Grant Unto Him Eternal Rest his body works differently from other people". The executives were bemused by an incomplete story where one of the main characters was dead, but commissioned the series soon after receiving the full script. In retrospect, Linehan and Mathews noticed that the plot was very similar to that of the "Fawlty Towers" episode "The Kipper and the Corpse". Despite being fans of the show, they only noticed the parallels afterwards, and would likely have abandoned the episode if they had seen them earlier. Kevin Sharkey, who plays the black Donegal priest, was a friend of the writers', and was brought in
The Kipper Kids as The Kipper Kids only occasionally until their final performance together at the National Review of Live Art, Glasgow in 2003. Routh was married to net.art pioneer Nina Sobell from 1975-1981. From 1981–87 he was married to performance artist Karen Finley. Routh was married to digital artist Patricia Wells from 2012 until Routh's death in 2018. Von Haselberg has been married to Bette Midler since 1984. Quoting from an announcement for the Berkeley Art Museum: "Through actions that at times stress the visual, and the violent aspects of social rituals, the British Team of Harry and Harry Kipper perform in