Kenny Ireland
Kenny Ireland | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Ian Kenneth Ireland 7 August 1945 |
| Died | 31 July 2014 (aged 68) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, theatre director |
| Years active | 1980–2014[3] |
| Spouse(s) | Marilyn Imrie (divorced) Meg Poole (1980–2014; his death) |
| Children | 4 step-grandsons 1 step-daughter |
George Ian Kenneth "Kenny" Ireland (7 August 1945 – 31 July 2014)[4] was a Scottish actor and theatre director. Ireland was best known to television viewers for his role in Victoria Wood As Seen on TV in the 1980s, and for playing Donald Stewart in Benidorm from 2007 until his death in 2014.
Career
Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Ireland had been prominent in the theatre where he spent ten years as director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. When he left the post in 2003 he controversially attacked the Scottish arts establishment for providing "theatre on the cheap" and the Scottish Executive for putting plans for a National Theatre of Scotland on "the back burner".[5] The National Theatre of Scotland was finally launched in 2006. He also appeared in an episode of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet as a journalist. In some early TV appearances (e.g. the BBC's "Five Red Herrings") he was credited as "Ian Ireland".
Ireland's directing credits include Guys & Dolls, A View from the Bridge, Romeo and Juliet, Phaedra, Macbeth, Lovers, The Anatomist, Clay Bull, Mother Courage, Much Ado About Nothing, Of Mice and Men, Private Lives, Oleanna, The Gowk Storm, Waiting for Godot, Dancing at Lughnasa, Oedipus Tyrannos and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
He also appeared in Acorn Antiques, the STV series Taggart, the 1983 film Local Hero, Series 2 of "Auf Wiedersehen Pet" the 1990 series House of Cards as Media tycoon Benjamin Landless starring alongside Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, and the David Leland film The Big Man with Liam Neeson. He was also in Heartbeat.
He appeared in the television series Benidorm as swinger Donald Stewart from 2007 until the end of the latest series that aired in early 2014. In June 2014, it was announced that he had brain cancer. His character did not appear in the 7th series of Benidorm in person, however the character's voice was heard on a telephone call, albeit provided by a sound-a-like. [6][7][8]
Death
Ireland died on 31 July 2014 aged 68.[9][10] He was survived by his second wife, theatrical agent Meg Poole, his stepdaughter and his four grandsons.[11]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2014 | Benidorm | Donald Stewart | 42 episodes |
| 2013 | Loose Women | Himself | Interview |
| 2012 | Midsomer Murders | George Dormer | |
| 2012 | Doctors | Godfrey Lang | |
| 2012 | This Morning | Himself | Interview |
| 2011 | All Star Family Fortunes | Himself | Benidorm vs. The Only Way is Essex |
| 2009 | Beyond a Joke | Himself | |
| 2005 | Rose and Maloney | Mr. Hawkins the prison officer | |
| 2005 | New Tricks | George Morton | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | Casualty | Joshua Wright | |
| 2004 | Heartbeat | Zeph Pratt | |
| 2003 | My Dad's the Prime Minister | Union leader | |
| 2003 | Monarch of the Glen | Mike Baxter | |
| 1999 | Loose Women | Himself | |
| 1999 | Taggart | Kenny Murdoch | |
| 1997 | Hamish Macbeth | Torquil McFarquar | |
| 1993 | Punch Drunk | Vinnie Binns | 6 episodes |
| 1992 | El C.I.D. | Angus | |
| 1991 | 4 Play | Sammy Duncan | |
| 1991 | Spatz | Johnnie | |
| 1990 | House of Cards | Ben Landless | |
| 1990 | Rab C. Nesbitt | Gavin Clark | |
| 1990 | Drop the Dead Donkey | Sound man | |
| 1990 | The Big Man | Tony | Feature film |
| 1989 | Resurrected | Denzil Clausen | Feature film |
| 1989 | Hard Cases | Slow Michael | |
| 1988 | Drowning by Numbers | Jonah Bognor | Feature film |
| 1988 | Salome's Last Dance | 1st soldier | Feature film |
| 1987 | A Hazard of Hearts | Padlett | TV film |
| 1987 | Life Without George | Sammy | 6 episodes |
| 1985–1987 | Victoria Wood As Seen on TV | Derek | 9 episodes |
| 1984 | The Young Visiters | Alfred Salteena | Feature film |
| 1983 | Local Hero | Skipper | Feature film |
| 1982 | Moonlighting | Timber man | Feature film |
| 1980 | The Dogs of War | Film crew member | Feature film |
| 1972 | The Hound of the Baskervilles | Sir Henry Baskerville | TV film |
References
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409874/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409874/?ref_=nv_sr_1
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409874/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
- ^ Hayward, Anthony (31 July 2014). "Kenny Ireland obituary". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Scots getting theatre 'on the cheap'". Scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "'Benidorm' Star Kenny Ireland Fighting Cancer". Huffingtonpost.co.uk. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Benidorm star Kenny Ireland battling cancer – Showbiz News". Digital Spy. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Benidorm Star Kenny Ireland is 'battling cancer' – Yahoo TV UK". Uk.tv.yahoo.com. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ Jackson, Marc (2014). "Kenny Ireland dead aged 68 following battle with cancer | Mail Online". dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "BBC News – Benidorm actor Kenny Ireland dies from cancer aged 68". bbc.com. 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Kenny Ireland obituary". The Guardian. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- ^ "Kenny Ireland – IMDb". Retrieved 31 July 2014.