Johnny Beattie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny Beattie
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Johnny Beattie performing at a charity Ceilidh in Glasgow in 2009.
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| Born |
John Gerard Beattie
9 November 1926 |
| Died | 9 July 2020 (aged 93) Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
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| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1956–2016 |
| Spouse(s) |
Kitty Lamont
(m. 1950; sep. 1982) |
Johnny Beattie (born John Gerard Beattie) was a famous Scottish actor and comedian. He was born on November 9, 1926, and passed away on July 9, 2020. His amazing career in entertainment lasted for more than sixty years! He was known for being a stand-up comedian and appearing in many TV shows. Some of his popular roles were in the comedy show Scotch & Wry and the sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt. Later, he also took on serious roles, like Malcolm Hamilton in the soap opera River City.
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Early Life and Comedy Career
Johnny Beattie was born in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland, on November 9, 1926. He grew up in a working-class family with an older brother, Frank, and two younger sisters, Mary and Cathie. He went to St Gerard's Roman Catholic Secondary School. When he was sixteen, he left school to start an apprenticeship. Around the same time, he got involved in amateur acting. By the mid-1950s, he had become a professional stand-up comedian.
Johnny Beattie's TV Shows
Johnny Beattie even had his own comedy show called Johnny Beattie's Saturday Night Show. In this show, he played many different funny characters. One of his most famous characters was his alter ego, "Glaikit O'Toole." The show was on BBC One from January 1964 to February 1970.
In 1974, Johnny took part in a four-part TV series called A Grand Tour on STV. He was joined by other famous Scottish performers like Rikki Fulton and Billy Connolly. In the show, they traveled around Scotland and did silly tasks. Johnny remembered one of the funniest moments was when he had to "Take a long drop off a short pier." All the participants had to compete in this challenge.
More TV Roles and Music
Johnny Beattie also appeared on Rikki Fulton's comedy show Scotch & Wry. He even played his character Glaikit O'Toole again, meeting Rikki Fulton's character Supercop in one sketch. While working on Scotch & Wry, he met actor Gregor Fisher. They later worked together on the 1990s sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt.
In 1990, Johnny Beattie starred in the movie The Big Man alongside Billy Connolly and Liam Neeson. He also appeared in other popular Scottish TV shows, including the crime drama Taggart. He was also the first host of the Scottish Television game show Now You See It. He hosted the show for three years, from 1981 to 1984.
Besides acting, Johnny Beattie also had a couple of hit songs in Scotland. These included "Scotch on the Rocks" and "The Glasgow Rap."
River City Role and Retirement
In 2002, Johnny Beattie was cast as Malcolm Hamilton in the Scottish soap opera River City. He played this role from the very beginning of the show. He filmed his last scenes for River City in April 2015. After more than 60 years in entertainment, he announced his retirement. He was also the Honorary President of the Scottish Music Hall Society.
Personal Life and Family
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Johnny Beattie married Kitty Lamont in 1950. They had four children together: two daughters named Maureen (who became an actress) and Louise (a lawyer and former actress), and two sons named Paul and Mark. Johnny and Kitty separated in 1982. Kitty passed away in 1994.
Johnny Beattie died on July 9, 2020, at the St. Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank. He was 93 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Johnny Beattie received several awards for his work:
- In 1981, he won the Benno Schotz award for TV Personality of the Year.
- In 1993, he received the Lord Provost's Performing Arts Award.
- In 2007, he was given the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Queen. This is a special honor given to people who have done great things for their country.
