Scottish actor and theatre director (born 1936)
Richard Wilson (bornIain Carmichael Wilson ;[ 1] Victor Meldrew in theBBC sitcomOne Foot in the Grave Gaius , the court physician ofCamelot , in the BBC dramaMerlin [ 2]
Wilson was born on 9 July 1936 inGreenock inRenfrewshire ,Scotland . He went to Lady Alice Primary school in Greenock. He studied science subjects atGreenock Academy ,[ 3] National Service with theRoyal Army Medical Corps , serving in Singapore.[ 4]
Wilson worked in a laboratory atStobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research assistant[ 5] Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, graduating in 1965 with an Acting (RADA Diploma).[ 6] Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre ),Glasgow andManchester (Stables Theatre).[ 7]
Wilson initially turned down the role ofVictor Meldrew and it was almost offered toLes Dawson before Wilson changed his mind.[ 8] [ 9]
Wilson was appointed anOBE in the1994 Birthday Honours [ 10] Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.[ 5]
The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus ", from Strawbs' 1969eponymous first album , was performed by Wilson.[ 11]
Wilson's biography,One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson , was written byJames Roose-Evans .[ 12]
In March 2011, Wilson presented an edition of theChannel 4 current affairs programmeDispatches Train Journeys From Hell , with transport journalistChristian Wolmar highlighting the failings of theBritish railway network .[ 13]
Wilson has lived in London since 1959.[ 14]
Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years.[ 15] Stonewall , but had not discussed his own sexuality in interviews with the media.[ 16] Time Out outed him.[ 17] [ 18]
Wilson is a supporter of his local football club,Greenock Morton , but he has come to lend greater support to English clubManchester United .[ 4] Manchester United Supporters Trust .[ 19] One Foot in the Grave co-starAngus Deayton , and is godfather to Deayton's son.[ 20]
Wilson is one of the patrons ofScottish Youth Theatre .[ 21] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24]
Wilson is a supporter of theLabour Party . He donated more than £5,000 to the party in 1997[ 25] 2010 general election .[ 26] [ 27]
On 12 August 2016, it was reported that Wilson had suffered a heart attack. He had been due to reprise the role ofVictor Meldrew in a one-man show at the 2016Edinburgh Festival Fringe .[ 28]
In June 2021, Wilson was the guest on BBC Radio 4'sDesert Island Discs The Roches ,Symphony No. 6 in D minor The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face " performed byRoberta Flack . His book choice was the poetry ofRobert Burns and his luxury item was a subscription toThe Guardian [ 29]
Wilson had one older sister, who died in 2021, at the age of 91.[ 29] [ 30]
Twelfth Night Malvolio ,Royal Shakespeare Company Whipping it Up by Steve Thompson,Bush Theatre ,Ambassadors Theatre What the Butler Saw Royal National Theatre Peter Pan Royal Festival Hall Waiting for Godot Vladimir ,Traverse Theatre , Edinburgh andRoyal Exchange Theatre , ManchesterUncle Vanya Traverse Theatre A Little Hotel on the Side Georges Feydeau ,Theatre Royal, Bath , August 2013Krapp's Last Tape Forty Years On Alan Bennett ,Chichester Festival Theatre , as the Headmaster, 21 April – 20 May 2017.Wilson won theTMA Best Director Award in 2000 forMr Kolpert .[ 5]
An Inspector Calls J B Priestley –Royal Exchange Theatre , Manchester, 1986A Wholly Healthy Glasgow byIan Heggie , Royal Exchange Theatre,Edinburgh International Festival ,The Royal Court , 1988/89Women Laughing by Michael Wall, The Royal Exchange Theatre, 1992The Lodger bySimon Burke . World premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre, 1994Primo The Woman Before Roland Schimmelpfennig , Royal Court, May 2005East Coast Chicken Supper Martin J Taylor ,The Traverse , 2005Rainbow Kiss Simon Farquhar , Royal Court, April 2006Smack Family Robinson Richard Bean –Kingston upon Thames , March and April 2013Blasted Sarah Kane ,Sheffield Studio , 2015Peggy For You byAlan Plater ,Hampstead Theatre , 2021The Corrupted Radio Diaries (BBC Radio 4, 2021) 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! (BBC Radio 4, 2012–22) as himself in a spoof comic autobiography written byJon Canter [ 37] King Lear ^ Walker, Lynne (12 June 1999)."he's all the rage" .The Herald . Retrieved24 October 2017 . ^ "BBC - Press Office - Merlin press pack: Richard Wilson" . BBC. Retrieved7 May 2020 .