Rikki Fulton
|
|
Rikki Fulton (April 15, 1924 - January 27, 2004), was a Scottish comedy actor best remembered for the character of Reverend IM Jolly in his long-running television show Scotch and Wry.
Life and Career
Rikki Fulton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and served in the Navy during WW2, along with a stint in the shipping agency. He began his professional acting career as a straight actor in rep and BBC Radio. In the early 1950's he moved to London and became the compere of The Show Band Show, working alongside the likes of Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney, but he soon moved back to Scotland to perform in pantomime and summer seasons for Howard and Wyndham. One of his first forays into television comedy was in the 1962 series The Adventures of Francie and Josie alongside regular comedy partner Jack Milroy. Having been successful on the stage from 1960, the TV series established both Fulton & Milroy as household names in Scotland.
He continued to perform regularly in pantomime and in straight theatre too, most notably the Royal Lyceum Company in Edinburgh. However it was the comedy sketch show Scotch And Wry that became a highlight of the Hogmanay festivities. The series featured a host of memorable characters, and gave other young Scottish comedians such as Gregor Fisher a break. It also showcased a new generation of Scottish writing talent including Bob Black, Phil Differ, Neil MacVicar and Niall Clark, who would go onto to produce material for shows likes Naked Video and A Kick Up The Eighties. The programme was only shown throughout the entire BBC network once - in 1983.
In 1983 he showcased his talents to a wider audience with appearances in the films Gorky Park and Local Hero.
In 1993, Rikki received a lifetime achievement award from Bafta Scotland. A year later he appeared with Gregor Fisher in The Tales Of Para Handy. Indeed his last performance was in an episode of Rab C Nesbitt in 1998. He published his autobiography in 1999.
Selected Credits
- Scotch And Wry (1978-1992)
- Gorky Park (1983)
- Local Hero (1983)
- Tis' the Season To Be Jolly (1993)
- The Tales Of Para Handy (1994)
- Jolly: A Man For All Seasons (1994)
- Jolly: A Life (1995)
- It's a Jolly Life (1999)
External Links
- Rikki Fulton filmography (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0298504/) (IMBD)