Charles Murray (comedian)
Encyclopedia
Charles Thomas McKinnon "Chic" Murray (6 November 191929 January 1985), was a Scottish comedian and actor. He appeared in various roles on British television and filmmost notably in the 1967 version of Casino Royale
and portrayed Liverpool Football Club
manager Bill Shankly
in a musical. In 2005, he was named in The Comedian's Comedian.
, Inverclyde
. He began his career as a musician in amateur groups such as "The Whinhillbillies" and "Chic and His Chicks" while an apprentice at the Kincaid
shipyard, Inverclyde, in 1934. Maidie aready a seasoned star in her own right (having worked since she was 3 with many of the great stars of the time) was playing the Greenock Empire. Chics mother was the welfare officer & put Maidie up in her home. Subsequently, Maidie gave chic parts within her own act & he formed a double-act with her, Maidie Dickson. Billed as "The Tall Droll with the Small Doll" (he was 6'3" tall, she was 4'11") and also as "Maidie and Murray", their combination of jokes and songs made them popular on television and in theatres throughout the country. Their success peaked in 1956 when they were selected to appear in the oyal Variety Show] at the London Palladium
, but, due to the Suez Crisis
, the show was cancelled. Maidie & Chic had had much success at the Prince of Wales theatre in London.
Later, working as a solo act, with a forbidding expression and omnipresent bunnet, Murray offered a comic vision of the world that was absurd and surreal. One example was his early-1970s BBC Scotland
series Chic's Chat, where his version of acting as DJ for the (occasional) records he played was unique. The show also featured surreal dialogues with a "man at the window" of his studioplayed by Willie Josswho invariably referred to Murray by the name of "Chips". Another was his eccentrically decorated hotel in the Bruntsfield
area of Edinburgh
, which did not outlive the 1980s.
Much-mimicked and much-loved by his fellow professionals, Murray acted in films such as Casino Royale and Gregory's Girl
, in which he played a Scottish secondary school headmaster). He also played former Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly in the musical play You'll Never Walk Alone. Just prior to the show opening, Murray claimed to have telephoned the switchboard at Anfield using his Shankly voice, causing the receptionistwho had worked there in the Shankly yearsto burst into tears on hearing the great man's voice once more. He also made cameo appearances as an itinerant poacher in a few episodes of STV's soap Take The High Road
(1984) and appeared alongside Judi Dench
in Saigon: Year of the Cat
(1983). He died in Edinburgh in 1985 at the age of sixty-five, ironically next door to his former wife Maidie's bedroom. His wife Maidie passed away peacefully at her home she had shared with chic for many years on May 10th 2010, her family were with her.
Casino Royale (1967 film)
Casino Royale is a 1967 comedy spy film originally produced by Columbia Pictures starring an ensemble cast of directors and actors. It is set as a satire of the James Bond film series and the spy genre, and is loosely based on Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel.The film stars David Niven as the...
and portrayed Liverpool Football Club
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
manager Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
in a musical. In 2005, he was named in The Comedian's Comedian.
Life and career
Murray was born in GreenockGreenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Inverclyde
Inverclyde
Inverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...
. He began his career as a musician in amateur groups such as "The Whinhillbillies" and "Chic and His Chicks" while an apprentice at the Kincaid
Kincaid
-People:*April Kincaid , U.S. professional wrestler and model*Aron Kincaid , U.S. voice actor*Bradley Kincaid , U.S. folk singer and radio entertainer*Charles Augustus Kincaid, co-author of "The History of the Maratha People"...
shipyard, Inverclyde, in 1934. Maidie aready a seasoned star in her own right (having worked since she was 3 with many of the great stars of the time) was playing the Greenock Empire. Chics mother was the welfare officer & put Maidie up in her home. Subsequently, Maidie gave chic parts within her own act & he formed a double-act with her, Maidie Dickson. Billed as "The Tall Droll with the Small Doll" (he was 6'3" tall, she was 4'11") and also as "Maidie and Murray", their combination of jokes and songs made them popular on television and in theatres throughout the country. Their success peaked in 1956 when they were selected to appear in the oyal Variety Show] at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
, but, due to the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, the show was cancelled. Maidie & Chic had had much success at the Prince of Wales theatre in London.
Later, working as a solo act, with a forbidding expression and omnipresent bunnet, Murray offered a comic vision of the world that was absurd and surreal. One example was his early-1970s BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
series Chic's Chat, where his version of acting as DJ for the (occasional) records he played was unique. The show also featured surreal dialogues with a "man at the window" of his studioplayed by Willie Josswho invariably referred to Murray by the name of "Chips". Another was his eccentrically decorated hotel in the Bruntsfield
Bruntsfield
Bruntsfield is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about twenty minutes walk south-west of the city centre. In feudal times it fell within the barony of Colinton.-Location:...
area of 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...
, which did not outlive the 1980s.
Much-mimicked and much-loved by his fellow professionals, Murray acted in films such as Casino Royale and Gregory's Girl
Gregory's Girl
Gregory's Girl is a 1981 Scottish coming-of-age romantic comedy film written and directed by Bill Forsyth.The film is set in and around a state secondary school in the Abronhill district of Cumbernauld. It features Gordon John Sinclair, Dee Hepburn, and Clare Grogan, among others...
, in which he played a Scottish secondary school headmaster). He also played former Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly in the musical play You'll Never Walk Alone. Just prior to the show opening, Murray claimed to have telephoned the switchboard at Anfield using his Shankly voice, causing the receptionistwho had worked there in the Shankly yearsto burst into tears on hearing the great man's voice once more. He also made cameo appearances as an itinerant poacher in a few episodes of STV's soap Take The High Road
Take the High Road
Take the High Road was a Scottish soap opera produced by Scottish Television, and set in the fictional village of Glendarroch , and claims to have about 2 million fans, including the Queen Mother...
(1984) and appeared alongside Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
in Saigon: Year of the Cat
Saigon: Year of the Cat
Saigon: Year of the Cat is a television drama first broadcast in 1983 by Thames Television. It was directed by Stephen Frears; the screenplay was by David Hare.It stars Judi Dench, Frederic Forrest, E. G...
(1983). He died in Edinburgh in 1985 at the age of sixty-five, ironically next door to his former wife Maidie's bedroom. His wife Maidie passed away peacefully at her home she had shared with chic for many years on May 10th 2010, her family were with her.
Legacy
- In 2005, Murray was named in The Comedian's Comedian, a poll where comedians chose their favourite or most influential comedian.
- Neither Here nor There is a BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
programme about Murray's life, devised and scripted by Simon TrevesSimon TrevesFrederick Simon Treves, known as Simon Treves, is an English actor, director and writer probably best known for playing Harold 'Stinker' Pinker in three series of ITV's Jeeves and Wooster.-Biography:...
and originally broadcast in August 2007.
Further reading
- Robbie Grigor, Just Daft: The Chic Murray Story (Birlinn, 2008), ISBN 1-84158-755-9.
- Andrew Yule, The Best Way to Walk: The Chic Murray Story (Mainstream Publishing, 1989), ISBN 1-85158-218-5.
- Andrew Yule, The Best Way to Laugh: The Chic Murray Bumper Fun Book (Corgi, 1991), ISBN 0-552-13854-1.
External links
- This entry based with permission on web site which includes A collection of some of Chic's jokes
- Gazetteer for Scotland: Charles (Chic) Murray
- Chic Murray giving his long nose routine
- THE BOAT (1975) (A Chic Murray comedy short about a man who inherits a cabin cruiser - from the National Library of Scotland: SCOTTISH SCREEN ARCHIVE)