Addison Cresswell (28 June 1960 – 23 December 2013) was a British comedy talent agent and producer.^[2]

He was notable for finding many stand-up "alternative" comedians at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and at other venues,^[3] promoting them and finding spots for them on television and radio over a 30-year period from the 1980s.^[1] He has been called "one of the most influential people in British comedy",^[4] "arguably the most powerful man in UK comedy" for two decades^[5] and "the Darth Vader of the Fringe".^[5]

Early life

Cresswell was born in Brighton, East Sussex.^[6] His father, Peter Cresswell, was the dean of arts at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His younger brother, Luke, became a founder of the dance and percussion group Stomp.^[1] He was educated at St Luke's Primary School (Brighton), Longhill High School (Rottingdean), and Brighton Polytechnic, where he studied graphic design and was the student entertainments officer.^[7]

As Ents Officer at Brighton Polytechnic, he booked bands such as U2, Killing Joke, Joy Division, New Order and Madness.^[8] He was able to live off the money he made.^[5]

Career

He first visited the Edinburgh Fringe in 1982 with Tony Allen.^[5]

He founded 'The Comedy Boom' with club promoter and comedian Ivor Dembina (who he'd viewed as a rival^[5]) in Edinburgh in 1987.^[9] It was the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's first venue for stand-up comedy. They found the venue - the Abercraig Lounge - simply by walking round Edinburgh. The landlord was initially sceptical, but they persuaded him to show them the basement function room and knew it was going to work.^[5]

The performance poet and comedian John Hegley was Cresswell's first client. He founded a production company called Wonderdog with Paul Merton and Julian Clary who he had met at 'The Comedy Boom'.^[1] His client list went on to include: Sean Lock, Jon Richardson, Jonathan Ross,^[10] Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre,^[3] Alan Carr, Kevin Bridges and Rich Hall.^[1] He was behind Live at the Apollo, which was hosted by Michael McIntyre and Stand Up for the Week on Channel 4 Television from 2010.^[10]

He founded and ran the Off the Kerb talent agency in 1982^[11] and in 1991 co-founded the independent TV and radio production company, Open Mike Productions, with comedian Jack Dee.^[12] He organised the Channel 4 Comedy Gala annually in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital.^[2] "He liked the idea of being a Svengali figure, like Brian Epstein with The Beatles," said Dembina, but "he wasn't a greedy person. And the thing people forget about Addison is what a brilliant designer he was. He created the most eye-catching posters".^[5]

He helped his client Jonathan Ross secure a BBC contract worth £18m. When Ross became involved in the Sachsgate controversy, and lost the prime-time TV slot, it was taken over by Live at the Apollo, a show produced by Cresswell's TV production company, which helped to launch another of Cresswell's clients, Michael McIntyre.^[5]

Death

Cresswell died of a heart attack on 23 December 2013 at the age of 53;^[3][13] Cresswell is survived by his wife, Shelley.^[2]