Richard Wilson (Scottish actor)
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| Richard Wilson | |
|---|---|
Wilson in 2007.
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| Born | Ian Carmichael Wilson 9 July 1936 Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Actor, theatre director, broadcaster |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Notable work | See below |
| Television | Only When I Laugh One Foot in the Grave Born and Bred Britain's Best Drives Merlin Doctor Who |
Richard Wilson OBE (born Ian Carmichael Wilson; 9 July 1936) is a Scottish actor, theatre director and broadcaster. He played Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave, and Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin.
Contents
Life and career
Wilson was born in Greenock, Scotland. He studied science in Greenock, and did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore. He worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research scientist,[1] before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at RADA and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre), Glasgow and Manchester (Stables Theatre).
Wilson was awarded the OBE for services to drama as a director and actor in 1994. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.[1]
Wilson has worked for the gay rights campaign group Stonewall[2] and the Labour Party.[3] He is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre.[4] Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony.[5] He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard.[6]
The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus", from Strawbs' eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson.[7]
Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson (ISBN 0752811150), was written by James Roose-Evans.[8]
He is a major supporter of the Labour Party, and he recorded the party's manifesto for the 2010 General Election.[9]
In March 2011, Wilson presented an edition of the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches entitled Train Journeys From Hell, with transport journalist Christian Wolmar highlighting the failings of the British rail network.[10]
Personal life
Wilson was a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United.[11] He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.[12] Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years, and he came out as gay in a Daily Mail interview in March 2013.[13]
Television
- The Sweeney episode "The bigger they are" as DCI Anderson (1978)
- Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em episode "Wendy House" as Mr. Harris The Insurance Man (1978)
- Only When I Laugh (1979-1982) as Gordon Thorpe
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes episode The Red Headed League as Duncan Ross (1985)
- Andy Robson (1982–83)
- Born and Bred
- Have I Got News for You
- The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends as the voice of Mr. McGregor (1992)
- Doctor Who – episodes "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" (2005) – Doctor Constantine
- Duck Patrol
- Emmerdale
- Hot Metal (1988)
- Selling Hitler (1991)
- Under The Hammer (1994) (as Ben Glazier)
- Lord of Misrule (1996) (as Bill Webster). Filmed at Fowey in Cornwall
- King of Fridges (2004) (as Frank)
- Father Ted – episode "The Mainland" as himself
- Inspector Morse – episode "Absolute Conviction"
- Mr. Bean – episode "The Trouble With Mr. Bean" as The Dentist
- Gulliver's Travels
- My Good Woman
- Life As We Know It
- Rentaghost
- Normal Service
- One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000) as Victor Meldrew
- High Stakes
- A Sharp Intake of Breath
- Tutti Frutti
- Cluedo
- Star Portraits with Rolf Harris – celebrity "sitter" in one episode of the portraiture contest.
- Jeffrey Archer: The Truth as Duke of Edinburgh
- Crown Court (1970s) – as a barrister.
- Thank God You're Here
- Merlin – (all 65 episodes + 2 children in need specials) as Gaius
- Demons – as Father Simeon
- Britain's Best Drives
- The F Word – Appeared as himself in the middle of the first season.
- Would I Lie to You?
- New Tricks (2009) – as Father Bernárd in episode "The War Against Drugs"
- A Harlot's Progress (2006)
- Confessions from the Underground-Narrated (2012)
- All Aboard East Coast Trains -Narrated (2013)
- Richard Wilson on the Road[14] (2015)
- Trollied (2015)
Films
- Those Glory Glory Days (1983)
- A Passage to India (1984)
- Foreign Body (1986)
- Whoops Apocalypse (1986)
- Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
- How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
- A Dry White Season (1989)
- Carry On Columbus (1992)
- Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1993)
- The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)
- Women Talking Dirty (1999)
- Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
Stage acting
- Twelfth Night, as Malvolio – Royal Shakespeare Company
- Whipping it Up by Steve Thompson – Bush Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre
- What the Butler Saw, as Dr Rance – Royal National Theatre
- Peter Pan, as Mr Darling/Captain Hook – Royal Festival Hall
- Waiting for Godot, as Vladimir – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
- Uncle Vanya, as Vanya – Traverse Theatre
- A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau – Theatre Royal, Bath, August 2013
- Krapp's Last Tape, as Krapp, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, 25 June - 19 July 2014
Theatre direction
Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert.[1]
- The Woman Before by Roland Schimmelpfennig – Royal Court, May 2005
- East Coast Chicken Supper by Martin J Taylor – The Traverse, 2005
- Rainbow Kiss by Simon Farquhar – Royal Court, April 2006
- A Wholly Healthy Glasgow by Ian Heggie – The Royal Exchange Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, The Royal Court, 1988/89
- Primo
- Smack Family Robinson by Richard Bean – Kingston upon Thames, March and April 2013
- Blasted by Sarah Kane – Sheffield Studio, 2015
Further reading
- J. Roose-Evans, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson
References
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- ↑ Richard Wilson On The Road Episode 2 | presscentre
External links
- Richard Wilson at the Internet Movie Database
- The Official Richard Wilson Archive
- Exclusive Interview with Richard Wilson
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Rector of the University of Glasgow 1996–99 |
Succeeded by Ross Kemp |
- Articles with dead external links from May 2015
- Articles with redirect hatnotes needing review
- Use British English from August 2011
- Use dmy dates from August 2011
- Articles with hCards
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
- Scottish male television actors
- Gay actors
- 1936 births
- Living people
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Scottish male film actors
- Scottish theatre directors
- Rectors of the University of Glasgow
- People from Greenock
- Scottish television presenters
- LGBT broadcasters
- LGBT entertainers from Scotland
- LGBT rights activists from Scotland
- Labour Party (UK) people
