Richard Wilson (Scottish actor)


Richard Wilson is a Scottish actor, broadcaster, and theatre director. He is most famous for playing Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. Another notable role was as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin.

Early life

Wilson was born on 9 July 1936 in Greenock in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He went to Lady Alice Primary school in Greenock. He studied science subjects at Greenock Academy, then completed his National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore.

Career

Wilson worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research assistant before switching to acting, aged 27. He trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating in 1965 with an Acting. He then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
Wilson initially turned down the role of Victor Meldrew and it was almost offered to Les Dawson before Wilson changed his mind. Wilson has stated that he came to hate Meldrew's catchphrase of "I don't believe it!" to the point where he now refuses to say it except for charity.
Wilson was appointed an OBE in the 1994 Birthday Honours for services to Drama. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.
The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus", from Strawbs' 1969 eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson.
Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson, was written by James Roose-Evans.
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 railway network.

Personal life

Wilson has lived in London since 1959.
Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years. He appeared at charity events organised by gay rights campaign group Stonewall, but had not discussed his own sexuality in interviews with the media. He was named in a list of influential gay people in 2013 by Time Out magazine, which he considered to have outed him.
Wilson is a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United. He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust. Wilson is a good friend of his One Foot in the Grave co-star Angus Deayton, and is godfather to Deayton's son.
Wilson is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre. Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony. He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard. He has been honorary president of the Scottish Community Drama Association since 1998.
Wilson is a supporter of the Labour Party. He donated more than £5,000 to the party in 1997 and recorded the party's manifesto on audio for the 2010 general election.
On 12 August 2016, it was reported that Wilson had suffered a heart attack. He had been due to reprise the role of Victor Meldrew in a one-man show at the 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In June 2021, Wilson was the guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. His choices included "Hammond Song" by The Roches, Symphony No. 6 in D minor by Sibelius and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" performed by Roberta Flack. His book choice was the poetry of Robert Burns and his luxury item was a subscription to The Guardian.
Wilson had one elder sister, who died in 2021, at the age of 91.

Filmography

Films

Junket 89 as Mr PotterThe Trouble with 2B as Mr PotterMark Gertler: Fragments of a Biography as Clive BellThose Glory Glory Days as Arnold – JournalistA Passage to India as TurtonForeign Body as Col. PartridgeWhoops Apocalypse as Nigel LipmanPrick Up Your Ears as PsychiatristHow to Get Ahead in Advertising as BristolA Dry White Season as CloeteSoft Top Hard Shoulder as Uncle SalvatoreCarry On Columbus as Don Juan FelipeThe Man Who Knew Too Little as Sir Roger DaggenhurstWomen Talking Dirty as RonaldLove and Other Disasters as RegistrarGnomeo & Juliet as Mr. Capulet Sherlock Gnomes as Mr. Capulet

Television

The Adventures of Robin Hood Dr. Finlay's Casebook – as MasonCrown Court – as Jeremy Parsons QC My Good Woman – as Rev. Martin Hooper Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

Stage acting

Twelfth Night, as Malvolio, Royal Shakespeare CompanyWhipping it Up by Steve Thompson, Bush Theatre, Ambassadors TheatreWhat the Butler Saw, as Dr Rance, Royal National TheatrePeter Pan, as Mr Darling/Captain Hook, Royal Festival HallWaiting for Godot, as Vladimir, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Royal Exchange Theatre, ManchesterUncle Vanya, as Vanya, Traverse TheatreA Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau, Theatre Royal, Bath, August 2013Krapp's Last Tape, as Krapp, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, 25 June – 19 July 2014Forty Years On by Alan Bennett, Chichester Festival Theatre, as the Headmaster, 21 April – 20 May 2017.

Theatre direction

Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert.An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 1986A Wholly Healthy Glasgow by Ian Heggie, Royal Exchange Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, The Royal Court, 1988/89Women Laughing by Michael Wall, The Royal Exchange Theatre, 1992The Lodger by Simon Burke. World premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre, 1994Primo 2004The Woman Before by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Royal Court, May 2005East Coast Chicken Supper by Martin J Taylor, The Traverse, 2005Rainbow Kiss by Simon Farquhar, Royal Court, April 2006Smack Family Robinson by Richard Bean – Kingston upon Thames, March and April 2013Blasted by Sarah Kane, Sheffield Studio, 2015Peggy For You by Alan Plater, Hampstead Theatre, 2021

Radio

The Corrupted as Melford StevensonRadio Diaries as Archie, a former tango dance partner/teacher on cruise liners, now in a care home, looking back over his life relationship with the tango. Written by Ron Hutchinson.Believe It! as himself in a spoof comic autobiography written by Jon CanterKing Lear as King Lear

Exercise videos

  • ''Let's Dance''