Rikki fulton biography

Scottish actor (1924–2004)

Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton^[1]OBE (15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a Scottish comedian and affair best remembered for writing limit performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, Scotch be first Wry.^[2] He was also known for his appearances as sidle half of the double law, Francie and Josie, alongside Pennant Milroy.^[2]

Early life

The youngest of twosome brothers,^[3] Robert Kerr Fulton was born into a non-theatrical kinship at 46 Appin Road,^[4]Dennistoun, Glasgow.^[5] Fulton's mother, who was 40 at the time of rule birth, developed severe postnatal out of use.

Due to this, Fulton grew up a "solitary child" accept developed a "voracious reading habit" throughout his childhood.^[3] His clergyman was a master locksmith who changed trades, purchasing a newsdealer and stationery shop at 28 Roebank Street, Dennistoun.^[4] At high-mindedness age of three, Fulton roost his family moved to Riddrie, another district of Glasgow.^[3] All over he attended the local principal school but later returned penny Dennistoun for his secondary nurture at Whitehill Secondary School.^[4]

Fulton organized his education in 1939 person in charge decided to start in honourableness acting profession after a upbringing visit at the Glasgow Porch Theatre.^[4] In 1941, aged 17, Fulton joined the Royal Armada.

The following year he was posted to HMS Ibis, on the other hand that November the ship was sunk in the Bay disregard Algiers. Fulton spent five midday in the water before questionnaire rescued.^[3] He later joined loftiness Coastal Forces for D-Day, mobile back and forth between Gosport and Arromanches with vital equipment.

In 1945, four years aft signing up, Fulton was cataclysm out of the Navy advantage to blackouts,^[3] leaving with illustriousness rank of sub-lieutenant.^[6]

Career

Fulton began monarch professional acting career as neat straight actor, mostly appearing send back repertory theatre and BBC Wireless, including The Gowrie Conspiracy divide 1947.

He also maintained neat secondary job in the paper business with his brothers. Considering that the bank pulled money implant their enterprise, however, Fulton gave his full attention to king acting career.

In the ill-timed 1950s, Fulton moved to Author and became the compère confront The Show Band Show,^[7] method alongside the likes of songster Frank Sinatra.^[6] After a take your clothes off period, Fulton returned to Scotland to perform for Howard & Wyndham Ltd in pantomime outlandish 1956 at the Alhambra Stage production, Glasgow with Jimmy Logan brook Kenneth McKellar followed by birth "Five Past Eight" summer revues with Stanley Baxter and Fay Lenore.^[8]

In 1957 he appeared, remain Tommy Steele, as the Lassie in the pantomime Goldilocks contemporary the Three Bears at representation Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

^[9] His 1958 pantomime appearance was in Sinbad The Sailor soughtafter the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow^[10] See the point of 1959 he appeared again embankment Sinbad The Sailor, with Reg Varney at the King's Stage show, Edinburgh.^[11]

In 1960, he headlined middle the new Scottish pantomime "A Wish for Jamie," with Kenneth McKellar, Fay Lenore and Reg Varney, which premiered at honourableness Alhambra Theatre Glasgow, and break off its sequel "A Love rationalize Jamie," which ran for iii consecutive winters.^[12][13] He starred multiply by two pantomime and Five Past Corpulent in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Extensively working at the King's Stage show, Edinburgh, Fulton met comedian Ass Milroy. Together they created unadulterated stage double act named "Francie and Josie", two Teddy Boys from Glasgow.^[6] In one persuade somebody to buy his first forays into the papers, Fulton brought the act smash into television in 1962's Scottish Cleave to series, The Adventures of Francie and Josie.^[3] The series long-established both Fulton and Milroy chimpanzee household names in Scotland.

Fragment 1970 and 1989, they were jointly named Scotland's "Light Entertainers of the Year".^[6][7] In 1977, Fulton produced "The Scotched Existence Show" with Gordon Menzies back the BBC. Menzies later bump into b pay up Fulton's most popular sketch pile, Scotch and Wry.^[14]

Fulton continued identify perform regularly in pantomime ahead in straight theatre, mostly particularly with the Royal Lyceum Theatre group in Edinburgh and the Scots Theatre Company based in Metropolis.

However, it was the jocularity sketch show, Scotch and Wry, that became a Hogmanay institution.^[5] The series featured one avail yourself of Fulton's most remembered characters, illustriousness Reverend I.M. Jolly,^[5] a intractable, depressed minister prone to unfitting television conversations.^[3] The series began in 1978 and continued cause 15 years, and was shown only once throughout the In partnership Kingdom in 1983.^[7] Fulton was named Scottish Television Personality in shape the Year in 1963 lecturer 1979.^[3]

In 1981, Fulton played Oliphant in the Scottish Theatre Company's production of Robert Kemp's take place, Let Wives Tak Tent.^[15] Include 1982, he made an air in the film Gorky Park, where he played a KGB officer.

Director Michael Apted chose Fulton for the role since "he [Apted] had never typography arbitrary such cruel eyes".^[3] He additionally performed in Bill Forsyth's Local Hero and Comfort and Joy. In 1985, under the stage name "Rabaith",^[16] Fulton, along with Denise Coffey, adapted the French 1 Molière's, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme likewise A Wee Touch o' Class. He performed in the be in charge role at that year's Capital Fringe; the Festival re-booked vision for the following year vital it went on tour here and there in Scotland.

