100: Talent|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/people/2007/12/hot_100_talent.html|work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]]|date=2007-12-18|accessdate=2007-12-22|format=free registration required}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Fry struggled to keep his [[homosexuality]] secret during his [[teenage]] years at [[public school (England)|public school]], and was [[Celibacy|celibate]] for 16 years from 1979 until 1995.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Adventures of Mr Stephen Fry | url = http://www.stephenfry.com/history/one_man.html | accessdate = 2008-05-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = The Sunday Herald | title = Borne to be Wilde | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20030928/ai_n12584983 | accessdate = 2008-05-11}}</ref>
When asked about when he knew he was gay, he quotes an old friend and says, "I suppose it all began when I came out of the womb. I looked back up at my mother and thought to myself, 'That's the last time I'm coming out of one of those.' " Fry currently lives in London with his boyfriend, Daniel Cohen, whom he met in 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stephen-fry-a-restless-soul-546925.html|title= Stephen Fry: A restless soul|accessdate=2008-09-16|date= 2004-09-20|publisher= [[The Independent]]}}</ref> He famously drives a 1988 former [[Austin FX4|London black cab]]. He also has a second home in West Bilney, near [[King's Lynn]], [[Norfolk]].

Fry has been diagnosed with [[cyclothymia]], a mild form of [[bipolar disorder]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/tv_and_radio/secretlife_documentary.shtml|title=Health: '&#39;The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive'&#39;|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> He suffered a [[nervous breakdown]] in 1995 while appearing in a [[West End theatre|West End]] play called ''[[Cell Mates (play)|Cell Mates]]'' and subsequently walked out of the production, prompting its early closure and incurring the displeasure of co-star [[Rik Mayall]] and playwright [[Simon Gray]]. Mayall's comedy partner, [[Adrian Edmondson]], made light of the subject in his and Mayall's second ''[[Bottom (TV series)|Bottom]]'' live show. After walking out of the production, Fry went missing for several days while contemplating [[suicide]]. He abandoned the idea and left the United Kingdom by ferry, eventually resurfacing in [[Belgium]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5202066.stm|title=Comedian Fry reveals suicide bid|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-07-21|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

Fry has spoken publicly about his experience with bipolar disorder, which was also depicted in the documentary ''Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic-Depressive''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/for/prospective/inter/news/stevenfry.html|title=Cardiff University: Genetic research into mood disorders|publisher=Cardiff.ac.uk|date=2008-10-16|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> In the programme, he interviewed other sufferers of the illness including celebrities [[Carrie Fisher]], [[Richard Dreyfuss]] and [[Tony Slattery]]. Also featured were chef [[Rick Stein]], whose father committed suicide, [[Robbie Williams]], who talks of his experience with [[Major depressive disorder|major depression]], and comedienne/former mental health nurse [[Jo Brand]].

Fry was an active supporter of the [[British Labour Party]] for many years, and appeared in a party political broadcast on its behalf with Hugh Laurie and [[Michelle Collins]] in November, 1993. Despite this, he did not vote in the 2005 [[General Election]] because of the stance of both the Labour and [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] parties with regard to the [[Iraq War]]. Despite his praising of the current government for social reform, Fry has been critical of the Labour Party's "[[Third Way (centrism)|Third Way]]" concept. He is on cordial terms with [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] (despite a mild parody Fry performed in his role of [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]] in the comedy programme ''[[Blackadder: The Cavalier Years]]''), through his work with the [[Prince's Trust]]. He attended the wedding of the Prince of Wales to [[Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker-Bowles]] in 2005.

Fry is a friend of British comedian and actor (and ''[[Blackadder]]'' co-star) [[Rowan Atkinson]] and was best man at Atkinson's wedding to Sunetra Sastry at the [[Russian Tea Room]] in [[New York City]]. He was also a friend of British actor [[John Mills]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4476875.stm|title=Entertainment &#124; Film &#124; Acting legend Sir John Mills dies|publisher=BBC News|date=2005-04-24|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
He was best man at the wedding of Hugh Laurie (whom he considers to be his best friend<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.megavideo.com/?v=XC1DCUYS|title=Stephen Fry on Hugh Laurie and House MD|publisher=Megavideo|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>) and is godfather to all three of Laurie's children.

A fan of [[cricket]], Fry is related to former England cricketer [[C.B. Fry]],<ref name="SAE10">{{cite episode| title = [[List of QI episodes (A series)|Series A, Episode 8]]| series = QI| airdate = 2003-10-30| season = A| number = 8}}</ref> and was recently interviewed for the ''Ashes Fever'' DVD, reporting on [[English cricket team|England]]'s victory against [[Australia cricket team|Australia]] in the [[2005 Ashes]] series. Regarding [[football (soccer)|football]], he is a supporter of [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] (as mentioned in ''Ashes Fever''), and is a regular visitor to [[Carrow Road]].

