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Vital Spark
The ''Vital Spark'' is a fictional Clyde puffer, created by Scottish writer Neil Munro. As its captain, the redoubtable Para Handy, often says: "the smertest boat in the coastin' tred". Background Puffers seem to have been regarded fondly even before Munro began publishing his short stories in the ''Glasgow Evening News'' in 1905. This may not be surprising, for these small steamboats were then providing a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebrides islands of Scotland. The charming rascality of the stories went well beyond the reality of a commercial shipping business, but they brought widespread fame. They appeared in the newspaper over 20 years, were collected in book form by 1931, inspired the 1953 film ''The Maggie'', and came out as three popular television series, dating from 1959 to 1995. Description In her captain's own (islands accented) words, the ''Vital Spark'' is "aal hold, with the boiler behind, four men and a derrick, and a watter-butt and a pan loaf ...
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Alex McAvoy
Alex McAvoy (10 March 1928 – 16 June 2005) was a Scottish actor known for his roles as Sunny Jim in the BBC Scotland adaptation of Neil Munro's Para Handy stories, ''The Vital Spark'', and as the teacher in Pink Floyd's musical film, ''The Wall''. As a young man McAvoy enrolled at the School of Art in Glasgow's Renfrew Street before, in the 1950s, joining the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. As a young actor he played the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow's Gorbals district alongside such future stars as John Cairney and Mary Marquis. In the earlier part of his career McAvoy ventured into variety and light entertainment and was the first foil to Scottish comedy singer Andy Stewart. He developed a love of mime and featured in Scottish pantomime, with featured roles at the King's Theatres in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. He later went to Paris to study and work in L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. His many television roles included parts in ...
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In The Wake Of The-Vital Spark
IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Independent Network, a UK-based political association * Indiana Northeastern Railroad (Association of American Railroads reporting mark) * Indian Navy, a part of the India military * Infantry, the branch of a military force that fights on foot * IN Groupe , the producer of French official documents * MAT Macedonian Airlines (IATA designator IN) * Nam Air (IATA designator IN) Science and technology * .in, the internet top-level domain of India * Inch (in), a unit of length * Indium, symbol In, a chemical element * Intelligent Network, a telecommunication network standard * Intra-nasal (insufflation), a method of administrating some medications and vaccines * Integrase, a retroviral enzyme Other uses * ''In'' (album), by the Outsiders, 1967 * In ...
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Alex Mackenzie
Alex MacKenzie (1885 – December 1965) was a Scottish character actor who was born and died in Glasgow. He was a schoolteacher in Clydebank Clydebank ( gd, Bruach Chluaidh) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, it borders the village of Old Kilpatrick (with Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Bowling and Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Mil ... until he was 61, before taking up a new profession. Filmography References External links * Scottish male film actors Male actors from Glasgow 1885 births 1965 deaths 20th-century Scottish male actors {{UK-film-actor-stub ...
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Inveraray
Inveraray ( or ; gd, Inbhir Aora meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is a former royal burgh, the traditional county town of Argyll, and ancestral seat to the Duke of Argyll. During the Second World War the Combined Operations Training Centre, located close to the town, was an important military facility. Coat of arms The town's coat of arms depicts a net cast out over the ocean, entangled in which are five herrings and the Latin motto "SEMPER TIBI PENDEAT HALEC" (possible English translation: "may a herring always hang to thee"). Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, in his 1909 book ''A Complete Guide to Heraldry'', notes the following: ''There'' is no doubt of its ancient usage. ...and the blazon of the coat, according to the form it is depicted upon the Corporate seal, would be for the field: "The sea proper, therein a net suspended from the dexter chief and the sini ...
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Crinan, Argyll And Bute
Crinan ( gd, An Crìonan) is a small village located on the west coast of Scotland in the region known as Knapdale, which is part of Argyll and Bute. Before the Crinan Canal was built, Crinan was named Port Righ which meant the king's port. The canal was named from the small settlement of Crinan Ferry on the edge of Loch Crinan where a small ferry landed. The name Crinan probably derives from the Creones tribe who lived in the area in 140 AD. The canal starts at Ardrishaig sea loch on Loch Gilp, and ends away at Crinan sea loch on the Sound of Jura. The canal was designed to provide a short cut between the west coast and islands at one end and the Clyde estuary at the other, and so avoid the long voyage around the south end of the Kintyre Peninsula. By the canal basin is a coffee shop and the nearby hotel and looks out across Loch Crinan to Duntrune Castle. Crinan Post Office is in the old Harbour House. Crinan Boatyard provides services and facilities for commercial and ...
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MV Eilean Eisdeal 2005
MV may refer to: Businesses and organizations In transportation * Motor vessel, a motorized ship; used as a prefix for ship names * MV Agusta, a motorcycle manufacturer based in Cascina Costa, Italy * Armenian International Airways (IATA code MV) * Metropolitan-Vickers, an electrical equipment and vehicle manufacturer * Midland Valley Railroad, United States (reporting mark MV) Other organizations * Mieterverband, a Swiss tenant organization * Millennium Volunteers, a former UK government initiative * Minnesota Vikings, an American football team * Miss Venezuela, a beauty pageant * Museum Victoria, an organization which operates three major state-owned museums in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Places * Martha's Vineyard, an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts * Maldives (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code MV) * Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a German state at the Baltic Sea * Mountain View, a city in California, US People * M. Visvesvaraya, Indian engineer and statesman com ...