^ "Richard Wilson's Beacon Theatre hopes" .Greenock Telegraph . 27 March 2015. Retrieved31 March 2018 .^a b Dugan, Emily (21 November 2010)."Richard Wilson: Retire? He doesn't believe in it" .The Independent . UK: Independent Print. Retrieved11 June 2011 . ^a b c "Richard Wilson – Drama Faces" . BBC. Archived fromthe original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved28 December 2008 .^ "RADA Student & graduate profiles: Richard Wilson" .rada.ac.uk . Retrieved16 May 2020 .^ "Richard Wilson - Past Performances" .theatricalia.com . Retrieved29 October 2023 .^ Plunkett, Richard (26 July 2016)."I don't believe it! Victor Meldrew role almost went to Les Dawson" .The Guardian . Retrieved13 August 2016 . ^ Wise, Louis (18 August 2021)."Richard Wilson on Victor Meldrew, THAT catchphrase and coming out in his 70s: 'I just wasn't very gay' .The Telegraph .ISSN 0307-1235 . Retrieved25 October 2024 . ^ United Kingdom list:"No. 53696" .The London Gazette 1– 30. ^ "Strawbs website" . Strawbsweb.co.uk. 22 November 1968. Retrieved7 August 2011 .^ "One Foot on the Stage on Vialibri" . Vialibri.net. Retrieved7 August 2011 .[dead link ^ "Train Journeys From Hell" .Dispatches . Channel 4. 21 March 2011. Retrieved21 March 2011 .^ "He's all the rage" . 12 June 1999.^ Rees, Jasper (26 June 2014)."Richard Wilson, interview: 'A lot of Scots hate me' The Daily Telegraph .Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved22 November 2017 . ^ Ahad, Nick (4 July 2011)."The big interview: Richard Wilson" .The Yorkshire Post . Retrieved2 May 2018 . ^ Maddocks, Fiona (15 November 2015)."Interview. Richard Wilson: 'For a long time I thought Tony Blair was the greatest thing since cream cheese' .The Observer . Retrieved2 April 2018 . ^ Earp, Catherine (2 March 2013)." .Digital Spy . Retrieved22 November 2017 . ^ "Richard Wilson" .joinmust.org . Manchester United Supporters Trust. Retrieved11 June 2011 .^ McLean, Craig (12 July 2016)."Interview: Richard Wilson and Angus Deayton on how they won't be painting Edinburgh red together this Fringe" .The List . Retrieved22 November 2017 . ^ "Scottish Youth Theatre website" . Scottishyouththeatre.org. 26 March 2008. Archived fromthe original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved7 August 2011 .^ "Celebrity supporters of Sense" . Listal.com. 24 June 2009. Retrieved7 August 2011 .^ "Scene & Heard – Who We Are" . sceneandheard.org. 2010. Archived fromthe original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved19 June 2010 .^ "Honorary Presidents and Members – SCDA" . Retrieved7 May 2020 .^ " .BBC News . 30 August 1998. Retrieved25 March 2024 .^ "Delay in Labour braille and audio manifesto criticised" .BBC News . BBC. 15 April 2010. Retrieved5 May 2010 .^ Young, Kevin (20 April 2010)."Election 2010: Political celebrities – then and now" .BBC News . Retrieved20 April 2010 . ^ "Victor Meldrew actor Richard Wilson suffers heart attack" .BBC News . 12 August 2016. Retrieved12 August 2016 .^a b "BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Richard Wilson, actor and director" . BBC. 20 June 2021. Retrieved25 June 2021 .^ Jones, Marcus (2016)."Richard Wilson's sister 'praying' as Victor Meldrew star suffers heart attack" .Premier Christianity . Retrieved22 November 2017 . ^ How to Get Ahead in Advertising , retrieved8 May 2020 ^ Sherlock Gnomes (2018) - IMDb , retrieved8 May 2020 ^ "Richard Wilson Archive" .richardwilsonarchive.com .^ The Red Headed League , retrieved8 May 2020 ^ Selling Hitler , retrieved8 May 2020 ^ "Richard Wilson On The Road Episode 2 | presscentre" .^ "BBC Radio 4 - Believe It!" . BBC.J. Roose-Evans,One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson
1958–1975 1976–2000 2001–present
International National Artists Other
