Allan Stewart
Encyclopedia
Allan Stewart is a Scottish comic and impressionist
born 11 December 1950.
pop singer
and musician.
He got his big break when, he appeared in Scottish television
Hello, Good evening, welcome show,( which was also networked as Hello, Good Afternoon and welcome )
it was an all round entertainment show in which a trio of multi-talented young entertainers present a fast-moving half hour of gags, impressions, sketches and music.
His next big show was his 1979 STV series, The Allan Stewart Tapes, were picked up by ITV
network and broadcast during spring 1980. The sketches were set in a penthouse flat with a view of Edinburgh Castle and Carry On stalwart Jack Douglas played the uptight English butler. This resulted in Thames
give Allan his own show in 1980, followed by a full series by Scottish television
.
In 1984 he appeared in Go For It alongside other impressionists, including Les Dennis
and Bobby Davro
, doing impressions of everyone from Esther Rantzen
to Sergeant Bilko. He appeared with Davro again in 1985's Copy Cats, typical cheap-and-cheerful ITV Saturday evening entertainment from LWT. It featured an array of impressionists of varying quality.
Stewart then appeared alongside a glittering array of comedy
talent in Live From Her Majesty's
, however the night, April 15, 1984, will always be remembered for Tommy Cooper
's fatal onstage heart attack. Next up for Stewart was hosting 1988's The Comedy Crowd, a one-off barrage of skits and impressions for Easter. In 1989 become host of Chain Letters
which was partly broadcast during peak time.
In 1990 Stewart hosted eight half-hours of stand-up comedy
taped at the Stakis Tree Tops Hotel in Aberdeen. Patter Merchants was screened in the early hours of the morning and featured a host of unknowns - Mike Lancaster, Jethro, Clem Dane, Steve Womack, Gary Denis, Adrian Walsh, Billy Jeffrey, Jim Rosie, Rikki Stevens, Cheryl Taylor, Mia Carla, Bill Barclay, Eddie Rose, Hilary O'Neil, Dean Park, Dave Wolfe, Johnnie Adam, Gerald Fitzpatrick, Boothby Graffoe
(who went on to success on the comedy circuit and radio) and perhaps the series' best known participators (but still scarcely 'famous') Aiden J. Harvey and Duggie Brown. In recent years has become a pantomime
dame of note practically becoming a fixture of The King's Theatre
in Edinburgh
's annual panto.
Allan has performed in two televised Royal Variety Shows and has been appearing in the lead of a new version of Jolson & Co on a national tour from Feb to May 2009 to rave reviews Allan had previously understudied Brian Conley
in Jolson: The Musical (1995–1997)
Sheila Connor says "Allan Stewart, as Jolson, presents us with a tour de force in the role, which looks back in detail over the entertainer's life. His performance alone warrants this production having life after its present tour finishes as he gives one of the best performances I have seen in a theatre for a long time."
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
born 11 December 1950.
Career
His career began in the 1960s when he performed as a cabaretCabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
pop singer
Pop Singer
"Pop Singer" is the début single from London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in February, 1996 through WEA. The single was released as a 2 track CD Single and limited edition pink 7" vinyl of 1000 copies...
and musician.
He got his big break when, he appeared in Scottish television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
Hello, Good evening, welcome show,( which was also networked as Hello, Good Afternoon and welcome )
it was an all round entertainment show in which a trio of multi-talented young entertainers present a fast-moving half hour of gags, impressions, sketches and music.
His next big show was his 1979 STV series, The Allan Stewart Tapes, were picked up by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network and broadcast during spring 1980. The sketches were set in a penthouse flat with a view of Edinburgh Castle and Carry On stalwart Jack Douglas played the uptight English butler. This resulted in Thames
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
give Allan his own show in 1980, followed by a full series by Scottish television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
.
In 1984 he appeared in Go For It alongside other impressionists, including Les Dennis
Les Dennis
Les Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...
and Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro is a British actor and comedian. He is mainly known for his work as an impressionist...
