Stephen Fry English actor, writer and playwright Date of Birth: 24.08.1957 Country: Great Britain

1. Early Life and Education
2. University and Rise to Fame
3. Literary and Film Career
4. Voice Work and Radio
5. Personal Life and Activism

Early Life and Education

Stephen John Fry was born on August 24, 1957, in Hampstead, London. His father, Alan John Fry, was a physicist and inventor, while his mother, Marianne Eva Newman, was a refugee from Hungary whose relatives perished in Nazi concentration camps. Fry has an older brother, Roger, and a younger sister, Joanna.

As a child, Fry was known as the "asthmatic genius" and attended several schools, often leaving under tumultuous circumstances. At age 17, he enrolled at Norfolk College of Arts and Technology but was expelled for poor academic performance. Following that, Fry attempted suicide and became embroiled in a legal incident when he mistakenly wore someone else's coat, which contained a credit card. This resulted in three months of imprisonment, during which Fry spent much of his time solving crossword puzzles.

University and Rise to Fame

Upon his release, Fry enrolled in Norwich City College, promising the administration that he would apply himself. He kept his word and eventually gained admission to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he earned a second-class honors degree in English Literature. While at Cambridge, Fry met Hugh Laurie, with whom he performed in the Footlights Theatre Group.

In 1981, Fry co-wrote and starred in a student revue that aired on television in 1982 and won an Edinburgh Festival Fringe Award. Granada Television then hired Fry, along with Emma Thompson and Laurie, for their sketch comedy show "Alfresco." This led to the creation of "The Fry and Laurie Show," which ran from 1987 to 2005, as well as the comedy quiz show "QI."

Literary and Film Career

In addition to his comedic work, Fry is a prolific writer and filmmaker. His first novel, "The Liar," was published in 1992 and became a bestseller, as did most of his subsequent books. He has also written several autobiographical works, including "Liar," "Moab Is My Washpot," and "Fry's Chronicles."

Fry's film debut came in 1988 in "A Fish Called Wanda." Since then, he has starred in over 50 films, including "Wilde" (1997), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (2011), "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013). In 2003, he directed his first film, "Bright Young Things."

Voice Work and Radio

Fry is renowned as one of the most accomplished voice actors of his time. He has narrated the entire "Harry Potter" audiobook series, as well as numerous works by A.A. Milne, Anton Chekhov, and Alexander Pushkin. Fry's voice has also been featured in several video games.

Since 2008, Fry has hosted the BBC radio series "Fry's English Delight," which delves into the intricacies of the English language.

Personal Life and Activism

Fry is openly gay and has been in long-term relationships with Dan Cohen and Stephen Webb. He has spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health issues, including manic depression, and has produced a documentary on the subject titled "The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive."

Fry is also an active supporter of charities related to mental health.