8th June 1971
Comedian Will Smith is born
Winchester-born William James Smith was raised in Jersey and attended Victoria College before making his name as both a writer and performer of comedy.
One of his earliest comedy jobs was on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show, where he appeared with Ricky Gervais. He supported Gervais on tour, later doing the same for comedians Ardal O’Hanlon and Johnny Vegas. At the same time as supporting Gervais’, he had a four-episode BBC Radio 4 series, The Tao of Bergerac, chronicling his obsession with the Jersey-set police drama. Actor John Nettles, who played Bergerac, appeared in each episode.
Transatlantic success
His career has taken him to America, where he wrote episodes for HBO sitcom Veep (of which he is also one of the executive producers). Veep is an adaptation of the British political comedy, The Thick of It, in which Smith appeared for two series as Phil Smith, special advisor to the secretary of state for DoSAC.
Naturally, this Will Smith is not the same as the one who played the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and appeared in films including Independence Day and I, Robot.
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Other events that occured in June
A flotilla of Jersey boats sets sail for Dunkirk
- Volunteers from the St Helier Yacht Club set sail for Dunkirk in June 1940 to help with the rescue of Alied soldiers.
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The Jersey Evening Post is founded
- The Evening Post was founded by HP Butterworth, but was soon acquired by its printer, Walter Guiton, who became its editor.
- Read more…
Queen Elizabeth II visits Jersey… again
- Queen Elizabeth II visited Jersey in 1978 and the Jersey Post Office produced a set of two stamps to celebrate.
- Read more…
Sure is founded as the States Telephone Department
- The States Telephone Department was founded in Guernsey but later provided telephony services on the neighbouring island of Jersey, too.
- Read more…