Johnny Beattie
Encyclopedia
Johnny Beattie MBE
(born 9 November 1927, Govan
, Glasgow
) is a Scottish
actor
and comedian
.
He began his career in the music hall
and variety show tradition, similar to Scottish figures such as Rikki Fulton
, Jack Milroy
and Stanley Baxter
, all of whom knew each other and were of a similar age to each other.
He has appeared in television shows such as Taggart
, and acted alongside Liam Neeson
and Billy Connolly
in the 1990 film adaptation of the William McIlvanney
novel, The Big Man
(called Crossing the Line when released in the United States
).
He was also the host of the Scottish Television
quiz show Now You See It for many years.
Beattie also had a couple of local hit records with "Scotch on the Rocks" and "The Glasgow Rap".
Beattie was one of the best-known summer season performers at the Rothesay
Winter Gardens in the 1940s and 1950s. His waxwork
likeness 'narrates' a Scottish music hall history at the Winter Gardens exhibition.
In recent years he has become known to a younger generation playing the character, Malcolm Hamilton in the soap
River City
.
Presently the Honorary President of the Scottish Music Hall Society, he is the father of actresses Maureen Beattie and Louise Beattie.
In 2006, he celebrated his 80th birthday in Glasgow
.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 9 November 1927, Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
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...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
.
He began his career in the music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
and variety show tradition, similar to Scottish figures such as Rikki Fulton
Rikki Fulton
Robert Kerr Fulton, OBE , more commonly known as Rikki Fulton, was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, Scotch and Wry. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, Francie and Josie, alongside...
, Jack Milroy
Jack Milroy
Jack Milroy was a Scottish comedian . Born James Cruden in Govanhill and educated at Shawlands Academy, Milroy is noted for his partnership with comedy actor Rikki Fulton, as Francie and Josie...
and Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter is a Scottish comic actor and impressionist, best known for his British television shows. He worked in radio, theatre, television and film.-Early life:...
, all of whom knew each other and were of a similar age to each other.
He has appeared in television shows such as Taggart
Taggart
Taggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
, and acted alongside Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
and Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
in the 1990 film adaptation of the William McIlvanney
William McIlvanney
William McIlvanney is a writer of crime stories, novels, and poetry. McIlvanney is a champion of gritty yet poetic literature; his works Laidlaw, The Papers of Tony Veitch, and Walking Wounded are all known for their portrayal of Glasgow in the 1970s.- Life and career :McIlvanney was born in the...
novel, The Big Man
The Big Man
This article is about the film. For the saxophonist with that nickname, see Clarence Clemons.The Big Man is a 1990 film produced by Miramax Films. It starred Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley and Billy Connolly and the film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone. It was featured in FlixMix's Ultimate...
(called Crossing the Line when released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).
He was also the host of the 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...
quiz show Now You See It for many years.
Beattie also had a couple of local hit records with "Scotch on the Rocks" and "The Glasgow Rap".
Beattie was one of the best-known summer season performers at the Rothesay
Rothesay
Rothesay or Rothsay may refer to:Places*Rothesay, Argyll and Bute, on the Isle of Bute, Scotland*Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada*Rothesay , Canada*Rothsay, Minnesota, USA*Rothsay, Western AustraliaPeople*Duke of Rothesay...
Winter Gardens in the 1940s and 1950s. His waxwork
Waxwork
Waxwork or waxworks may refer to:* Wax museum, a museum for a collection of wax figures* Celastrus scandens, a plant in the Celastraceae family* Waxwork , a 1988 comedy/horror film* Waxworks , a 1924 German silent film...
likeness 'narrates' a Scottish music hall history at the Winter Gardens exhibition.
In recent years he has become known to a younger generation playing the character, Malcolm Hamilton in the soap
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
River City
River City (TV series)
River City is a Scottish television soap opera, first broadcast in Scotland on BBC Scotland on 24 September 2002. River City storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch in Glasgow...
.
Presently the Honorary President of the Scottish Music Hall Society, he is the father of actresses Maureen Beattie and Louise Beattie.
In 2006, he celebrated his 80th birthday in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Awards
- He received the 1981 Benno Schotz award as T.V. Personality of the Year.
- He received the Lord Provost's Performing Arts Award in 1993.
- He was appointed MBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list.