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David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the role from 2022 to 2023 as the fourteenth incarnation. Other notable roles include Giacomo Casanova in the BBC comedy-drama serial ''Casanova'' (2005), Barty Crouch Jr. in the fantasy film '' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' (2005), Peter Vincent in the horror remake ''Fright Night'' (2011), DI Alec Hardy in the ITV crime drama series ''Broadchurch'' (2013–2017), Kilgrave in the Netflix superhero series '' Jessica Jones'' (2015–2019), Crowley in the Amazon Prime fantasy series ''Good Omens'' (2019–present), and Phileas Fogg in ''Around the World in 80 Days'' (2021). Tennant has worked on stage, including a portrayal of the title character in a 2008 Royal Shakespeare Company production of ''Hamlet'', later filmed for televisio ...
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Rikki Fulton
Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton, OBE (15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, ''Scotch and Wry''. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, '' Francie and Josie'', alongside Jack Milroy. Suffering from Alzheimer's disease in his later years, Fulton died in 2004, aged 79. Biography Early life The youngest of three brothers, Robert Kerr Fulton was born into a non-theatrical family at 46 Appin Road, Dennistoun, Glasgow. Fulton's mother, who was 40 at the time of his birth, developed severe postnatal depression. Due to this, Fulton grew up a "solitary child" and developed a "voracious reading habit" throughout his childhood. His father was a master locksmith who changed trades, purchasing a newsagent and stationery shop at 28 Roebank Street, Dennistoun. At the age of three, Fulton and his family moved to Riddrie, another district of Glasgow. ...
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Andrew Fairlie (actor)
Andrew Fairlie is a Scottish actor who is most famous for playing the role of Gash Nesbitt in the BBC sitcom ''Rab C. Nesbitt''. He also starred as Sunny Jim in the 1994 BBC Scotland series ''The Tales of Para Handy''. Between the end of the regular series of Rab C. Nesbitt in 1999 and 2008, Fairlie did no acting, until reprising the role of Gash in the 2008 Christmas special. He did not return for the new series of Rab C Nesbitt and was replaced by Iain Robertson. Appearances *''Rab C. Nesbitt'' (1988-2008)...as Gash Nesbitt *''Taggart'' (1989–90)...as Barman *''The Tales of Para Handy'' (1994–95)...as Sunny Jim *''Pulp Video'' (1995)...as Various Characters *''Atletico Partick ''Atletico Partick'' is a Scottish sitcom that aired on BBC from 1995 to 1996. It was written by Ian Pattison and produced and directed by Colin Gilbert who worked together on ''Rab C. Nesbitt''. Cast * Gordon Kennedy as Jack Roan *Aline Mowat ...'' (1996)...Dezzy External links * 19 ...
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Sean Scanlan
Sean Scanlan (18 August 1948 – 17 April 2017) was a Scottish actor. He is known primarily for his many television and stage roles. Career Scanlan appeared in a large number of plays and television programmes, including as Dougie the ship's mate in ''The Tales of Para Handy'' and Shug in ''Rab C. Nesbitt''. He had a major role in ''Two Thousand Acres of Sky'', playing Gordon Macphee, the ferryboat captain. Smaller parts include playing Kenneth McIver, the unlucky criminal brother of regular cast member TV John McIver in ''Hamish Macbeth (TV series), Hamish Macbeth''. He also played the part of Duncan 'Jock' Mcevoy in Yorkshire TV's 1982 production of ''Airline (1982 TV series), Airline'' alongside Roy Marsden and Richard Heffer. In 2011, he performed in ''Sins of the Father'' while rehearsing ''Lark, Clark and the Puppet Handy''. Personal life Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he was married to Barbara Rafferty, whom he met while performing ''Playing for Real''. Sean Scanlan ...
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Gregor Fisher
Gregor Fisher (born 22 December 1953) is a Scottish comedian and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of the title character in the comedy series ''Rab C. Nesbitt'', a role he has played since the show's first episode in 1988. He has also had roles in films such as ''Without a Clue'' (1988), ''Love Actually'' (2003), ''The Merchant of Venice'' (2004) and '' Whisky Galore!'' (2016). Early life Fisher was born in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, and following the death of his mother was brought up in Edinburgh, Langholm, and Neilston and attended Barrhead High School. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, at which he did not complete his studies. Career Fisher worked with Scottish comedian Rikki Fulton on his hit sketch series ''Scotch and Wry'' (whose broadcast was mainly restricted to BBC One Scotland). Another Scottish comedian he worked with was Hector Nicol, in the BBC drama ''Just a Boys' Game'' (1979). Later, he appeared in Michael Radford' ...
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The Tales Of Para Handy
''The Tales of Para Handy'' is a Scottish television series set in the western isles of Scotland in the 1930s, based on the Para Handy books by Neil Munro. It starred Gregor Fisher as Captain Peter "Para Handy" MacFarlane, Sean Scanlan as first mate Dougie Cameron, Rikki Fulton as engineer Dan Macphail and Andrew Fairlie as Sunny Jim. These four made up the crew of the puffer ''Vital Spark'' which was employed by the Campbell Shipping Company, headquartered in Glasgow and run by Andrew Campbell (Paul Young), Para Handy's brother-in-law and owner of the ''Vital Spark''. The series followed the ''Vital Spark's'' adventures around the coastal waters of west Scotland and the various schemes that Para Handy would get himself and his crew involved in. These involved transporting a bull aboard the ''Vital Spark'', trying to marry Sunny Jim off, avoiding the sale of the ''Vital Spark'' by Campbell and being held hostage at gunpoint by a religious nutter '' Iain McColl''. Most of the ...
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