Michael
James Dominic Sweeney (born 7 February 1955; Bournemouth, England) is
an English actor and comedian, best known for his improvisation
partnership with Steve Steen.
When Sweeney was 11 years old, he
moved to London with his parents, along with two brothers and a sister.
He became interested in theatre and improvisation while attending
Clapham College, an all-boys Roman Catholic school.
Sweeney
spent the 1970s in theatre productions, creating and touring shows with
Steen, who was a friend from school. The pairing's first television
work as a duo came on the ITV children's show CBTV, followed by the
Channel 4 comedy Little Armadillos and resident support comic slots on
Rory Bremner's first sketch show for the BBC.
In 1987, Sweeney
played Samuel Taylor Coleridge in an episode of Blackadder the Third,
with Steve Steen alongside him as Lord Byron. He also starred as "The
Head" in the first season of Art Attack in 1990. He then appeared in
commercials and radio comedies before acquiring a semi-regular slot as a
contestant on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
from 1991 to 1993. Comedy partner Steen would later join him frequently
in these appearances.
Sweeney has been in a number of radio
plays and sitcoms, including a lead role in Any Bloke alongside Caroline
Quentin and Steve Steen. He adapted his award-winning play Danny's Wake
into a radio series All The Young Dudes in which he (and Steen)
co-starred. Sweeney has authored a number of plays in addition to
Danny's Wake, namely Sick Transit, Cabin Fever, and My MS and Me.
Sweeney has been involved with the Comedy Store's Comedy Store Players
team since 1992, performing with Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Neil
Mullarkey, Lee Simpson, Andy Smart and Richard Vranch. He has also
appeared in numerous radio series, including the improvised faux drama
show, The Masterson Inheritance and BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute. He made
guest appearances in sitcoms Kiss Me Kate and One Foot In The Grave
(the latter as a computer salesman memorably humiliated by Victor
Meldrew).
Since 1985, Sweeney has multiple sclerosis, something
which has required use of a walking stick and, from 2005, a
wheelchair.[citation needed] Sweeney wrote about his experiences of
multiple sclerosis in My MS and Me, a play he performed for BBC Radio 4
after a successful Edinburgh Festival run. In 2008, the disease meant he
gave up appearing on stage, although he continues to be listed as a
member of the Comedy Store Players.
In 2007, Jim made two series of BBC Radio 4's improvised sketch show "The Lawrence Sweeney Mix" with Josie Lawrence.
Sweeney lives in Wimbledon with his girlfriend and two daughters and
now has 24-hour care for his condition. He has an optic nerve condition
leading to blurred vision. (born 7 February 1955; Bournemouth, England) is
an English actor and comedian, best known for his improvisation
partnership with Steve Steen.
When Sweeney was 11 years old, he
moved to London with his parents, along with two brothers and a sister.
He became interested in theatre and improvisation while attending
Clapham College, an all-boys Roman Catholic school.
Sweeney
spent the 1970s in theatre productions, creating and touring shows with
Steen, who was a friend from school. The pairing's first television
work as a duo came on the ITV children's show CBTV, followed by the
Channel 4 comedy Little Armadillos and resident support comic slots on
Rory Bremner's first sketch show for the BBC.
In 1987, Sweeney
played Samuel Taylor Coleridge in an episode of Blackadder the Third,
with Steve Steen alongside him as Lord Byron. He also starred as "The
Head" in the first season of Art Attack in 1990. He then appeared in
commercials and radio comedies before acquiring a semi-regular slot as a
contestant on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
from 1991 to 1993. Comedy partner Steen would later join him frequently
in these appearances.
Sweeney has been in a number of radio
plays and sitcoms, including a lead role in Any Bloke alongside Caroline
Quentin and Steve Steen. He adapted his award-winning play Danny's Wake
into a radio series All The Young Dudes in which he (and Steen)
co-starred. Sweeney has authored a number of plays in addition to
Danny's Wake, namely Sick Transit, Cabin Fever, and My MS and Me.
Sweeney has been involved with the Comedy Store's Comedy Store Players
team since 1992, performing with Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Neil
Mullarkey, Lee Simpson, Andy Smart and Richard Vranch. He has also
appeared in numerous radio series, including the improvised faux drama
show, The Masterson Inheritance and BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute. He made
guest appearances in sitcoms Kiss Me Kate and One Foot In The Grave
(the latter as a computer salesman memorably humiliated by Victor
Meldrew).
Since 1985, Sweeney has multiple sclerosis, something
which has required use of a walking stick and, from 2005, a
wheelchair.[citation needed] Sweeney wrote about his experiences of
multiple sclerosis in My MS and Me, a play he performed for BBC Radio 4
after a successful Edinburgh Festival run. In 2008, the disease meant he
gave up appearing on stage, although he continues to be listed as a
member of the Comedy Store Players.
In 2007, Jim made two series of BBC Radio 4's improvised sketch show "The Lawrence Sweeney Mix" with Josie Lawrence.
Sweeney lives in Wimbledon with his girlfriend and two daughters and
now has 24-hour care for his condition. He has an optic nerve condition
leading to blurred vision.
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