Who was Andy Smart? Tributes pour in as English comedian dies aged 63

Well-known comedian Andy Smart passed away on May 16, 2023, at the age of 63. Smart's cause of death has not been revealed yet. His daughter, Grace, revealed the news of his death through his official Facebook page:

The official Facebook page of Altitude Comedy Festival also expressed grief over Smart's demise by sharing a few pictures and wrote that he was one of the "funniest people" they ever had the pleasure of being around. The page mentioned that Smart never stopped laughing, sharing hilarious stories, causing mischief, and lighting up the room with his gigantic laugh. They added:

Comedy show Extreme Improv also paid tribute to Smart on Facebook by writing that he was an improviser and that they worked with him while he appeared as a guest on their first recording.

Andy Smart was known for his work with The Comedy Store Players

Andy Smart was born on June 16, 1959, and he started his journey as a comedian by appearing at different clubs and venues. He was praised for his humor by the audience and other celebrity comedians and this also contributed to expanding his fanbase over the years.

In 1995, Smart became a permanent member of The Comedy Store Players and he initially joined the group of improvisational comedians as a guest performer.

The group was formed in 1985, and the rest of the members were Dave Cohen, Kit Hollerbach, Paul Merton, Neil Mullarkey, Jim Sweeney, Richard Vranch, Josie Lawrence, Mike Myers, Lee Simpson, and Sandi Toksvig.

Josie, Neil, Lee, and Richard perform regularly and the performances also feature a guest appearance. The shows are held for two hours and a few games are also included in it. A few members from the group have been featured in the improvisational comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which airs on Channel 4.

Before joining The Comedy Store Players, Andy Smart was also a member of groups like Vicious Boys. He met Angelo Abela while working with Vicious Boys and they were also the recipient of the Time Out Street Entertainer Award. Andy and Angelo appeared on a few shows like Wake Up London and The Tube.

Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

Andy Smart gained recognition over the years for his flawless work as a comedian. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his demise:

Andy is survived by his wife Victoria Willing and their children Grace and Joe. Victoria is an actress and she has appeared in shows like Doctors and Casualty.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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