Gregor Fisher

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Gregor Fisher
Born (1953-12-22) 22 December 1953 (age 70)
Alma materRoyal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active1977–present
SpouseVictoria Burton
Children3

Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953)[1] is a Scottish comedian and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of the title character in the comedy series Rab C. Nesbitt, a role he has played since the show's first episode in 1988. He has also had roles in films such as Without a Clue (1988), Love Actually (2003), The Merchant of Venice (2004) and Whisky Galore! (2016).

Early life[edit]

Fisher was born in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, and following the death of his mother was brought up in Edinburgh, Langholm, and Neilston and attended Barrhead High School. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, at which he did not complete his studies.

Career[edit]

Fisher worked with Scottish comedian Rikki Fulton on his hit sketch series Scotch and Wry (whose broadcast was mainly restricted to BBC One Scotland). Another Scottish comedian he worked with was Hector Nicol, in the BBC drama Just a Boys' Game (1979).

Later, he appeared in Michael Radford's 1984 film Nineteen Eighty-Four as Winston Smith's neighbour Parsons. In 1988, he had a leading role in Silent Mouse, a dramatised television documentary telling the story of the creation of the Christmas carol Silent Night. In the same year he had a cameo (as a Victorian policeman) in the Michael Caine/Ben Kingsley vehicle, Without a Clue.

Fisher is best known for his portrayal of his character Rab C. Nesbitt in the sitcom of the same name, this itself was a spin-off from the BBC2 sketch comedy Naked Video, where the Nesbitt character originated, along with The Baldy Man who also obtained his own eponymous spin-off series, and is particularly associated with two Hamlet adverts involving photography, the first of which where he cannot get a satisfactory passport photo from a photobooth and lights up a cigar to calm himself down; the second of which where he cannot get a satisfactory family portrait and lights up a cigar to calm himself down. Johnny Depp based his Glaswegian accent for the role of Tarrant Hightopp, The Mad Hatter in the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland, on that used by Fisher’s Rab C. Nesbitt character.[2]

In 1994–1995, he played the title role in the BBC series The Tales of Para Handy, in which he was reunited with Rikki Fulton. Fisher had also appeared in the 1999 sitcom Brotherly Love and in the 2002 sitcom Snoddy. He also appeared with Iain Glenn in the BBC Masterpiece theatre version of Kidnapped.

Fisher appeared in the 2000 BBC adaptation of Gormenghast. Fisher starred as a main character D.S. Doug Duvall in the drama Missing, made by SMG Productions in 2006, the two-part thriller was not broadcast on STV until November 2008. In November 2006, he starred as Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in a three-month run of the show in Edinburgh. Most recently he has starred in the BBC's adaption of Oliver Twist, in the role of Mr Bumble.

In 2003, he appeared in the romantic comedy film Love Actually, where he played the role of the manager to fading music star, Billy Mack (Bill Nighy). In 2004, he played the role of Solanio in the Michael Radford film, The Merchant of Venice. In an interview in The Metro on 20 February 2008 he stated that he is no longer recognised as Rab C. Nesbitt, and rather is more likely to be stopped by fans for his recent role as Mr Bumble in Oliver Twist. Empty, a comedy series starring Fisher, began on BBC2 on 28 February 2008. On BBC2, on 23 December 2008, he reprised his role as Rab C Nesbitt in a Christmas special. Fisher's autobiography, The Boy from Nowhere, was published in 2015. To coincide with the publication, BBC One Scotland broadcast a documentary, In Search of Gregor Fisher, which followed Fisher and ghostwriter Melanie Reid during part of their research for the book.

Filmography[edit]

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1983 Another Time, Another Place Beel
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four Parsons Sometimes titled as 1984
1985 The Girl in the Picture Bill
1987 White Mischief McPherson
1988 To Kill a Priest
Without a Clue Bobby at Warehouse
2003 Love Actually Joe
2004 The Merchant of Venice Solanio
2005 Lassie Mapes
2010 Wild Target Mike
2016 Whisky Galore! Macroon
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977 Rob Roy Dick Episodes: series 1.1 & 1.2
1978 The Tomorrow People Uncredited Highlander Episode: 7.2 "The Fighting Spirit"
1978–1979 Play for Today Georgie/Tanza Episodes: "Donal and Sally", "Just a Boys' Game"
1980 Square Mile of Murder Tom Connell Episode: "The Human Crocodile"
1978–1980 Scotch & Wry Various Roles Episodes: series 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 & 31 December 1980 episode
1982 Crown Court Eric Mullins Episode: "Too Bad for Tobias: Part 1"
1982–1984 Foxy Lady Hector Ross Series 1 & 2: 12 episodes, lead role
1986 Scotch & Wry Various Roles Video compilation
Boon Tom McGeary Episode: "Fools Rush In"
Naked Video Various Roles Series 1: 6 episodes, lead role (season 1)
Blood Red Roses Alex McGuigan 3 episodes
1987 Double Scotch & Wry Various Roles Video compilation
Dramarama Albert Pickard Episode: "Stan's First Night"
1990 Silent Mouse Franz Gruber Television film
Triple Scotch & Wry Various Roles Video compilation
Chancer Norman Attwood Episodes: "Killing Floor", "Hazard"
1994 A Christmas Night with the Stars Rab C. Nesbitt Episode: 25 December 1994
1994–1995 The Tales of Para Handy Para Handy 9 episodes, lead role
1995 Saturday Disney Episode: 25 March 1995
Kidnapped Gahlsan Television film
1995–1997 The Baldy Man Baldy 2 series: 13 episodes, lead role
1999 Brotherly Love Hector Robertson Series 1: 6 episodes, lead role
2000 Gormenghast The Fly Episode: series 1.3
The Railway Children Perks Television film
2001 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Mr. Squeers Television film
2002 Snoddy Snoddy Lead role
2005 Kidnapped James Stewart of the Glen Television film
2006 Missing D.S. Doug Duvall 2 episodes
2007 Oliver Twist Mr. Bumble Mini-series
2008 Empty Jacky Allen Series 1: 6 episodes, lead role
2012 Love Life Will 3 episodes [3]
1988–1999;
2008–2014
Rab C. Nesbitt Rab C. Nesbitt 65 episodes: 10 series & 2014 New Year Special "Hoodie", lead role
2018 The ABC Murders Dexter Dooley Episode 2
2021 The Cockfields Ray Series 2
TBA Only Child Ken Upcoming comedy[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Glasgow on Film: Gregor Fisher". www.glasgowonfilm.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  2. ^ MacDonald, Stuart (14 March 2010). "Rab C Nesbitt inspired Mad Hatter accent says Johnny Depp". The Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  3. ^ "Love Life". 15 March 2012 – via IMDb.
  4. ^ "Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star in a brand-new BBC sitcom from the makers of Guilt". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 6 February 2024.

External links[edit]