Editing Peter Cook (section)

===Amnesty International performances===
Cook appeared at the first three fund-raising galas staged by Cleese and [[Martin Lewis (humorist)|Martin Lewis]] on behalf of [[Amnesty International]]. From the third show in 1979 the benefits were dubbed ''[[The Secret Policeman's Ball]]s''. He performed on all three nights of the first show in April 1976, ''[[A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick)]]'', as an individual performer and as a member of the cast of ''Beyond the Fringe'', which reunited for the first time since the 1960s. He also appeared in a [[Monty Python]] sketch, taking the place of [[Eric Idle]]. Cook was on the [[cast recording|cast album]] of the show and in the film, ''[[Pleasure at Her Majesty's]]''. He was in the second Amnesty gala in May 1977, ''An Evening Without Sir Bernard Miles''. It was retitled ''The Mermaid Frolics'' for the cast album and TV special. Cook performed monologues and skits with [[Terry Jones]].

In June 1979, Cook performed all four nights of ''[[The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)|The Secret Policeman's Ball]]'', teaming with Cleese. Cook performed a couple of solo pieces and a sketch with [[Eleanor Bron]]. He also led the ensemble in the finale – the "End of the World" sketch from ''Beyond the Fringe''.

In response to a [[insult|barb]] in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' that the show was recycled material, Cook wrote a satire of the summing-up by [[Joseph Cantley|Justice Cantley]] in the trial of former [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] leader [[Jeremy Thorpe]], a summary now widely thought to show [[political bias|bias]] in favour of Thorpe. Cook performed it that same night (Friday 29 June – the third of the four nights) and the following night. The nine-minute opus, "Entirely a Matter for You", is considered by many fans and critics to be one of the finest works of Cook's career. Along with Cook, producer of the show Martin Lewis brought out an album on [[Virgin Records]] entitled ''Here Comes the Judge: Live'', containing the live performance together with three studio tracks that further lampooned the [[Thorpe affair|Thorpe trial]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.phespirit.info/pictures/heroes/p008_info.htm |title=Peter Cook |publisher=Phespirit.info |access-date=25 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113163211/http://www.phespirit.info/pictures/heroes/p008_info.htm |archive-date=13 January 2010}}</ref>

Although unable to take part in the 1981 gala, Cook supplied the narration over the animated opening title sequence of the 1982 film of the show. With Lewis, he wrote and voiced [[radio advertisements|radio commercials]] to advertise the film in the UK. He also hosted a spoof film awards ceremony that was part of the world première of the film in London in March 1982.

Following Cook's 1987 stage reunion with Moore for the annual American benefit for the homeless, [[Comic Relief USA|Comic Relief]] (not related to the UK [[Comic Relief]] benefits), Cook repeated the reunion for a British audience by performing with Moore at the 1989 Amnesty benefit ''The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball''.