Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson OBE (born Ian Carmichael Wilson; 9 July 1936) is a Scottish actor, theatre director and broadcaster, best known for playing Victor Meldrew in the popular BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. He appears in the BBC drama Merlin as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot.

Life and career

Wilson was born in  Greenock, Scotland. He studied science in Greenock, and did  National Service with the <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> Royal Army Medical Corps<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">, serving in Singapore<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">. He worked in a laboratory <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbcfaces_0-0" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1em;">[1] <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">at <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> Stobhill Hospital<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">in Glasgow as a research scientist before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> RADA<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">( Traverse Theatre<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">), <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> Glasgow<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">and <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> Manchester<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">(Stables Theatre).

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">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 term of three years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbcfaces_0-1" style="line-height:1em;">[1]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Wilson has worked for the gay rights campaign group Stonewall<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="line-height:1em;">[2] and the Labour Party.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="line-height:1em;">[3] He is one of the Patrons for Scottish Youth Theatre, Scotland's National Theatre "for and by" young people.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="line-height:1em;">[4] Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the Sense charity and in 2007 hosted the Annual Sense Awards, honouring excellence in both deafblind people and those who work with them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="line-height:1em;">[5] He is also one of the Honorary Patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="line-height:1em;">[6]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus", from Strawbs' eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="line-height:1em;">[7] 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 the character Victor Meldrew.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="line-height:1em;">[8]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">At the height of his One Foot in the Grave fame, he appeared in an advertisement for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Can%27t_Believe_It%27s_Not_Butter! I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!] in character, as Victor Meldrew. In it, he's confronted by a supermarket taste-test. In a break from tradition, he simply chose to believe that the product was indeed butter. His famous catchphrase, "I don't believe it!", was a response to one of the staff conducting the test, played by James Corden, eating all the crumpets on offer.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson (ISBN 0752811150), was written by James Roose-Evans.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1em;">[9]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2010, Wilson recorded the Labour Party's manifesto for the 2010 General Election.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1em;">[10]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In March 2011 Wilson presented an edition of the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches entitled Train Journeys From Hell, with transport journalist Christian Wolmar highlighting the failings of the British rail network.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1em;">[11]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Wilson was a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1em;">[12] He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1em;">[13]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.200000762939453px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;"> Television

<p style="margin-bottom:0.1em;">
 * The Sweeney episode "The bigger they are" as DCI Anderson (1978)
 * Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em episode "Wendy House" as The Insurance Man (1978)
 * The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes episode The Red Headed League as Duncan Ross (1985)
 * Andy Robson (1982–83)
 * Born and Bred
 * Have I Got News for You
 * The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends as the voice of Mr McGregor (1992)
 * Doctor Who – episodes "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" (2005) – Doctor Constantine
 * Duck Patrol
 * Emmerdale
 * Hot Metal (1988)
 * Selling Hitler (1991)
 * Under The Hammer (1994) (as Ben Glazier)
 * King of Fridges (2004) (as Frank)
 * Father Ted – episode "The Mainland" as himself
 * Inspector Morse – episode "Absolute Conviction"
 * Mr. Bean – episode "The Trouble With Mr Bean" as The Dentist
 * Gulliver's Travels
 * My Good Woman
 * Life As We Know It
 * Rentaghost
 * Normal Service
 * One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000) as Victor Meldrew
 * High Stakes
 * Only When I Laugh (1979-1982) as Dr. Gordon Thorpe
 * A Sharp Intake of Breath
 * Tutti Frutti
 * Cluedo
 * Star Portraits with Rolf Harris – celebrity "sitter" in one episode of the portraiture contest.
 * Jeffrey Archer: The Truth as Duke of Edinburgh
 * Crown Court (1970s) – as a barrister.
 * Thank God You're Here
 * Merlin – as Gaius
 * Demons – as Father Simeon
 * Britain's Best Drives
 * The F Word – Appeared as himself in the middle of the first season.
 * Would I Lie To You?
 * New Tricks (2009) – as Father Bernárd in episode "The War Against Drugs"
 * A Harlot's Progress (2006)
 * Confessions from the Underground-Narrated (2012)

<p style="margin-bottom:0.1em;">   <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:19px;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">Films
 * A Dry White Season
 * A Passage to India
 * Carry On Columbus
 * Fellow Traveller
 * How to Get Ahead in Advertising
 * Prick Up Your Ears
 * Soft Top Hard Shoulder
 * The Man Who Knew Too Little
 * Women Talking Dirty
 * Whoops Apocalypse
 * Gnomeo & Juliet

<p style="margin-bottom:0.1em;"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:19px;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">Stage acting
 * Twelfth Night, as Malvolio –Royal Shakespeare Company
 * Whipping it Up by Steve Thompson –Bush Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre
 * What the Butler Saw, as Dr Rance –Royal National Theatre
 * Peter Pan, as Mr Darling/Captain Hook –Royal Festival Hall
 * Waiting for Godot, as Vladimir –Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
 * Uncle Vanya, as Vanya –Traverse Theatre

Theatre direction
<p style="line-height:1.5em;">Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbcfaces_0-2" style="line-height:1em;">[1]

<p style="line-height:1.5em;"><sup class="reference" style="line-height:1em;"> The Woman Before by Roland Schimmelpfennig – Royal Court, May 2005

<p style="line-height:1.5em;">East Coast Chicken Supper by Martin J Taylor – The Traverse, 2005

<p style="line-height:1.5em;">Rainbow Kiss by Simon Farquhar – Royal Court, April 2006

<p style="line-height:1.5em;">A Wholly Healthy Glasgow by Ian Heggie – The Royal Exchange Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival , The Royal Court , 1988/89

<p style="line-height:1.5em;">Primo ==<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;margin-left:5px;font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;">[edit] <span class="mw-headline" id="Further_reading" style="font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.200000762939453px;"> ==