Gary Cooke
{{Short description|Irish actor, satirist and writer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{For|the Australian footballer|Gary Cooke (footballer)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
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| occupation = Actor
Comedian
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{{Quote box | width=30% | align=right | quote=“ I mean when we did I, Keano! – well that's the sort of subject matter that should be tackled in the Abbey. Seán O'Casey? That's the sort of thing he would have been writing about in his day, because at that time Saipan was the biggest, the most important, thing happening in the country." |source= Gary Cooke in a 2009 interview about Macbecks: selection of a quote which was included in the quotes of that year by The Irish Times.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2009/1231/1224261472213.html|title=Quotes of the year|date=31 December 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=The Irish Times}} }}
Gary Cooke is an Irish actor, satirist and writer who is one of the stars, on screen, of Après Match and, on stage, I, Keano and MacBecks. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of media personality Eamon Dunphy,{{cite news|author=John Meagher|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/traps-the-new-charlton-for-ohso-grumpy-dunphy-1696738.html|title=Trap's the new Charlton for oh-so grumpy Dunphy|date=3 April 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=Irish Independent}}{{cite news|author=Hilary Fannin|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0214/1233867936406.html|title=Don't cry for me Eamon Dunphy A tsunami of tears to drive the bailiffs away from our doors|date=14 February 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=The Irish Times|quote=Anyway, as the conversation unfurled, Dunphy wept, like a prematurely wrinkled and indignant three-year-old faced with the prospect of bedtime, unleashing a persona so extravagant that he rivalled his own caricature as rendered by the brilliant Gary Cooke of Après Match.}}{{cite magazine|author=Paul Nolan|url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2666491.html|title=Being Eamon Dunphy|date=4 July 2003|accessdate=31 January 2010|magazine=Hot Press|quote=Cooke himself, of course, is perhaps best known for his ingenious interpretation of the Eamon Dunphy persona, which sees the famously belligerent broadcaster reinvented as a pouting, preening – indeed vaguely camp – media tart.}} although he has also mocked Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker and TV3 sports broadcaster Trevor Welch.
Cooke lives in Baldoyle.
Career
From 2005 to 2007 he starred as Dunphia the wood nymph (Eamon Dunphy) and Fergie the Hair Dryer God (Alex Ferguson) in the musical comedy hit I, Keano.
On 31 January 2006, Cooke took part in a New Year's Eve special of Celebrity Jigs n' Reels.
He plays one of the judges, Vernon Fentor, alongside Sean Gallagher and former EastEnders star Michelle Collins on the ITV/TV3 drama Rock Rivals. Filming of the series took place in Ireland.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/rtersquos-rival-hits-the-right-note-with-viewers-1313593.html|title=RTE's rival hits the right note with viewers|date=11 March 2008|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=Irish Independent}}
He co-wrote the script for this year's{{When|date=February 2011}} Gaiety Pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.
He co-wrote with Malachy McKenna and starred in the musical MacBecks at the Olympia Theatre.{{cite web|url=http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=4436&locID=1.65.74.149.&pagename=ireland_am |title=Interview: Gary Cooke and Malachy McKenna |date=1 January 2008 |accessdate=31 January 2010 |publisher=TV3 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206031557/http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=4436&locID=1.65.74.149.&pagename=ireland_am |archivedate= 6 December 2008 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/starstudded-turnout-for--macbecks-opening-night-1605219.html|title=Star-studded turnout for Macbecks opening night|date=17 January 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=Irish Independent}} David and Victoria Beckham were invited to the opening night but did not attend.{{cite news|author=Caitrina Cody|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/beckhams-too-posh-to-attend-play-premiere-1602070.html|title=Beckhams too posh to attend play premiere|date=15 January 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=Irish Independent}}
He contributed to a book of essays compiled as part of Tennis Ireland's 100th anniversary in 2008.{{cite news|author=Paddy Hickey|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/tennis-king-justifies-move-to-fulltime-1552794.html|title=Tennis: King justifies move to full-time|date=26 November 2008|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=Irish Independent}}
He co-wrote with Malachy McKenna a political version of Cinderella which was performed at the Gaiety Theatre in January 2009.{{cite news|author=Dick O'Riordan, and Sara Keating|url=http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=THE+GUIDE-qqqm=nav-qqqid=38500-qqqx=1.asp|title=Satirical twist for Cinders|date=4 January 2009|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=The Sunday Business Post}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In 2010, he signed up with gambling company Ladbrokes as "world-famous Italian manager" Gino Stromboli.{{cite news|author=Catherine O'Mahony|url=http://www.thepost.ie/story/eygbgbmhau/|title=Ladbrokes signs Aprés Match star|date=10 January 2010|accessdate=31 January 2010|newspaper=The Sunday Business Post|quote=Cooke, best known as the face of Eamon Dunphy in Aprés Match, plays the role of Gino Stromboli, a '‘world-famous Italian manager'’ who offers advice on punter s' selections.}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In July 2013 he took part in Celebrity MasterChef Ireland and was eliminated in week 1.{{cite web|url= http://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/film-and-tv/celebrity-masterchef-comedian-gary-cooke-2053570|title=Comedian Gary Cooke is first to get booted off Celebrity Masterchef|date=15 July 2013|work=Irish Mirror|accessdate=16 July 2013 }}
Appearances
- Après Match (1996–present)
- I, Keano (2005–2007)
- Rock Rivals (TV3)
- MacBecks
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hotpress.com/archive/1609748.html "Return of the 'Match"], Hot Press interview with Après Match before the 2002 FIFA World Cup
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooke, Gary}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Irish impressionists (entertainers)
Category:Irish male stage actors
Category:Irish male television actors
Category:Irish television personalities