Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant Books

A British comedian with expert delivery of bone-dry comedy, actor Ricky Gervais became famous for playing the egotistical and much-despised office manager David Brent to perfection on the BBC series, “The Office” (BBC, 2001- ), which along with being one of England's best-loved sit-coms also made a major impression in the United States. Two-faced, hypocritical, lying and inept are just a few adjectives that have been used to describe Brent, and Gervais' portrayal is so spot-on he often founds himself working overtime off-screen to prove he isn't so vain or shallow himself—Indeed, Gervais has in the past shaved off the trademark goatee upon completing a season of filming “The Office" to help distinguish himself from his character.
 
Regardless of any aversions to being compared to Brent, Gervais certainly enjoyed the enormous success his series—co-created with one-time assistant Steve Merchant—including two Golden Globe Awards, one for Television Series, Comedy, the other for Actor in a Lead Role-Comedy (in a surprise upset, Gervais beat out popular U.S. actors including Matt LeBlanc).