Victor Lewis Smith Dead

[Ali Katt]

Not a household name, but had a number of cult TV comedy shows. I would say Ads Infinitum and TV Offal are his best known. Also put out some genuinely good high brow music documentaries like one on Jake Thackeray. And a decent writer. I think he was possibly an early influence on Chris Morris as well, but it's difficult to say. I have memories watching TV Offal in the 90s and the only thing close I've seen is Charlie Brooker's TVgohome, but that was more sketches.

[ulstersubbie]

I remember his television reviews for the London Evening Standard back in the day. A fair wit that's for sure.

[Thecunninglinguist]

He got banned from Radio4 when on a panel game many years ago he said "Flobalob Blobalob" the noise the Weeds made on Andy Pandy. Then followed it up with "If you really loved me you'd swallow that"  Brilliant! but not on Saturday morning national radio maybe? It was quite some time before he was allowed back and then only recorded for a while.

[mikecee]

I used to listen to his show on Radio 1 and for a few years his Saturday column in the Daily Mirror. Will be missed.

[Ali Katt]

Forgot to add also to my knowledge nothing he has done except documentaries his company produced: little lady Fauntleroy and Tourette du France is commercially available. Technically his books are also out of print. I've read the magic rectangle and it's good fun albeit dated due to it being TV reviews in 1993 or whenever.

[Liverpool]

I used to read his TV column in the Evening Standard and his review of a previous night's programme were always brutal.

Think he also wrote for Private Eye as well.

[Murray Mint]

And then there were his prank phone calls. I particularly liked his one to the BBC reception desk asking them to put a tannoy call out for General Pinochet  -  which they duly did!!....

[hendrix]

Loved his work, really looked forward to reading his TV reviews in the ES, they were brutal! A real one off.