Who Are We?
Gary Reich Managing Director
Born 7 weeks after man first walked on the moon to a loving, dysfunctional Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa. Studied English and Drama at the Universities of Jerusalem and Sheffield, going on to successfully complete an MA in Radical Lesbian Poetry.
After finishing his MA he produced and directed a comedy show at The Edinburgh Festival based on Ted Hughes’ narrative poem “Gaudete”. A tv producer saw it and a few months later he joined television's illustrious sweat factory in 1991 as a trainee scriptwriter at Hewland International. Whilst there he co-wrote a series for Channel 4 called “Summer Camp” that never saw the light of day (but won rave reviews from everyone, including his mum) and worked on their Channel 4 series "Gamesmaster" as a production assistant.
He fled London and moved to Cardiff where he joined HTV's first and last multi-skilled programming unit: 'Cactus' where he spent 18 months learning to produce, direct, shoot, light and edit his own shows. Whilst there he co-produced and co-directed a 13 x 30 min fly-on-the-wall series for The Learning Channel called "General Practice" and shot, directed and edited a 10 x 10 minute series for UK Living called "Bride Of The Day".
Fleeing back to London he joined The Paramount Comedy Channel as a development producer. Whilst there he produced and directed: a sitcom pilot starring Chris Green, The Right Size and Peepolykus called “A Salted Nut”; a series of 6 short films with Sacha Baron Cohen called "Unter Dem Fleisch mit Bruno" - a gay neo-Nazi fashion designer co-created with Sacha and a 6 x 30 min sketch show called "Unnatural Acts" which starred Sean Cullen, Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt. The latter 2 played zookeepers, forerunners to "The Mighty Boosh". He also executive produced "War Of The Flea" with Dom Joly and they pitched it to Channel 4 together where it went on to become "Trigger Happy TV".
Fleeing yet again he went to the BBC to work with Myfanwy Moore and Paul Jackson on new comedy development. Whilst there he co-produced the 2nd series of “Comedy Nation” (13 x 30 min for BBC2) for whom he brought on board Jocelyn Jee Esien and Sacha Baron Cohen. He made 4 short films with him, “Christo” – the prototype to Borat. He also series produced a 52 x 30 min mostly hidden camera series called “Stop The World” for the launch of BBC3 forerunner, BBC Choice. This starred Electric Eel, Julian Barratt, Rhys Thomas, Rich Fulcher and Sean Cullen amongst others.
He then joined Chrysalis TV as Head of Comedy. Whilst there he produced and directed nobleandsilver’s first Edinburgh show which went on to win the Perrier newcomer. He then went on to produce and direct their 6 x 30 min experimental E4 series: “getoffme”; a 6 x 30 min animation series for Channel 4 called “Sick and Twisted”; a sitcom pilot script written by and starring Catherine Tate called “The People Show”; a 30 min altTV documentary for Channel 4 called “Waiting For Khyron”; a TX pilot of a stand-up gong show for Channel 5 called “Gagging For It” and 2 Comedy Labs for Channel 4: “Orcadia”, written by and starring Alice Lowe and “The Scunthorpe Ball Run” written by and starring Jim Reed.
In 2002 he started Brown Eyed Boy. His first commission was a Comedy Lab for Channel 4 with nobleandsilver called “And Thy Mouth Shalt Praise The Name of Thy Lord, Part 4”. He then produced and directed a hidden camera sketch show pilot for BBC 3 called “3 Non Blondes!” which starred Jocelyn Jee Esien, Ninia Benjamin and Tameka Empson and he went on to series produce 19 episodes of it for BBC 3. It was nominated for an RTS award, British Comedy Award and an Emma award. He then went to Los Angeles and produced and directed a pilot of it for VH1 called “5 Non Blondes”. On his return he executive produced 2 series of “Little Miss Jocelyn”. The first series was broadcast on BBC3 and was nominated for a Bafta for Best Comedy and the second has just gone out on BBC 2. He has produced and/or directed a number of pilots for BBC3 including “Toju”, starring Toju; “Killing Time” starring Lucy Montgomery and Barunka O Shaugnessy, “Splitting Cells” starring Andrew Lawrence, Wil Hodgson and Olivia Lee and “How Not To Live Your Life” written by and starring Dan Clark. This has now been commissioned for a series of 6 x 30 min for BBC 3 and is about to enter production.
His hobbies include: psychic development, spiritual world travel, psytrance raves, climbing trees, walking his dog on Hampstead Heath every day and seeing 3 films in a row at the cinema
His television mentors/heroes are Myfanwy Moore, Jane Hewland, Tony Orsten, Paul Jackson and Tony Moss.
These Are A Few Of His Favourite Things:
Dance Company: Rambert
Theatre company: Forced Entertainment
Singer: Diamanda Galas
Performance Artist: Franko B
Film: City of Lost Children
Play: The Rocky Horror Show
Dog: Charlie – his Weimaramer
email: gary@browneyedboy.com
Jackie Sidey: Accountant
email: Jackies@browneyedboy.com
Nick Berry: Development Assistant/ Office manager email: nick@browneyedboy.com