Mel Smith, R. I. P.

Mel Smith, TV Actor, Director and Producer, Dies at 60 - NYTimes.com: Mel Smith, an English comedian, actor, director and producer who parodied his country’s pub crawlers, politicians and pretensions on television, notably on a series often cited as a precursor of “The Daily Show,” died on Friday at his home in London. He was 60. 

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.