Born:
November 28, 1963
in
Glasgow
Best Known For:
Being the brains behind The Day Today and The Thick of It.
Early-life:
Armando Giovanni Iannucci was born in Glasgow on November 28, 1963, to an Italian father and a Scottish mother. At school, he often did impressions of teachers, but didn't get into serious trouble. He made his way to Oxford University, and it was during his studies that his desire to write and perform comedy was born; while there he met fellow enthusiasts Andrew Glover, Sarah Smith and David Schneider. He quit writing a PhD about Milton to concentrate on comedy.
Career:
In 1988, he was offered a job by BBC Radio Scotland, presenting No' The Archie Macpherson Show and Bite the Wax. Armando moved to London a year later after applying for a producer's job. He had already earned a reputation as an edgy performer, but On the Hour and Knowing Me, Knowing You brought him into the limelight as a writer and producer. Since then, Armando has written and produced extensively on TV and radio, including The News Quiz, Quote… Unquote, Brass Eye, The Day Today and The Thick of It. He has presented The Saturday Night Armistice and his own self-titled show. A move into cinema with The Thick of It spin-off In the Loop gained recognition at the 2010 Oscars. His US sitcom Veep has been well-received, and he was part of the writing team for big-screen spin-off Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
Quote:
'Man is the only animal that can consciously kill and can also laugh. It'd be nice to balance one with the other.'
Trivia:
In 2012, Iannucci received an honorary doctorate from the University of Exeter.