Gregor Fisher
| Gregor Fisher | |
|---|---|
| Born |
22 December 1953 Menstrie, Scotland |
| Other names | Rab C. Nesbitt |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1977– |
| Spouse(s) | Vicki Burton |
| Children | 3 |
Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953)[1] is a Scottish comedian and actor. He is perhaps best known for his long portrayal as protagonist and suffering Glasgow alcoholic Rab, in the popular comedy series Rab C. Nesbitt, a role he has held since the show's first episode in 1988. He has also had roles in films such as Love Actually, Lassie and Wild Target.
Early life
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
Fisher worked with the late 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 the Hamlet advert in which he cannot get a satisfactory passport photo from a photobooth 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 1994/95, 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 in the drama Missing, made by SMG Productions in 2006. However, 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.
Personal life
Fisher is married to actress Vicki Burton; they have three children, Alexander (born 1986), Jamie (born 1988) and Cissie (born 1989). Together they have moved house many times, they have lived in Brixton, Stewarton, Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders but most recently they have lived in a Georgian house in Spalding, Lincolnshire after selling a farmhouse in Langholm, Dumfriesshire. They are selling their property in Lincolnshire. The couple are now planning to buy property in France.[3]
Filmography
| 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: season 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: season 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 | Seasons 1 & 2: 12 episodes, lead role |
| 1986 | Scotch & Wry | Various Roles | Video compilation |
| Boon | Tom McGeary | Episode: "Fools Rush In" | |
| Naked Video | Various Roles | Season 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 seasons: 13 episodes, lead role |
| 1999 | Brotherly Love | Hector Robertson | Season 1: 6 episodes, lead role |
| 2000 | Gormenghast | The Fly | Episode: season 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 | Inspector Doug | Television film |
| 2007 | Oliver Twist | Mr. Bumble | Mini-series |
| 2008 | Empty | Jacky Allen | Season 1: 6 episodes, lead role |
| 2012 | Love Life | Will | 3 episodes [4] |
| 1988—1999; 2008—2014 | Rab C. Nesbitt | Rab C. Nesbitt | 10 seasons: Rab In a Hoodie 64 episodes, lead role |
References
- ↑ "Glasgow on Film: Gregor Fisher". www.glasgowonfilm.com. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
- ↑ MacDonald, Stuart (14 March 2010). "Rab C Nesbitt inspired Mad Hatter accent says Johnny Depp". The Sunday Times (London). Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ↑ Farmer, Duncan (2 August 2010)Farmer, Duncan (2 August 2010). "See you, Rab: Gregor Fisher, star of Rab C. Nesbitt, leaves Glasgow far behind with a move to France". London: dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2297703/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
External links
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