Elaine Constance Smith (born 2 August 1958) is a Scottish actress, comedian, and political activist. She has starred in the
BBC Scotland sitcoms ''
City Lights'' (1984–91), ''
Rab C. Nesbitt
''Rab C. Nesbitt'' is a Scottish comedy series which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who seeks unemployment as a lifestyle choice. Rab C. Nesbitt was originally a recurring character ...
'' (1988–2014) and ''
Two Doors Down'' (2016–), for which she won a
BAFTA Scotland award. Her stage credits include the original productions of ''
The Steamie
''The Steamie'' is a comedy-drama stage play, written by Tony Roper. It is set on Hogmanay 1950 and provides a window on the lives and aspirations of a group of Glasgow women washing their clothes in a public washhouse (steamie). It was commis ...
'' (1987) and ''
I Dreamed a Dream
"I Dreamed a Dream" is a song from the 1980 musical ''Les Misérables''. It is a solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron. The English lyric ...
'' (2012). She has actively campaigned for
Scottish independence.
Born and raised in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Smith attended the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and then completed a teacher training course at the
Queen Margaret University
Queen Margaret University is a university, founded in 1875 and located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is named after the Scottish Queen Saint Margaret.
History
The university was founded in 1875, as ''The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
, where she then worked as a drama teacher at
Firrhill High School
Firrhill High School is a secondary school located in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The school was established in 1960, and was officially opened by the city’s lord provost. The school has around 1123 pupils and a teaching staff rol ...
for three years. She made her first TV debut on the
BBC Scotland's ''
Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee
''Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee'' was a 1984 BBC 2 sketch show starring Robbie Coltrane, John Sessions, Ron Bain and Louise Gold. The programme, which was an experiment with a new format following the success of '' A Kick Up the Eight ...
'' in 1984. She then went on to star in
sketch show
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and i ...
''
Naked Video
''Naked Video'' is a BBC Scotland sketch show that was aired on BBC2 from 12 May 1986 to 18 November 1991. The show was created by Colin Gilbert who had previously created '' A Kick Up the Eighties'' and ''Naked Radio'' (the latter being a radi ...
'' and the sitcom
''City Lights'' for seven years. Smith made her breakthrough, becoming a household name, after starring as Mary Doll Nesbitt in the BBC sitcom ''
Rab C. Nesbitt
''Rab C. Nesbitt'' is a Scottish comedy series which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who seeks unemployment as a lifestyle choice. Rab C. Nesbitt was originally a recurring character ...
.'' The show ran for nine years and three festive shows were made.
After ''Rab C. Nesbitt,'' she starred in various BBC dramas, including ''
Two Thousand Acres of Sky
''Two Thousand Acres of Sky '' is a TV drama which aired on BBC Television from 2001 to 2003. It was created and written by Timothy Prager. The Executive Producer was Adrian Bate.
The show takes place on the fictional island of Ronansay off the ...
'' and ''
55 Degrees North
''55 Degrees North'' is a BBC television drama series starring Don Gilet as DS Nicky Cole, a London detective relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne after exposing police corruption. Dervla Kirwan co-stars as Claire Maxwell, an ambitious solicito ...
,'' and starred as Irene O'Brien in the film ''
Women Talking Dirty
''Women Talking Dirty'' is a 1999 British comedy film directed by Coky Giedroyc and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Gina McKee and James Nesbitt. It is an adaptation of the novel ''Women Talking Dirty'' written by Isla Dewar, who also wrote the ...
.'' In 2015, she played Valerie Hardcastle in third series of
The Syndicate
''The Syndicate'' is a British television drama series. It was written by Kay Mellor and is broadcast on BBC One. It sees five members of a betting syndicate win the lottery. Each series follows a different syndicate. The first series is set ...
. Smith has starred as Christine in the BBC Scotland's ''
Two Doors Down'' since 2016. She won the
BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actress - Television in 2018 for her performance.
A former member of the
Scottish Labour Party, Smith has been an active member of the
Scottish National Party (SNP), having declared her support for
Scottish Independence.
