Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton,
OBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running
BBC Scotland sketch show, ''
Scotch and Wry
''Scotch and Wry'' is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and Joh ...
''.
He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, ''
Francie and Josie
''Francie and Josie'' were a double act performed by Scottish comedians Jack Milroy as Francie and Rikki Fulton (of ''Scotch and Wry'') as Josie, from 1958 until the 1990s.
History
The ''Francie and Josie'' act first appeared on ''The Five Pas ...
'', alongside
Jack Milroy
Jack Milroy, MBE (born James Cruden; 28 December 1915 – 1 February 2001), was a Scottish comedian. Born in Govanhill, Glasgow and educated at Shawlands Academy, Milroy is noted for his partnership with comedy actor Rikki Fulton as Francie ...
.
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
Dennistoun is a mostly residential district in Glasgow, Scotland, located north of the River Clyde and in the city's east end, about east of the city centre. Since 2017 it has formed the core of a Dennistoun ward under Glasgow City Council, h ...
, Glasgow.
Fulton's mother, who was 40 at the time of his birth, developed severe
postnatal depression
Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, which can affect both sexes. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and cha ...
. 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
Riddrie ( gd, An Ruadh Ruigh) is a north-eastern district of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies on the A80 Cumbernauld Road.
Location and amenities
Riddrie is a residential area mainly consisting of 1920s semi-detached houses, originally built as counc ...
, another district of Glasgow.
There he attended the local primary school but later returned to Dennistoun for his secondary education at
Whitehill Secondary School
Whitehill Secondary School (formerly Whitehill Senior Secondary School) is a Scottish non-denominational comprehensive secondary school located in the suburb of Dennistoun in Glasgow. The school is a part of the Whitehill Campus, along with G ...
.
Fulton completed his education in 1939 and decided to start in the acting profession after a backstage visit at the
Glasgow Pavilion Theatre.
In 1941, aged 17, Fulton joined the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
. The following year he was posted to
HMS ''Ibis'', but that November the sloop was sunk in the Bay of Algiers. Fulton spent five hours in the water before being rescued.
He later joined the
Coastal Forces for
D-Day, travelling back and forth between
Gosport
Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite ...
and
Arromanches with vital supplies. In 1945, four years after signing up, Fulton was invalided out of the Navy due to
blackouts,
leaving with the rank of sub-lieutenant.
Career
Fulton began his professional acting career as a straight actor, mostly appearing in
repertory theatre and
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...
, including ''The Gowrie Conspiracy'' in 1947. He also maintained a secondary job in the stationery business with his brothers. When the bank pulled money from their enterprise, however, Fulton gave his full attention to his acting career.
In the early 1950s, Fulton moved to London and became the compère of ''The Show Band Show'',
working alongside the likes of singer
Frank Sinatra.
After a short period, Fulton returned to Scotland to perform for
Howard & Wyndham Ltd in
pantomime
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-speakin ...
from 1956 at the
Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow with
Jimmy Logan
James Allan Short, OBE, FRSAMD (4 April 1928 – 13 April 2001), known professionally as Jimmy Logan, was a Scottish performer, theatrical producer, impresario and director.
Family
Logan was born in Dennistoun, Glasgow, a member of a family ...
and
Kenneth McKellar followed by the "Five Past Eight" summer revues with
Stanley Baxter
Stanley Livingstone Baxter (born 24 May 1926) is a Scottish actor, comedian, impressionist and author. Baxter began his career as a child actor on BBC Scotland and later became known for his British television comedy shows '' The Stanley Baxte ...
and Fay Lenore.
In 1960, he headlined in the new Scottish pantomime "A Wish for Jamie," with Kenneth McKellar and Fay Lenore, which premiered at the
Alhambra Theatre Glasgow, and in its sequel "A Love for Jamie," which ran for three consecutive winters. He starred in pantomime and Five Past Eight in Edinburgh and
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), ...
. While working at the
King's Theatre, Edinburgh, Fulton met comedian
Jack Milroy
Jack Milroy, MBE (born James Cruden; 28 December 1915 – 1 February 2001), was a Scottish comedian. Born in Govanhill, Glasgow and educated at Shawlands Academy, Milroy is noted for his partnership with comedy actor Rikki Fulton as Francie ...
. Together they created a stage double act named "
Francie and Josie
''Francie and Josie'' were a double act performed by Scottish comedians Jack Milroy as Francie and Rikki Fulton (of ''Scotch and Wry'') as Josie, from 1958 until the 1990s.
History
The ''Francie and Josie'' act first appeared on ''The Five Pas ...
", two
Teddy Boy
The Teddy Boys or Teds were a mainly British youth subculture of the mid 1950s to mid 1960s who were interested in rock and roll and R&B music, wearing clothes partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, which S ...
s from Glasgow.
In one of his first forays into television, Fulton brought the act to television in 1962's
Scottish Television
Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Limited) is the ITV (TV network), ITV network franchisee for Central Belt, Central Scotland. The channel — the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland — has been in operation ...
series, ''The Adventures of Francie and Josie''.