He has been described as "deeply dippy for all things [[digital technology|digital]]", claims to have owned the second [[Macintosh]] sold in the UK (the first going to [[Douglas Adams]]) and jokes that he has never encountered a [[smartphone]] that he has not bought.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/dorktalk|title=Dork talk|publisher=Guardian|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> He counts Wikipedia among his favourite websites "because I like to find out that I died, and that I'm currently in a ballet in China, and all the other very accurate and important things that the Wikipedia site brings us all."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videojug.com/interview/stephen-fry-the-internet|title=Videojug: Interview with Stephen Fry|publisher=Videojug.com|date=2007-05-31|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

Fry has a long interest in internet production, including his own website since 1997. His current site, The New Adventures of Mr Stephen Fry, has existed since 2002 and has attracted many visitors following his first blog in September 2007, which comprised a 6,500 word "blessay" on smartphones. In February 2008 Fry launched his private podcast series, ''Stephen Fry's Podgrams'', and a forum, including discussions on depression and activities in which Fry is involved. The website content is created by Stephen Fry and produced by Andrew Sampson. Fry is also a supporter<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gnu.org/thankgnus/2008supporters.html#TOCpatrons|title=Patronage of GNU Project|publisher=Gnu.org|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> of [[GNU]] and the [[Free Software Foundation]]. For the 25th anniversary of the GNU operating system, Fry appeared in a video explaining some of the philosophy behind GNU by likening it to the sharing found in science.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gnu.org/fry/happy-birthday-to-gnu.html|title=Freedom Fry - "Happy birthday to GNU"|publisher=Gnu.org|date=2008-10-20|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> In October 2008, he began posting to his [[Twitter]] stream,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/952627960|title=Fry's first Twitter post|publisher=Twitter.com|date=2008-10-09|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> which he regularly updates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/stephenfry|title=Stephen Fry's Twitter Stream|publisher=Twitter.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> In February 2009 he became the second most followed person on Twitter after [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Goss|first=Patrick|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/stephen-fry-tops-100-000-on-twitter-517222|title=Stephen Fry tops 100,000 on Twitter &#124; News &#124; TechRadar UK|publisher=Techradar.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

On 30 April 2008, Fry signed an open letter, published in ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper by some well known Jewish personalities, stating their opposition to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the [[Israel|State of Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Close|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/30/israelandthepalestinians|title='&#39;The Guardian'&#39;: We're not celebrating Israel's anniversary|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

===Health===
*In Episode C.10 of ''[[QI]]'' he revealed he is allergic to champagne.<ref>QI Series C/3, Episode 10</ref>
*In January 2008, Fry broke his arm while filming in Brazil.<ref name="bbc"/> He later explained in a podcast how the accident happened. While climbing onboard a boat, he slipped between it and the dock and while stopping himself from falling into the water, his body weight caused his right [[humerus]] to snap. The damage was more severe than first thought: the resulting vulnerability to his [[radial nerve]]&nbsp;— which meant he was at risk of losing the use of his arm&nbsp;— was not diagnosed until he saw a consultant in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/podcasts/|title=Stephen Fry's Podgrams: Episode 1, Broken Arm|publisher=Stephenfry.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>
*He has a [[deviated nasal septum]] due to falling and breaking his nose when he was six.

===Business===
In 2008, Fry formed SamFry Ltd, with long-term collaborator Andrew Sampson, to produce and fund new content, as well as manage his official website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenfry.com/misc/about-us/|title='&#39;About|publisher=Stephenfry.com|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref>

==Works==
{{main|Works of Stephen Fry}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.stephenfry.com/ Official Web site, containing blog, forum and podcasts]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/dorktalk Dork talk], Stephen Fry's weekly gadget column at guardian.co.uk
* {{imdb name|name=Stephen Fry|id=0000410}}
* [http://www.videojug.com/interview/stephen-fry-the-internet/ Stephen Fry interview on VideoJug]
* ''[http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7895351.stm Five minutes with Stephen Fry]'' - video interview on [[Portal:BBC|BBC]] News website.
* [http://twitter.com/stephenfry Stephen Fry] on [[Twitter]]
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{{succession box|title=[[Rector of the University of Dundee]]|years=1992–1998|before=[[Paul Henderson Scott]]|after=[[Tony Slattery]]}}
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{{QI}}
{{Persondata
|NAME=Fry, Stephen John
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Fry, Stephen
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=English comedian
|DATE OF BIRTH=1957-08-24
|PLACE OF BIRTH=Hampstead, England
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
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{{Lifetime|1957||Fry, Stephen}}
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[[Category:People with bipolar disorder]]
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Revision as of 12:39, 9 March 2009

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