Early life
Elaine Constance Smith was born on 2 August 1958 in
Newarthill
Newarthill is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, situated roughly three miles north-east of the town of Motherwell. It has a population of around 6,200. Most local amenities are shared with the adjacent villages of Carfin, Holytown and Ne ...
,
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotl ...
, to Jim Smith. She attended
Braidhurst High School
Braidhurst High School is a non- denominational secondary school in the suburb of Motherwell known as Forgewood, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
History
Braidhurst High School was established in 1962, making it one of the more modern secondary sc ...
in
Motherwell. Smith auditioned for the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, at the age of 16 and was enrolled to complete a teaching course. She moved to Edinburgh and finished her teacher training at the
Moray House College
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
. In the late 1970s, Smith began working as a drama teacher at
Firhill High School in Edinburgh. At University she was involved in student politics and after becoming a teacher she became active in trade union politics.
Career
Television
In 1984, she made her TV debut on the
BBC Scotland comedy ''
Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee
''Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee'' was a 1984 BBC 2 sketch show starring Robbie Coltrane, John Sessions, Ron Bain and Louise Gold. The programme, which was an experiment with a new format following the success of '' A Kick Up the Eight ...
''; however, her first major television appearance came in 1986 as a star of the
sketch show
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and i ...
''
Naked Video
''Naked Video'' is a BBC Scotland sketch show that was aired on BBC2 from 12 May 1986 to 18 November 1991. The show was created by Colin Gilbert who had previously created '' A Kick Up the Eighties'' and ''Naked Radio'' (the latter being a radi ...
''. Made by
BBC Scotland, it was shown throughout the UK on
BBC2. In between seasons of ''Naked Video'', Smith also starred in the Scottish sitcom ''
City Lights'', which ran for seven years on the BBC.
Smith is best known for her role as Mary 'Mary Doll' Nesbitt in the BBC sitcom ''
Rab C. Nesbitt
''Rab C. Nesbitt'' is a Scottish comedy series which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who seeks unemployment as a lifestyle choice. Rab C. Nesbitt was originally a recurring character ...
'', a series based on characters in a ''Naked Video'' sketch. Launched in 1990 and set in Glasgow, the show was a cult hit, and ran for nine years on
BBC Two. The show was revived for a Christmas special in 2008, two new series in 2010 and 2011, and a New Year special in 2014.
Smith has appeared in the BBC dramas ''
Two Thousand Acres of Sky
''Two Thousand Acres of Sky '' is a TV drama which aired on BBC Television from 2001 to 2003. It was created and written by Timothy Prager. The Executive Producer was Adrian Bate.
The show takes place on the fictional island of Ronansay off the ...
'' and ''
55 Degrees North
''55 Degrees North'' is a BBC television drama series starring Don Gilet as DS Nicky Cole, a London detective relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne after exposing police corruption. Dervla Kirwan co-stars as Claire Maxwell, an ambitious solicito ...
'', performed alongside
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...
in the British film ''
Women Talking Dirty
''Women Talking Dirty'' is a 1999 British comedy film directed by Coky Giedroyc and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Gina McKee and James Nesbitt. It is an adaptation of the novel ''Women Talking Dirty'' written by Isla Dewar, who also wrote the ...
'', and toured Scotland with her stand-up comedy show. In October 2007, she appeared in an episode of the
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of ...
sitcom ''
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
''The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle'' is a British sitcom that was originally aired on BBC Two in 2007. The programme was written and created by Jennifer Saunders and Tanya Byron. The show stars Saunders as the title character of the talk show ...
''.
In 2010 she took part in an
STV tribute to Scottish actor
Gerard Kelly
Gerard Kelly (born Paul Kelly; 27 May 1959 – 28 October 2010) was a Scottish actor who appeared in many comedies, including '' City Lights'', ''Rab C Nesbitt'', '' Scotch and Wry'' and '' Extras''. He had more serious roles as well, includ ...
. In January 2011, she appeared on ''
Celebrity Mastermind'' with singer-songwriter
Joni Mitchell as her specialist subject. She finished second on the programme.
