Butler Geoffrey on the comic I knew Fresh Prince WILL would be king of Hollywood

WHAT the butler saw in his fellow Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor Will Smith was a future superstar. Haughty servant Geoffrey was the smartest character in the 90s sitcom and a perfect straight man to the comic talents of neon shorts-wearing Will. And Joseph Marcell, 68, the Shakespearean actor who played the nonchalant butler, is also really clued up about acting talent. He could tell as far back as 1993 that Fresh Prince Will, 48, was set to become a king in Hollywood. Joseph had just seen him in the film Six Degrees of Separation portraying a con artist posing as the son of a man played by screen legend Sidney Poitier. When Fresh Prince finished after six years in 1996, Will’s career went stratospheric with roles in smash movies such as Independence Day, Men in Black and Bad Boys. Twenty years on and Joseph would like the Fresh Prince to make a comeback, possibly with Will’s son Jaden, 18, in the lead role. London- based Joseph said: “It’d work really well because in a more modern situation you can deal with more current affairs and make them funny.” He laughed: “I need the money, I know that much, so bring it on! I never doubted that Will would be a huge success. That said, I think the powers that be had big plans for him. I don’t think his prominence was accidental.”

But success did not change Will or affect his relationships with the cast and crew.

Joseph said: “He could’ve been a megalomaniac nutcase on set but he wasn’t. He was always a good mate to all of us and very generous.

“He had a fierce work ethic and was always keen to learn and get his takes right. I think Will can sell ice cubes to the Eskimos.”

In the Fresh Prince, Will played a fictionalised version of himself, a street- smart teenager sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air after getting into a fight.

It ran for 148 episodes over six series and attracted up to 14.6 million viewers.

While Will was the main star, Geoffrey and pedantic cousin Carlton, played by Alfonso Ribeiro, 45, were also hugely popular.

Reunion

Geoffrey’s dry wit, exasperated eye-rolling and withering British accent – like a modernday Jeeves – made him a big hit with US fans.

Saint Lucia-born Joseph is convinced the iconic show’s appeal crossed generations and was the epitome of cool. He said: “The show made an enormous contribution to the identity of African Americans.

“Geoffrey changed people’s perception of so-called menial professions as he loved his job and took great pride in it. At times Geoffrey was the most educated person in the house, the Stephen Fry of Bel-Air.”

The show was so popular that even diehard sports fans would switch over from Monday night American football to watch.

He said: “Will’s crossover success with the show was truly phenomenal.”

From 1991, NBC filmed the show for eight and a half months of the year in front of a live TV audience. Joseph said: “The magic of the