Iain Cuthbertson

Iain Cuthbertson (4 January 1930 – 4 September 2009) was a Scottish actor and theatre director. He was known for his tall imposing build and also his distinctive gravelly, heavily accented voice. He had lead roles in ''The Borderers'' (1968–1970), ''Tom Brown's Schooldays'' (1971), '' Budgie'' (1971–1972), its spinoff '' Charles Endell Esquire'' (1979–1980), ''Danger UXB'' (1979) and ''Sutherland's Law'' (1973–1976), as well as the films ''The Railway Children'' (1970), and ''Gorillas in the Mist'' (1988). He guest starred in many prominent British shows including '' The Avengers'', ''Dr. Finlay's Casebook'', ''The Onedin Line'', '' Survivors'', ''Ripping Yarns'', ''Doctor Who'', ''Z-Cars'', ''Juliet Bravo'', '' Rab C. Nesbitt'', ''Minder'', ''Inspector Morse'' and ''Agatha Christie's Poirot''.

Early life

Cuthbertson was born in 1930, the son of the biochemist Sir David Cuthbertson, and brought up in Glasgow. He was educated at Glasgow Academy. He moved to Aberdeen with his family and attended Aberdeen Grammar School and the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated with an MA honours degree in French and Spanish. His first break as an actor was on radio while at university.

Cuthbertson spent two years' national service in the Black Watch. During that time he was ordered to act as prisoner's friend (defence counsel) at the court martial of a soldier accused of appearing late on parade and then assaulting his superior officer when he eventually did turn up. He managed to get the soldier cleared of the more serious charge.

Cuthbertson's original wish was for a job in the Foreign Office, but he became a radio journalist with the BBC in Glasgow.

Theatre career

Cuthbertson started acting at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre in 1958 and became General Manager and Director of Productions in 1962. In that year the theatre hosted an exhibition of work by the artist Stewart Bowman Johnson He played William Wallace in the Edinburgh International Festival production of Sydney Goodsir Smith's play, ''The Wallace'', in August 1960, giving what the playwright Robert McLellan described as "one of the few great performances in the history of the Scottish Theatre".

In 1965 he became Associate Director of London's Royal Court Theatre.

Television career

Cuthbertson's most memorable television role was as the eponymous Procurator Fiscal in the long running ''Sutherland's Law'', a television series made by BBC Scotland between 1973 and 1976. The series had originated as a stand-alone edition of the portmanteau programme Drama Playhouse in 1972 in which Derek Francis played Sutherland and which was then commissioned as an ongoing series: the producer was Frank Cox. ''Sutherland's Law'' dealt with the duties of the Procurator Fiscal in a small Scottish town. The major cast members included Cuthbertson (as John Sutherland), Gareth Thomas, Moultrie Kelsall, Victor Carin, Martin Cochrane, Maev Alexander and Edith MacArthur.

A rather different achievement was his portrayal of the criminal and businessman Charlie Endell in both '' Budgie'' (London Weekend Television/ ITV) with Adam Faith (1971–1972) and its sequel '' Charles Endell Esquire'' (Scottish Television/ITV) in 1979.

Cuthbertson's other roles include the lead in ''The Borderers'' (BBC, 1968–1970), ''Tom Brown's Schooldays'' (BBC, 1971) (as Thomas Arnold), ''The Stone Tape'' (BBC, 1972), ''Children of the Stones'' ( HTV/ITV, 1977), ''The Voyage of Charles Darwin'', ''Danger UXB'' (Thames Television/ITV, 1979), ''The House With Green Shutters'' (BBC, 1980). He appeared in the pilot episode of ''Rab C Nesbitt'' (1988) as a magistrate.

Cuthbertson suffered a crippling stroke in January 1982, which forced him to give up theatre for fear of forgetting his lines. He resumed television and film work, though, as his lines could be written on crib boards. His first role following his stroke was as the villainous Scunner Campbell in ''Super Gran'' (Tyne Tees Television/ITV, 1985). In 1989 he played the villain Brett Savernake in the episode of '' Campion'' entitled "Sweet Danger".

Cuthbertson's minor parts in ongoing series include appearances in ''Z-Cars'' (BBC), '' The Avengers'' ( ABC/ITV), the title character's former mentor in ''Inspector Morse'' ( Central Television/ITV), '' Bulman'' (Granada Television/ITV), ''Ripping Yarns'' (BBC), ''The Duchess of Duke Street'', Colonel Mannering in ''Adam Adamant Lives!'' story ''D For Destruction'' (1966) and Garron in the ''Doctor Who'' story '' The Ribos Operation''. He also appeared in: Diamond Crack Diamond, ''The Onedin Line'' (BBC), '' Survivors'' (BBC), '' Scotch on the Rocks'', '' The Adventures of Black Beauty'' (London Weekend/ITV), ''Minder'' (ITV), '' The Ghosts of Motley Hall'' (Granada/ITV), ''Juliet Bravo'' (BBC), ''Casualty'' (BBC), ''The Mourning Brooch'', ''Casting the Runes'' and ''McPhee the Mother and Me''.

On film, Cuthbertson appeared as Charles Waterbury in ''The Railway Children'' (1970).

Personal life

Cuthbertson's first marriage, to Anne Kristen in 1964, was dissolved in 1988. His second wife, Janet Smith, survived him.

From 1975 to 1978, Cuthbertson served as Rector of the University of Aberdeen. He listed his hobbies as sailing and fishing, and, after retiring, he lived in Dalrymple, Ayrshire.

Cuthbertson suffered a severe stroke in 1982, which caused paralysis down one side of his body and speech loss. It took him almost two years to recover sufficiently to be able to act again. Although he avoided live theatre work thereafter, owing to a fear of forgetting or stumbling on lines, he was still able to take parts in films and television. He died in 2009 at Ayr Hospital and was cremated.

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio

* 1981 '' Hatter's Castle'' as James Brodie; by A J Cronin; BBC R4 Classic Serial 5 parts 11/1/1981-8/11/1981.
* 1988 ''Our Roman Cousins'' by Bruce Stewart; BBC R4 Saturday Night Theatre 30/01/1988.
* 1993 ''Twelfth Night'' as Malvolio; BBC R3 3/1/1993.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuthbertson, Iain
1930 births
2009 deaths
20th-century British Army personnel
20th-century Scottish male actors
21st-century Scottish male actors
Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
Black Watch soldiers
Male actors from Glasgow
People educated at Aberdeen Grammar School
People educated at the Glasgow Academy
Rectors of the University of Aberdeen
Scottish male film actors
Scottish male stage actors
Scottish male television actors
Scottish theatre directors