Since 2015, Smith has presented a documentary-style show entitled ''Burdz Eye View'', broadcast by
STV, in which she tours Scotland with her comedy act and talks about Scottish life and culture.
In 2015, Smith had a part in the third series of
Kay Mellor
The name Kay is found both as a surname (see Kay (surname)) and as a given name. In English-speaking countries, it is usually a feminine name, often a short form of Katherine or one of its variants; but it is also used as a first name in its own r ...
's BBC drama ''
The Syndicate
''The Syndicate'' is a British television drama series. It was written by Kay Mellor and is broadcast on BBC One. It sees five members of a betting syndicate win the lottery. Each series follows a different syndicate. The first series is set ...
''.
In 2016, she began starring in the BBC Scotland sitcom ''
Two Doors Down''. She won the BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actress - Television in 2018 for her performance.
Theatre
![Opening of Scotland House, London (7656778954)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Opening_of_Scotland_House%2C_London_%287656778954%29.jpg)
For many years she was a regular in pantomime at the
Kings' Theatre,
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, starring alongside
Gerard Kelly
Gerard Kelly (born Paul Kelly; 27 May 1959 – 28 October 2010) was a Scottish actor who appeared in many comedies, including '' City Lights'', ''Rab C Nesbitt'', '' Scotch and Wry'' and '' Extras''. He had more serious roles as well, includ ...
in performances such as ''
Aladdin'', ''
Mother Goose
The figure of Mother Goose is the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later of English nursery rhymes. As a character, she appeared in a song, the first stanza of which often functions now as a nursery rhyme. This, howeve ...
'' and ''
Sleeping Beauty
''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...
''. More recently, she has appeared in her own seasonal show, ''12 Nights of Christmas'' at the
Òran Mór
Òran Mór (Scottish Gaelic: "great melody of life" or "big song") is a theatre, restaurant, entertainment and music venue in Glasgow. From 1862 until 1978 the building was the Kelvinside Parish Church (Botanic Gardens) before becoming redunda ...
, Glasgow.
She has also toured Scotland in straight plays, notably with
Andy Gray, in ''The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband'', ''Two'' and ''
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
''The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'' is a 1992 play written by English dramatist Jim Cartwright.
Production history
Sam Mendes directed the first production at the Royal National Theatre that transferred to the Aldwych Theatre in London's ...
''. Other notable Scottish theatre roles include ''
The Steamie
''The Steamie'' is a comedy-drama stage play, written by Tony Roper. It is set on Hogmanay 1950 and provides a window on the lives and aspirations of a group of Glasgow women washing their clothes in a public washhouse (steamie). It was commis ...
'', ''
Guys and Dolls
''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also bo ...
'' and ''
Shirley Valentine
''Shirley Valentine'' is a one-character play by Willy Russell. Taking the form of a monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a transforming holiday abroad.
Plot
Wondering what has ...
''. She has also performed in new works at the
Tron Theatre
The Tron Theatre is located in the corner of Trongate and Chisholm Street, in what was formerly the Tron Kirk which had started as the Collegiate Church of Our Lady and St. Anne in the Trongate area of Glasgow, Scotland. The Tron Steeple still ...
, Glasgow and the
Traverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963 by John Calder, John Malcolm, Jim Haynes and Richard Demarco.
The Traverse Theatre company commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary p ...
, Edinburgh.
In September 2008 she began touring the UK in a stage version of the hit British film ''
Calendar Girls
''Calendar Girls'' is a 2003 British comedy film directed by Nigel Cole. Produced by Touchstone Pictures, it features a screenplay by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi, based on a true story of a group of middle-aged Yorkshire women who produ ...
'', along with
Lynda Bellingham
Lynda Bellingham, OBE ( ; 31 May 194819 October 2014) was an English actress, broadcaster and author. She acted in television series such as '' All Creatures Great and Small'', '' Doctor Who'', '' Second Thoughts'' and '' Faith in the Future''. S ...
,
Patricia Hodge
Patricia Ann Hodge, OBE (born 29 September 1946) is an English actor. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in ''Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Mira ...
