Bill Bailey

In Black Books (2000), Bill Bailey gives a sight gag time to register before anything else takes over. His Manny does not need another sentence to make the foolishness apparent, and Bailey trusts us to notice it. We laughed hardest at the visual comedy because his timing left us that moment to take it in. He is a considerable asset to an ensemble when he is allowed to be funny without another line.

He came to acting from stand-up, where music and parody songs are part of his comedy. His early screen work included Bilbo Bagshot in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's Spaced (1999), before Black Books became his breakthrough. The bewildered or optimistic figures he often plays provide useful company for characters who get the cutting lines. He has quick verbal wit, but we need not hear it in every exchange. The pleasure is in watching a performer who can afford to leave some of the talking to somebody else.

Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig are important to that pleasure in Black Books, as Bernard and Fran. Moran makes a cutting line sound like a thought occurring, and the three performances keep the exaggerated behaviour enjoyable. Bailey belongs in that company on equal terms; calling him merely an agreeable foil would miss how much the sight gags contribute. The surreal comedy can still become wearing, however precisely it is played. We recommend the programme readily, with some gratitude for the short episodes.

The later film appearances include the voice of the Whale in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and Sergeant Turner in Hot Fuzz (2007), which reunites him with Wright and Pegg. We recommend Hot Fuzz for its sharp, affectionate comedy, despite the repeated gags and overextended action. Pegg and Nick Frost carry it, so it is a less useful starting point for Bailey than the sitcom. Stand-up, documentaries and occasional acting have all remained part of his work. Begin with a few episodes of Black Books; there is no obligation to test your tolerance for the surreal in one sitting.