The series established both Fulton and Milroy as household names in Scotland. In 1970 and 1989, they were jointly named Scotland's "Light Entertainers of the Year".
In 1977, Fulton produced "The Scotched Earth Show" with Gordon Menzies for the
BBC. Menzies later produced Fulton's most popular sketch series, ''
Scotch and Wry
''Scotch and Wry'' is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and Joh ...
.''
Fulton continued to perform regularly in pantomime and in straight theatre, mostly notably with the Royal Lyceum Company in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and the
Scottish Theatre Company based in Glasgow. However, it was the comedy
sketch show, ''
Scotch and Wry
''Scotch and Wry'' is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and Joh ...
'', that became a
Hogmanay
Hogmanay ( , ) is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or in ...
institution.
The series featured one of Fulton's most remembered characters, the Reverend I.M. Jolly,
a dour, depressed minister prone to inappropriate television conversations.
The series began in 1978 and continued for 15 years, and was shown only once throughout the United Kingdom in 1983.
Fulton was named Scottish Television Personality of the Year in 1963 and 1979.
In 1981, Fulton played Oliphant in the Scottish Theatre Company's production of
Robert Kemp's play, ''Let Wives Tak Tent''. In 1982, he made an appearance in the film ''
Gorky Park,'' where he played a
KGB officer. Director
Michael Apted chose Fulton for the role because "he
ptedhad never seen such cruel eyes".
He also performed in
Bill Forsyth's ''
Local Hero'' and ''
Comfort and Joy.'' In 1985, under the pseudonym "Rabaith", Fulton, along with
Denise Coffey, adapted the French playwright
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
's, ''
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'' as ''A Wee Touch o' Class.'' He performed in the lead role at that year's
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
; the Festival re-booked it for the following year and it went on tour throughout Scotland.
Fulton made several guest appearances in other
BBC Scotland programmes. Alongside his ''Scotch and Wry'' co-stars
Gregor Fisher and
Tony Roper, Fulton made two appearances in ''
Rab C. Nesbitt''; once in 1988 and 10 years later in 1998. In 1992, Fulton was awarded the Officer of the
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) and a year later the Lifetime Achievement award from
BAFTA Scotland.
In 1994, he again appeared alongside Fisher as Dan McPhail, The
Vital Spark's engineer, in ''
The Tales of Para Handy''.
In 1996, after 36 years of performing as Francie and Josie, Fulton and Milroy appeared in their "Final Farewell" at the
King's Theatre, Glasgow. Milroy later died in 2001, aged 85 years.
Fulton's last full performance on television came on New Year's Eve 1999 with the comedy special ''It's a Jolly Life'' and his final ''Last Call'' monologue as the Reverend I.M. Jolly. After saying his final goodbye to television, Fulton wrote and published his autobiography, ''Is It That Time Already?''. In 1994, Fulton was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Arts from
Abertay University, Dundee, in 1995 an honorary
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or ') is a terminal degree in the humanities that, depending on the country, is a higher doctorate after the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or equivalent to a higher doctorate, such as the Doctor ...
from the
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal char ...
and in 2000 another honorary
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or ') is a terminal degree in the humanities that, depending on the country, is a higher doctorate after the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or equivalent to a higher doctorate, such as the Doctor ...
from the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
.
Personal life
Fulton was first married to actress Ethel Scott, who appeared with him on ''The Rikki Fulton Show'' in 1960 and 1961.
While separated from their respective partners, Fulton met Audrey Matheson Craig-Brown (known as Kate Matheson), an actress 13 years his junior.
Matheson saw Fulton perform in a production of
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...
's ''
Hay Fever'',
but it would be 17 years before they met in person. After one day together, Fulton proposed and they married in 1969. In 1976, Matheson became pregnant but later lost the baby.
In 1998, Fulton began to display symptoms of
Alzheimer's disease. In 2001, his wife recalled that "he
ultonreturned home and devastatingly informed her, "I can't remember my lines any more". In 2002, after being diagnosed with the disease, Fulton remained at his own home and fronted that year's Alzheimer Scotland Christmas appeal. He grew to depend on Kate more and more until, eventually, it was decided he move into the Quayside nursing home.
In 2003, after breaking his hip in a fall, he was admitted to the
Western Infirmary
The Western Infirmary was a teaching hospital situated in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland, that was managed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. It was opened in 1874 and closed in 2015.
History
After the University of Glasgow moved from the city ...
and then to
Gartnavel Royal Hospital for assessment. After contracting the "superbug"
MRSA and returning to Quayside, Fulton died peacefully on 27 January 2004, aged 79 years.
Fulton's death sparked numerous dedications in his memory. The then-
BBC Scotland Controller, John McCormick, said "he
ultonwas a legend for people across the whole country."
Fulton's funeral took place six days after his death. In tribute to his ''Scotch and Wry'' character ''Supercop'' (a police traffic officer), police motorcyclists escorted the funeral cortège as it made its way to Clydebank Crematorium.
The Reverend Alastair Symington, who was a close friend of Fulton, led the service, which featured tributes from Fulton's widow Kate Matheson and
Tony Roper.
