John Gordon Sinclair
Encyclopedia
John Gordon Sinclair is a Scottish
actor
most famous for playing Gregory in Gregory's Girl
. He was born as Gordon John but took the stage name 'John Gordon Sinclair' because Equity already had a Gordon John registered.
He joined Glasgow's Youth Theatre after he visited one night and met fellow fan of Canadian
progressive rock
group Rush
, Robert Buchanan. As a result he starred in a number of films by director Bill Forsyth
, perhaps the most famous of which was 1981's Gregory's Girl
, shot when he was 19 years old. He reprised the role nearly two decades later in Gregory's Two Girls
, and also appeared in Forsyth's Local Hero
.
He has continued to act on stage and screen. Other roles include parts in Goodbye Mr Steadman, Mad About Alice
Gasping and Roman Road. He was also in the first series of LWT's Hot Metal
and both the radio and television sitcom An Actor's Life For Me
. He played Dan Weir in Espedair Street
, the BBC Radio 4
adaptation of the Iain Banks
novel, as well as playing the lead part of Dr. Finlay
in the Radio 4 series entitled Adventures of a Black Bag
.
He appeared in the 1982 Scottish squad's
World Cup
song "We Have a Dream
", a number 5 hit in the UK, which was written and performed by BA Robertson. It featured John Gordon Sinclair speaking his recollection of a dream about Scottish football success. He later revived this Scottish footballing connection by narrating the 2006-07 BBC Scotland
documentary series That Was The Team That Was
.
John Gordon Sinclair played Frank McClusky, a leading character, in the 1990 John Byrne TV serial "Your Cheatin' Heart". He also appeared in "Local Hero". Sinclair played one of the main characters in the Tesco
TV adverts in the late 1990s and early 2000s alongside Prunella Scales
and Jane Horrocks
. He most recently appeared in the West End
in The Producers
playing the part of Leo Bloom alongside Fred Applegate.
He voiced all the male characters (except for Finbar) in HIT Entertainment
's Rubbadubbers
. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1995 for Best Actor in a Musical for his 1994 performance in "She Loves Me
".
Sinclair also performed the part of "Master of Ceremonies" in Mike Oldfield
's premiere performance of Tubular Bells II
at Edinburgh Castle
in 1992.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
most famous for playing Gregory in 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...
. He was born as Gordon John but took the stage name 'John Gordon Sinclair' because Equity already had a Gordon John registered.
He joined Glasgow's Youth Theatre after he visited one night and met fellow fan of Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Robert Buchanan. As a result he starred in a number of films by director Bill Forsyth
Bill Forsyth
Bill Forsyth is a Scottish film director and writer, noted for his commitment to national film-making.Forsyth first came to attention with a low-budget film, That Sinking Feeling, made with youth theatre actors and featuring a cameo appearance by the Edinburgh gallery owner Richard Demarco...
, perhaps the most famous of which was 1981's 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...
, shot when he was 19 years old. He reprised the role nearly two decades later in Gregory's Two Girls
Gregory's Two Girls
Gregory's Two Girls is a 1999 British film. It is the sequel to 1981's Gregory's Girl, which also starred John Gordon Sinclair and was written and directed by Bill Forsyth...
, and also appeared in Forsyth's Local Hero
Local Hero
Local Hero is a 1983 Scottish comedy-drama film starring Peter Riegert and Burt Lancaster. It was directed by Bill Forsyth and produced by David Puttnam....
.
He has continued to act on stage and screen. Other roles include parts in Goodbye Mr Steadman, Mad About Alice
Mad About Alice
Mad About Alice was a British sitcom that ran during 2004 for six episodes. A sitcom which centres on the lives of a divorced couple and their young son. Despite no longer living together, Doug and Alice remain in close contact due to joint custody of their nine-year old son Joe...
Gasping and Roman Road. He was also in the first series of LWT's Hot Metal
Hot Metal
-External links:* at BBC Online Comedy Guide...
and both the radio and television sitcom An Actor's Life For Me
An Actor's Life For Me
An Actor's Life For Me is a sitcom that aired on BBC Radio 2 from 1989 to 1993 and on BBC television in 1991. Starring John Gordon-Sinclair and Gina McKee, it was written by Paul Mayhew-Archer, who later co-wrote The Vicar of Dibley.-Radio:...
. He played Dan Weir in Espedair Street
Espedair Street (radio)
Espedair Street was a four part BBC radio adaptation of the Iain Banks novel Espedair Street broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1998. The dramatisation was by Joe Dunlop and it was produced by Dave Batchelor...
, the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
adaptation of the Iain Banks
Iain Banks
Iain Banks is a Scottish writer. He writes mainstream fiction under the name Iain Banks, and science fiction as Iain M. Banks, including the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies...
novel, as well as playing the lead part of Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay is a fictional character, the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin.-History:The stories were used as the basis for the long-running BBC television programme, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971, and radio series . Based on Cronin's novella entitled...
in the Radio 4 series entitled Adventures of a Black Bag
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV & radio)
Dr. Finlay's Casebook is a television series that was broadcast on the BBC from 1962 until 1971. Based on A. J. Cronin's novella entitled Country Doctor, the storylines centred on a general medical practice in the fictional Scottish town of Tannochbrae during the late 1920s...
.
He appeared in the 1982 Scottish squad's
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
song "We Have a Dream
We Have A Dream
We Have A Dream was a special single released as the official song of the Scotland national football team for their 1982 World Cup Campaign.-2008 version:It was re-released in 2008 featuring a host of celebrities...
", a number 5 hit in the UK, which was written and performed by BA Robertson. It featured John Gordon Sinclair speaking his recollection of a dream about Scottish football success. He later revived this Scottish footballing connection by narrating the 2006-07 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...
documentary series That Was The Team That Was
That Was The Team That Was
That Was The Team That Was was a Scottish television programme that documented successful time periods for Scottish football sides. The show was broadcast on BBC One Scotland every Friday night and has recently ended its third series. Its title is derived from the 1960's BBC satire That Was The...
.
John Gordon Sinclair played Frank McClusky, a leading character, in the 1990 John Byrne TV serial "Your Cheatin' Heart". He also appeared in "Local Hero". Sinclair played one of the main characters in the Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
TV adverts in the late 1990s and early 2000s alongside Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
and Jane Horrocks
Jane Horrocks
Barbara Jane Horrocks is an English voice, stage, screen and television actress, voice artist, musician, and singer. She is best known for her role as "Bubble" in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous as well as her distinctive voice....
. He most recently appeared in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in The Producers
The Producers (musical)
The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics written by Brooks and music composed by Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich...
playing the part of Leo Bloom alongside Fred Applegate.
He voiced all the male characters (except for Finbar) in HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
's Rubbadubbers
Rubbadubbers
The Rubbadubbers is a British stop motion animation children's show from Hot Animation which is owned by HIT Entertainment.-Plot:The television show features characters who are animated bath toys. They often excitedly announce that the children are about to take a bath.-Format:Each episode begins...
. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1995 for Best Actor in a Musical for his 1994 performance in "She Loves Me
She Loves Me
She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.The musical is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop around the Corner and the...
".
Sinclair also performed the part of "Master of Ceremonies" in Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
's premiere performance of Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II is the 15th music album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1992. The album - the first for his new record label, Warner Bros. Records, following an acrimonious departure from Virgin Records after twenty years - was conceived as a sequel to Oldfield's 1973 Tubular Bells...
at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
in 1992.