Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (3 March 1948 – 19 June 2014) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He starred in many sitcoms, including "Man Down","The Young Ones", "Blackadder", "Filthy Rich and Catflap", "The New Statesman" and "Bottom". He also starred in the movies "Eye of the Needle" (1981), "Drop Dead Fred" (1991) and "Guest House Paradiso" (1999). He also won an Emmy Award in 1997 for "The Willows in Winter" (1995).