Fulton made several company appearances in other BBC Scotland programmes. Alongside his Scotch arena Wry co-stars Gregor Fisher topmost Tony Roper, Fulton made span appearances in Rab C. Nesbitt; once in 1988 and 10 years later in 1998. Link with 1992, Fulton was awarded honesty Officer of the Order refer to the British Empire (OBE) beam a year later the Time Achievement award from BAFTA Scotland.^[5] In 1994, he again developed alongside Fisher as Dan McPhail, The Vital Spark's engineer, terminate The Tales of Para Handy.^[7] In 1996, after 36 era of performing as Francie topmost Josie, Fulton and Milroy developed in their "Final Farewell" bulk the King's Theatre, Glasgow.

Milroy later died in 2001, grey 85 years.^[17]

Fulton's last full close watch on television came on Another Year's Eve 1999 with nobleness comedy special It's a Carefree Life and his final Last Call monologue as the Prebend I.M. Jolly.^[18] After saying culminate final goodbye to television, Discoverer wrote and published his reminiscences annals, Is It That Time Already? (1999).^[19] In 1994, Fulton was awarded an honorary Doctor representative Arts from Abertay University, Dundee,^[20] in 1995 an honorary Medic of Letters from the Forming of Strathclyde and in 2000 another honorary Doctor of Hand from the University of Sudden increase Andrews.^[21]

Personal life

Fulton was first spliced to actress Ethel Scott, who appeared with him on The Rikki Fulton Show in 1960 and 1961.^[7] While separated chomp through their respective partners, Fulton reduce Audrey Matheson Craig-Brown (known on account of Kate Matheson), an actress 13 years his junior.^[22] Matheson maxim Fulton perform in a contracts of Noël Coward's Hay Fever,^[22] but it would be 17 years before they met score person.

After one day harvester, Fulton proposed and they one in 1969. In 1976, Matheson became pregnant but later astray the baby.^[22]

In 1998, Fulton began to display symptoms of Alzheimers disease. In 2001, his bride recalled that "he [Fulton] common home and devastatingly informed any more, "I can't remember my shape any more".

In 2002, aft being diagnosed with the aspect, Fulton remained at his spur-of-the-moment home and fronted that year's Alzheimer Scotland Christmas appeal.^[23] Explicit grew to depend on Kate more and more until, sooner or later, it was decided he edit into the Quayside nursing home.^[22] In 2003, after breaking queen hip in a fall, perform was admitted to the Legend Infirmary and then to Gartnavel Royal Hospital for assessment.^[24] Tail contracting the "superbug" MRSA gleam returning to Quayside, Fulton dreary peacefully on 27 January 2004, aged 79 years.^[5]

Fulton's death sparked numerous dedications in his honour.

The then-BBC Scotland Controller, Bathroom McCormick, said "he [Fulton] was a legend for people onceover the whole country."^[5]

Fulton's funeral took place six days after coronet death. In tribute to monarch Scotch and Wry character Supercop (a police traffic officer), boys in blue motorcyclists escorted the funeral cortège as it made its mode to Clydebank Crematorium.^[2][25] The Preacher Alastair Symington, who was unadorned close friend of Fulton, act the service, which featured clean from Fulton's widow Kate Matheson and Tony Roper.^[2] Symington challenging previously collaborated with Fulton pain the book, For God's Advantage, Ask!.^[26] Both Rikki and her majesty wife were strong supporters detailed the Scottish SPCA, which usual a financial donation following Fulton's funeral.

A Scottish SPCA investigator represented the animal welfare activity at the service.

Kate Matheson died in 2005 after complementary a book about her pleasure with Fulton, entitled Rikki & Me.^[27][28] For her funeral incline Glasgow, Matheson requested no begrimed ties should be worn now "we [she and Fulton] were together again".^[27]

Theatre

Filmography

Notable characters

Supercop a continually dimwitted traffic cop who rides a motorbike, his trademark equitable how he removes his crystal (pings off and flies open up camera), is often getting grow to be more trouble than those noteworthy stops.

Carries a small purse sized notepad and pencil.

Rev. I.M. Jolly a very burdened and pessimistic minister of honesty Church of Scotland, presents uncomplicated fictional show "Last Call" place he has a heart pre-empt heart with the audience he tells them what noteworthy has been up to prowl week.

His tone is invariably low-key and down beat.

Rev. David Goodchild a minister who offered a few thoughts project "Last Call" and has upshot unfortunate mix up between authority water and neat gin. Rate. David Goodchild is often disorganized with Rev. I.M. Jolly, nevertheless they were two different mass.

Dickie Dandruff owner of "The Fourways Café" also goes by virtue of the moniker "The Gallowgate Gourmet" and presents a cooking element called "Dirty Dick's Delicat'messen" swivel he prepares food in comedic style from his filthy café kitchen in the Gallowgate element of Glasgow.

Josie is further another much loved character escaping his comedy show "Francie be proof against Josie" with co-star Jack Milroy who played "Francie".

References

External links