, doing impressions of everyone from Esther Rantzen
Esther Rantzen
Esther Louise Rantzen CBE is an English journalist and television presenter who is best known for presenting the BBC television series That's Life!, and for her work in various charitable causes. She is founder of the child protection charity ChildLine, and also advocates the work of the Burma...
to Sergeant Bilko. He appeared with Davro again in 1985's Copy Cats, typical cheap-and-cheerful ITV Saturday evening entertainment from LWT. It featured an array of impressionists of varying quality.
Stewart then appeared alongside a glittering array of comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
talent in Live From Her Majesty's
Live From Her Majesty's
Live From Her Majesty's was a Sunday night live variety show which was produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network and ran from 1982 to 1988...
, however the night, April 15, 1984, will always be remembered for Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
's fatal onstage heart attack. Next up for Stewart was hosting 1988's The Comedy Crowd, a one-off barrage of skits and impressions for Easter. In 1989 become host of Chain Letters
Chain Letters
Chain Letters was a British television game show produced by Tyne Tees Television. The show was filmed at their City Road studios in Newcastle Upon Tyne and broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom between 7 September 1987 and 25 April 1997. Three contestants competed to win money by changing letters...
which was partly broadcast during peak time.
In 1990 Stewart hosted eight half-hours of stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
taped at the Stakis Tree Tops Hotel in Aberdeen. Patter Merchants was screened in the early hours of the morning and featured a host of unknowns - Mike Lancaster, Jethro, Clem Dane, Steve Womack, Gary Denis, Adrian Walsh, Billy Jeffrey, Jim Rosie, Rikki Stevens, Cheryl Taylor, Mia Carla, Bill Barclay, Eddie Rose, Hilary O'Neil, Dean Park, Dave Wolfe, Johnnie Adam, Gerald Fitzpatrick, Boothby Graffoe
Boothby Graffoe
Boothby Graffoe is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies approximately 7 miles south of Lincoln, on A607 . It's population is approximately 400....
(who went on to success on the comedy circuit and radio) and perhaps the series' best known participators (but still scarcely 'famous') Aiden J. Harvey and Duggie Brown. In recent years has become a pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
dame of note practically becoming a fixture of The King's Theatre
King's Theatre, Edinburgh
The King's Theatre was opened in 1906 and stands on a prominent site on Leven Street in Edinburgh. It is one of Scotland's historic and most important theatres...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's annual panto.
Allan has performed in two televised Royal Variety Shows and has been appearing in the lead of a new version of Jolson & Co on a national tour from Feb to May 2009 to rave reviews Allan had previously understudied Brian Conley
Brian Conley
Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
in Jolson: The Musical (1995–1997)
Sheila Connor says "Allan Stewart, as Jolson, presents us with a tour de force in the role, which looks back in detail over the entertainer's life. His performance alone warrants this production having life after its present tour finishes as he gives one of the best performances I have seen in a theatre for a long time."
TV appearances
- Looks who talking (1974/1977/1978 3 episodes ITV Border )
- Hello, Good (Afternoon)/(evening) and welcome (1976-1979 Scottish televisionScottish TelevisionScottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
) - The Allan Stewart Tapes (1979 Scottish televisionScottish TelevisionScottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
) - The Allan Stewart show (1980 Thames TelevisionThames TelevisionThames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
) - The Allan Stewart show (1982 Scottish televisionScottish TelevisionScottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
) - Live From Her Majesty'sLive From Her Majesty'sLive From Her Majesty's was a Sunday night live variety show which was produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network and ran from 1982 to 1988...
- Go For It (1984 London Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
) - Copy Cats (1985 - 1987 London Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
) 4 series - The Comedy Crowd (1988 Thames TelevisionThames TelevisionThames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
) - Chain LettersChain LettersChain Letters was a British television game show produced by Tyne Tees Television. The show was filmed at their City Road studios in Newcastle Upon Tyne and broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom between 7 September 1987 and 25 April 1997. Three contestants competed to win money by changing letters...
(1989 Tyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
) - Royal Variety Show
- Scottish televisionScottish TelevisionScottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
Hogmanay show (1980–1993)