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Molly Weir

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Molly Weir
Born(1910-03-17)17 March 1910
Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died28 November 2004(2004-11-28) (aged 94)
Pinner, London, England
Years active1946–1999
SpouseSandy Hamilton ?–1997) (his death)[1]

Mary Weir, known as Molly Weir (17 March 1910 – 28 November 2004) was a Scottish actress,[2] most notable for her role as the long-running (1977–1984) character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series Rentaghost.[3]

She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir.[4]

Biography

Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the city, Weir began in amateur dramatics. In her early professional career, she was a well-known radio actress, featuring in many comedy shows, such as ITMA.[5] Her greatest theatrical success came in The Happiest Years of Your Life.

She made her film debut in 1949, and had a regular role as the housekeeper, Aggie McDonald, in the radio and television sitcom Life With The Lyons.[3] During the 1970s and early 1980s she became famous as a writer, with several volumes of best-selling memoirs, notably, Shoes Were For Sunday. She also appeared in a series of television advertisements for Flash the household cleaning agent.[6] In 1969 she appeared in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie starring Dame Maggie Smith.[7] She and Helena Gloag played the Kerr sisters, the sewing mistresses of Marcia Blaine School for Girls.[8] In 1970 Weir and Gloag reprised their collaboration in Scrooge, playing old sisters in debt to Mr Scrooge, played by Albert Finney.[6]

In the 1970s she was one of the presenters of Teatime Tales, a television series broadcast by STV in which she recalled her childhood. The series also featured Lavinia Derwent and Cliff Hanley.[9] In the 1980s, she lampooned this homely image in the comedy series Victoria Wood As Seen On TV and appeared in a pop video for the Bluebells 1983 hit Young At Heart.[10]

She is also the subject of the 1988 song "Molly's Lips" by The Vaselines, later covered and made famous by Nirvana.

After her death, Molly Weir's ashes were scattered on the banks of Loch Lomond, a favourite holiday location; and almost all her estate (of nearly £1.9 million), was bequeathed to charities.[11][1]

Selected filmography

Books

  • Shoes Were For Sunday - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1970
  • Best Foot Forward - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1972
  • A Toe On The Ladder - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1973
  • Stepping into the Spotlight - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1975
  • Walking into the Lyon's Den - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1977
  • One Small Footprint - Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 1980
  • Molly Weir's Recipes - New Ideas and Old Favourites - Gordon Wright Publishing 1980
  • Spinning Like a Peerie - Originally published: Edinburgh: Wright, 1983

References

  1. ^ a b "Molly Weir leaves £1.8m to charities".
  2. ^ "Molly Weir". BFI.
  3. ^ a b "BBC NEWS - Entertainment - Obituary: Molly Weir".
  4. ^ "University of Glasgow". Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Obituary: Molly Weir". the Guardian.
  6. ^ a b "A beloved Scots star for generations Molly Weir, actress and writer, dies, aged 94". Herald Scotland.
  7. ^ "Detail view of Movies Page".
  8. ^ "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie".
  9. ^ Lavinia Derwent. "Lavinia Derwent". Goodreads.
  10. ^ Evening Times. "MEMORIES: Molly helps collar four-legged fan". Evening Times.
  11. ^ "Molly Weir (1910 - 2004) - Find A Grave Memorial".
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