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Andy Gray (actor)

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Andy Gray
Born13 September 1959
Died18 January 2021 (aged 61)
Occupation(s)Theatre and television actor, comedian

Andy Gray (13 September 1959 – 18 January 2021) was a Scottish actor and writer from Perth, Scotland. He trained in Drama at Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University[1] from 1976–79.

Career

Gray starred in the BBC Radio Scotland sketch show Naked Radio, and its later television counterpart Naked Video.[2] He then became well known as the appropriately named "Chancer", best friend and source of problems to Willie Melvin (Gerard Kelly) in the 1987 sitcom City Lights.[2][3] He was well known for pantomiming, usually co-writing the script and often alongside other former City Lights cast members. He appeared opposite Kelly in a touring production of The Odd Couple. He took the starring role in a Channel 4 proposed comedy pilot show Miles is Better where he played a very enthusiastic burglar alarm salesman (Miles).

Gray worked extensively in theatre and television since 1979 and was described as "a stalwart of Scottish Theatre".[4] Gray appeared in the Edinburgh Fringe 2013 with panto colleague Grant Stott in Philip Meeks's play Kiss Me Honey Honey, which won a Fringe First.[5] The show returned at the 2014 Fringe. In 2014 he swapped comedy for villain, as Black Ruthven, in his home city of Perth, in feature film Time Teens: The Beginning, with writer/actor Ian Grieve[6] directed by Ryan Dewar. He continued in his darker comedy as William Donaldson in 'Willie and Sebastian'[7] at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe when he won the coveted Stage Award for Acting Excellence for his performance.[8]

Gray joined his pantomime co-stars, Allan Stewart and Grant Stott in Canned Laughter,[9] a tour about a 1970s showbiz trio based on Stewart's career. His final Fringe performances were in Philip Differ's 'Double Feature'[10] (2017 and 2018 tour) and Ruaraidh Murray's 'The Junkies'[11] (which played only one performance due to Gray's cancer diagnosis). He appeared in Jason Connery's Scottish BAFTA award-winning 2016 film Tommy's Honour.[12] From 2016 until 2018 he played Pete Galloway in Scottish soap opera River City.[13]

Other theatre performances include:[14] Dario Fo's Trumpets and Raspberries (1985) with Elaine C Smith and Alan Cumming; Werewolf (1999); Guys and Dolls (2001) at Lyceum, Edinburgh; The Woman Who Cooked her Husband (2004); A Limited Run (2005); Stones in His Pockets (2005); The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (2008); Irma Vep (2009) at Perth Theatre with Steven McNicol.

His pantomime catch phrase was, "I'm no very well".[14]

Personal life

It was announced in early August 2018 that Gray would not be returning to post-summer filming of River City after discovering, whilst in rehearsals for his Edinburgh Fringe show, that he was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndromes.[15] After a bone marrow transplant from one of his sisters[16] and successful cancer recovery in 2019, he contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020. Gray died in hospital intensive care on 18 January 2021, following complications caused by COVID-19, aged 61.[17][18][19]

References

  1. ^ "These were Andy Gray's most memorable acting roles - including River City and City Lights". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b Rudden, Liam; Balfour, Josie (28 March 2008). "Elaine adds voice of authority". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  3. ^ Andy Gray at IMDb
  4. ^ Begbie, Scott. "Andy Gray: Aberdeen audiences have fond memories of top Scots panto star at HMT". Press and Journal. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  5. ^ Theatre Review: Kiss Me Honey, Honey Edinburgh Evening News 18 October 2013
  6. ^ Time Teens:The Beginning at IMDb
  7. ^ "Willie and Sebastian : All Edinburgh Theatre.com". Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Gray Wins Stage Award : All Edinburgh Theatre.com". Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Canned Laughter review – 70s comedy trio's gleefully creaky cabaret". The Guardian. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  10. ^ Kennedy, John (3 May 2018). "At the King's – Double Feature". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Fringe show cancelled as star Andy Gray struck down with illness". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. ^ Tommy's Honour on IMDb
  13. ^ "Scots TV and theatre star Andy Gray dies aged 61". BBC News. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Remembering Andy Gray : All Edinburgh Theatre.com". Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Cancer was my hardest role, says panto star Andy Gray". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Brian Beacom: Andy Gray reveals how his sister saved his life". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Andy Gray obituary". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  18. ^ Suter, Ruth (18 January 2021). "Former River City star Andy Gray dies aged 61". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  19. ^ Tributes to Andy Gray after legendary Scottish actor and comedy star passes away
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