Symington had previously collaborated with Fulton on the book, ''For God's Sake, Ask!''. Both Rikki and his Kate were strong supporters of the
Scottish SPCA, which received a financial donation following Fulton's funeral. A Scottish SPCA inspector represented the animal welfare organisation at the service.
Kate Matheson died in 2005 after completing a book about her relationship with Fulton, entitled ''Rikki & Me''.
For her funeral in Glasgow, Matheson requested no black ties should be worn because "we
he and Fultonwere together again".
Filmography
* ''
Laxdale Hall'' (1953)
* "Dance party roof" (1957–58)
* ''The Rikki Fulton Show'' (1960)
* ''The Five past eight'' (1960's)
* ''
The Adventures of Francie and Josie'' (1962–1965)
* ''The Grand Tour'' (1965)
* ''The Rikki Fulton Hour'' (1965)
* ''Rikki'' (1966)
* ''The Scotched Earth Show'' (1977)
* ''
Scotch and Wry
''Scotch and Wry'' is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and Joh ...
'' (1978)
* ''Out with the Old, in with the New'' (1978)
* ''
The Miser'' (1978)
* ''
Charles Endell Esquire'' (1979)
* ''
Square Mile of Murder'' (1980)
* ''
It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1980)
* ''
Boswell for the Defence
''Boswell for the Defence'' is a 1989 Australian play by Patrick Edgeworth about James Boswell and his defence of Mary Bryant. The title role was originally played by Leo McKern.
Edgeworth had been hired to write a mini series about the First Fle ...
'' (1981)
* ''
The Winter's Tale
''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...
'' (1981)
* ''
The Dollar Bottom'' (1981)
* ''The House on the Hill'' (1981)
* ''
Bergerac'' (1983)
* ''
Local Hero'' (1983)
* ''
Gorky Park'' (1983)
* ''
The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady'' (1984)
* ''
Comfort and Joy'' (1984)
* ''
The Girl in the Picture'' (1985)
* ''The Holy City'' (1986)
* ''
Supergran'' (1986)
* ''
Rab C. Nesbitt'' (1988, 1998)
* ''Tis' the Season to be Jolly'' (1993)
* ''Jolly, a Man for All Seasons'' (1994)
* ''
The Tales of Para Handy'' (1994)
* ''Jolly: A Life'' (1995)
* ''It's a Jolly Life'' (1999)
Notable characters
*''
Scotch and Wry
''Scotch and Wry'' is a Scottish television comedy sketch show produced by BBC Scotland and starring Rikki Fulton and a revolving ensemble cast which over the years included Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper, Claire Nielson, Juliet Cadzow and Joh ...
''
Supercop a frequently dimwitted traffic cop who rides a motorbike, his trademark is how he removes his goggles (pings off and flies off camera), is often getting into more trouble than those he stops. Carries a small pocket sized notepad and pencil.
Rev. I.M. Jolly a very downtrodden and pessimistic minister of the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
, presents a fictional show "Last Call" where he has a heart to heart with the audience where he tells them what he has been up to that week. His tone is always low-key and down beat.
Rev. David Goodchild a minister who offered a few thoughts on "Last Call" and has an unfortunate mix up between his water and neat gin. Rev. David Goodchild is often confused with Rev. I.M. Jolly, but they were two different people.
Dickie Dandruff owner of "The Fourways Café" also goes by the moniker "The Gallowgate Gourmet" and presents a cooking segment called "Dirty Dick's Delicat'messen" where he prepares food in comedic style from his filthy café kitchen in the Gallowgate area of Glasgow.
*
Francie and Josie
''Francie and Josie'' were a double act performed by Scottish comedians Jack Milroy as Francie and Rikki Fulton (of ''Scotch and Wry'') as Josie, from 1958 until the 1990s.
History
The ''Francie and Josie'' act first appeared on ''The Five Pas ...
Josie is also another much loved character from his comedy show "
Francie and Josie
''Francie and Josie'' were a double act performed by Scottish comedians Jack Milroy as Francie and Rikki Fulton (of ''Scotch and Wry'') as Josie, from 1958 until the 1990s.
History
The ''Francie and Josie'' act first appeared on ''The Five Pas ...
" with co-star
Jack Milroy
Jack Milroy, MBE (born James Cruden; 28 December 1915 – 1 February 2001), was a Scottish comedian. Born in Govanhill, Glasgow and educated at Shawlands Academy, Milroy is noted for his partnership with comedy actor Rikki Fulton as Francie ...
who played "Francie".
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fulton, Rikki
1924 births
2004 deaths
Military personnel from Glasgow
Royal Navy officers
Deaths from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
People from Dennistoun
Scottish autobiographers
Scottish sailors
Scottish memoirists
Scottish male film actors
Scottish male radio actors
Scottish male stage actors
Scottish male television actors
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Infectious disease deaths in Scotland
Deaths from dementia in Scotland
People educated at Whitehill Secondary School
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease
Scottish male comedians
Royal Navy officers of World War II
Male actors from Glasgow
Pantomime dames
Comedians from Glasgow
20th-century British comedians