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Wilson, who is openly [[homosexual|gay]]<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9255.html</ref>, is a strong supporter of [[Stonewall (UK)]]. He is one of the Patrons for [[Scottish Youth Theatre]], Scotland's National Theatre 'for and by' young people.<ref>[http://www.scottishyouththeatre.org/involved/syt-productions/ Scottish Youth Theatre website]</ref> The actor is also a long-time supporter of [[deafblind]] charity [[Sense-National Deafblind and Rubella Association|Sense]] and in 2007 hosted the Annual Sense Awards, honouring excellence in both deafblind people and those who work with them.<ref>[http://www.listal.com/list/celebrity-supporters-sense Celebrity supporters of Sense]</ref> The opening voice on [[Strawbs]]'s [[Strawbs (album)|eponymous]] first album providing narration on the track "[[The Man Who Called Himself Jesus]]" was spoken by Wilson.<ref>[http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/45s/jesus/jesus.asp Strawbs website</ref> Owing to the popularity of ''One Foot In The Grave'', Wilson is still hounded by members of the public to say the classic 'I don't believe it' catchphrase of his alter-ego Victor Meldrew.<ref>[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneFootInTheGrave TVTropes]</ref>
Wilson, who is openly [[homosexual|gay]]<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9255.html</ref>, is a strong supporter of [[Stonewall (UK)]]. He is one of the Patrons for [[Scottish Youth Theatre]], Scotland's National Theatre 'for and by' young people.<ref>[http://www.scottishyouththeatre.org/involved/syt-productions/ Scottish Youth Theatre website]</ref> The actor is also a long-time supporter of [[deafblind]] charity [[Sense-National Deafblind and Rubella Association|Sense]] and in 2007 hosted the Annual Sense Awards, honouring excellence in both deafblind people and those who work with them.<ref>[http://www.listal.com/list/celebrity-supporters-sense Celebrity supporters of Sense]</ref> The opening voice on [[Strawbs]]'s [[Strawbs (album)|eponymous]] first album providing narration on the track "[[The Man Who Called Himself Jesus]]" was spoken by Wilson.<ref>[http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/45s/jesus/jesus.asp Strawbs website</ref> Owing to the popularity of ''One Foot In The Grave'', Wilson is still hounded by members of the public to say the classic 'I don't believe it' catchphrase of his alter-ego Victor Meldrew.<ref>[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneFootInTheGrave TVTropes]</ref>
At the height of his ''One Foot ...'' fame, he filmed a commercial for [[I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!]] in character, as Victor Meldrew. The advert saw Meldrew, confronted by a supermarket taste-test. In a break from tradition, the veteran disbelief enthusiast simply chose to believe that the spread on offer was indeed [[butter]]. His famous catchphrase roar of "I can't believe this!" only reared its head after one of the staff conducting the test (played by a fresh-faced [[James Corden]]) ate all the crumpets on offer.
At the height of his ''One Foot ...'' fame, he filmed a commercial for [[I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!]] in character, as Victor Meldrew. The advert saw Meldrew, confronted by a supermarket taste-test. In a break from tradition, the veteran disbelief enthusiast simply chose to believe that the spread on offer was indeed [[butter]]. His famous catchphrase roar of "I don't believe it!" only reared its head after one of the staff conducting the test (played by a fresh-faced [[James Corden]]) ate all the crumpets on offer.


Wilson's biography, ''One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson'' (ISBN 0752811150), was written by [[James Roose-Evans]].<ref>[http://www.vialibri.net/cgi-bin/wants_search.php?refer=start&authword=roose-evans&yearmin=&pricemin=&titleword=foot+stage&pub=&yearmax=&pricemax=&keyword=&curr=EUR&sort=yr&order=asc&fed=&sgd=&dj=&submitted=TRUE&act=search&hi_lo=hi&z=8268 One Foot on the Stage on Vialibri]</ref>
Wilson's biography, ''One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson'' (ISBN 0752811150), was written by [[James Roose-Evans]].<ref>[http://www.vialibri.net/cgi-bin/wants_search.php?refer=start&authword=roose-evans&yearmin=&pricemin=&titleword=foot+stage&pub=&yearmax=&pricemax=&keyword=&curr=EUR&sort=yr&order=asc&fed=&sgd=&dj=&submitted=TRUE&act=search&hi_lo=hi&z=8268 One Foot on the Stage on Vialibri]</ref>

Revision as of 22:06, 22 February 2010

For other people named Richard Wilson, see Richard Wilson (disambiguation).
Richard Wilson
Born
Ian Colquhoun Wilson
Occupation(s)Actor, theatre director and presenter
Years active1964–present

Ian Colquhoun Wilson OBE (born 9 July 1936), better known as Richard Wilson, is a Scottish actor, theatre director and presenter, best known for playing Victor Meldrew in the popular BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. He also had a high-profile role in Demons and currently stars in Merlin.

Personal life

Wilson was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire (now part of Inverclyde). He was educated in Greenock and studied science and did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore. He worked in a laboratory[1] at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research scientist before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at RADA and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre), Glasgow and Manchester (Stables Theatre).

Wilson was awarded the OBE for services to drama as a director and actor in 1994. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a period of three years.[1]

Wilson, who is openly gay[2], is a strong supporter of Stonewall (UK). He is one of the Patrons for Scottish Youth Theatre, Scotland's National Theatre 'for and by' young people.[3] The actor is also a long-time supporter of deafblind charity Sense and in 2007 hosted the Annual Sense Awards, honouring excellence in both deafblind people and those who work with them.[4] The opening voice on Strawbs's eponymous first album providing narration on the track "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" was spoken by Wilson.[5] Owing to the popularity of One Foot In The Grave, Wilson is still hounded by members of the public to say the classic 'I don't believe it' catchphrase of his alter-ego Victor Meldrew.[6]

At the height of his One Foot ... fame, he filmed a commercial for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! in character, as Victor Meldrew. The advert saw Meldrew, confronted by a supermarket taste-test. In a break from tradition, the veteran disbelief enthusiast simply chose to believe that the spread on offer was indeed butter. His famous catchphrase roar of "I don't believe it!" only reared its head after one of the staff conducting the test (played by a fresh-faced James Corden) ate all the crumpets on offer.

Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson (ISBN 0752811150), was written by James Roose-Evans.[7]

Television

Films

Stage acting

Theatre direction

Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Richard Wilson - Drama Faces". BBC. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  2. ^ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9255.html
  3. ^ Scottish Youth Theatre website
  4. ^ Celebrity supporters of Sense
  5. ^ [http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/45s/jesus/jesus.asp Strawbs website
  6. ^ TVTropes
  7. ^ One Foot on the Stage on Vialibri
Academic offices
Preceded by Rector of the University of Glasgow
1996–1999 		Succeeded by
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