Howard Read is a comic, writer, animator and actor, in that order. He is best known for being one half (and the other half), of the Big Howard, Little Howard, the world's first human cartoon double-act. He is also an acclaimed stand-up comic, writer, author, illustrator and animator.
Howard has just finished making his 13 part series Little Howard's Big Question on CBBC on BBC1, which is now being repeated on the CBBC channel. A sitcom, with facts, LHBQ has appeals to children and adults alike.
Described by The Daily Mail as "a joy, with clever scripts that ring true of that magical time of childhood, while, thanks to Big Howard, it's incredibly, achingly funny".
Two more series have recently commissioned back-to-back to be broadcast in summer 2010 and then spring 2011.
Howard is creator, star, song-writer lead-animator of the show, and co-writes the series with Chris Chantler.
Howard is currently writing two more series of Little Howard's Big Question which will be broadcast in August 2010 and then sometime in 2011 respectively.
Little Howard started life as filler in Howard Read's first full length stand-up show in 2002.
The next year he returned as part of a full double-act in The Big Howard Little Howard Show which was that year's only British Nominee for the presdigeous Perrier Award.
Trips to the Aspen, Melbourne and New Zealand Comedy Festivals followed, including appearances on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC) and The Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala (ABC). In 2007 they appeared on The Royal Variety Performance in front of Her Majesty The Queen, and just next to Michael Ball, in drag.
Big Howard and Little Howard other TV appearances include This Morning (ITV1), The Slammer (BBC1), and Campbell Live (TV3 New Zealand).
Big Howard and Little Howard are preparing to tour the UK with their family live show Little Howard And The Magic Pencil Of Life And Death in October.
Selected dates are being performed before then. Howard and Chris Chantler wrote Radio 4's series of obituaries of people who didn't exist Peacefully In Their Sleeps, first broadcast in 2007 . It starred Geoff McGivern, Richard Briers, Rula Lenska, Robin Ince, Marcus Brigstock, Philada Law and Elizabeth Spriggs amonst many others.
It was critic's choice in The Telegraph, Times and the Observer. They also wrote, and starred in the one-off comedy And A to Z of the British Countryside for BBC Radio 7 with Josie Long.
Howard animated and co-wrote a one-off comedy animation Stair Lift To Heaven for CBBC in 2007 about an eight-year-old boy who is accidentally put in an old people's home.
The script attratced the stalla cast of Richard Briers, Una Stubbs, Mona Hammond, Rik Mayal and Mark Gattiss. In 2002 Howard co-wrote, co-voiced, and mono-animated the series of short cartoons Two Posh Old Men (UK Play and UK Gold) .
In 2001 he won the BBC New Comedy Award for animation. Before he learned to animate Howard wrote a series of 12 short animations called Bird On A Wire (Paramount Comedy).
Howard is a lot like the Kelloggs company in that he never makes cereal for anyone else. He also doesn't generally write or animate for anyone else. He has made two exceptions in the past.
Howard has animated four short films for Ross Noble which open his live shows on his world tours. He has also written, briefly for Ricky Gervais in the great man's least well-received TV series Meet Ricky Gervais.
Howard is also an acclaimed stand-up. He headlines comedy clubs all accross the UK, as well as having gigged in New York, Iceland, Dubai, Shanghai and in the French Alps. He's appeared on The World Stands Up on The Paramount Comedy Channel, ABC Australia and BBC America. He was nominated for the 2009 Toburg Musical Comedy Award for his much praised Unpleasant Lullaby.
Howard appeared on 100 Greatest Celebrity Melt-downs (Sky One). This is one of his least proud moment, but apparently the one that most people have seen.
Howard has written and illustrated his first picture book. Little Howard's Unpleasant Lullaby was published in limited edition hardback by Friday Project Books (an imprint of Harper Collins). The paperback will be available in june 2009.