,
Siân Phillips
Dame Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips (born 14 May 1933), known professionally as Siân Phillips ( ), is a Welsh actress. She has performed the title roles in Ibsen's ''Hedda Gabler'' and George Bernard Shaw's '' Saint Joan''.
Early life
Phi ...
,
Gaynor Faye
Gaynor Kay Mellor (born 26 August 1971), better known as Gaynor Faye, is an English actress and writer, best known for playing Judy Mallett in '' Coronation Street'' from 1995 until 1999 and Megan Macey in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 until 201 ...
and
Brigit Forsyth. The show opened in
London's West End
The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, in which many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buil ...
at the
Noël Coward Theatre
The Noël Coward Theatre, formerly known as the Albery Theatre, is a West End theatre in St. Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster, London. It opened on 12 March 1903 as the New Theatre and was built by Sir Charles Wyndham behind Wyndham's ...
in April 2009. The original cast left the show at the end of July 2009, but Smith returned in a different role as part of a national tour in 2010.
From 2009 to 2016, Smith starred in Christmas
pantomimes
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
at
His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen. In 2017 she returned to pantomimes at the
King's Theatre, Glasgow.
In 2012, she played Scottish singer
Susan Boyle in the touring musical ''
I Dreamed a Dream
"I Dreamed a Dream" is a song from the 1980 musical ''Les Misérables''. It is a solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron. The English lyric ...
'' (which she co-wrote with
Alan McHugh
Alan McHugh is a Scottish actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his roles in television shows such as ''Taggart'' (as Assistant Chief Constable Strathairn), ''Take the High Road'', ''Limmy's Show'', and ''Rab C. Nesbitt''. He co-wrot ...
), based on Boyle's life and rise to fame. There were plans to tour the show in Australia in 2013 but these were cancelled.
In 2016, Smith toured Scotland as Miss Hannigan in the musical ''
Annie
Annie may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress
* Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer
The ...
''. In 2017, she toured Scotland in a musical version of
Kay Mellor
The name Kay is found both as a surname (see Kay (surname)) and as a given name. In English-speaking countries, it is usually a feminine name, often a short form of Katherine or one of its variants; but it is also used as a first name in its own r ...
's ''
Fat Friends
''Fat Friends'' (also known as ''Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends'') is a British drama that aired on ITV from 12 October 2000 to 24 March 2005, consisting of 25 episodes over four series. Set in Leeds, the series explores the lives of several slimm ...
''.
Honours
She was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the
University of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
in 2008.
Personal life
Smith lives in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
.
In August 2007, she was appointed to the
Scottish Broadcasting Commission
The Scottish Broadcasting Commission ( gd, Coisisean craolaidh na h-Alba, sco, Scots Braidcastin Commeesion) was established by the Scottish Government in August 2007. Its purpose is to conduct an independent investigation into television produc ...
established by the
Scottish Government.
Until 2009, Smith wrote a weekly column in the ''
Sunday Mail'' newspaper.
In late 2009, her autobiography, ''Nothing Like a Dame'' (), was published.
Activism
In May 2007, Smith declared her support for
Scottish independence by aligning herself with the
Scottish National Party. She had previously been a member of the
Labour Party but left due to its failure to publicly back the
1984–85 miners' strike.
She is a supporter of numerous charities, including Zero Tolerance and Relationships Scotland. She is also the patron of the Women and Girl's Programme at
Celtic FC
The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic (), is a Scottish professional football club based in Glasgow, which plays in the Scottish Premiership. The club was founded in 1887 with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the immigran ...
.
Filmography
Television
Film
Publications
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Elaine C.
1958 births
Living people
Actresses from Glasgow
Alumni of Queen Margaret University
Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
People educated at Braidhurst High School
People from Baillieston
Scottish columnists
Scottish film actresses
Scottish musical theatre actresses
Scottish nationalists
Scottish stage actresses
Scottish stand-up comedians
Scottish television actresses
Scottish television personalities
Scottish women comedians
Scottish women columnists
Scottish republicans