Scottish actor and comedian Stanley Baxter dead aged 99
He was not on the list.
Scottish actor and comedian Stanley Baxter has died at the age of 99.
Born in Glasgow in 1926, he was one of the biggest stars on British television for several decades.
Baxter starred in a number of hit series between the 1960s and the 1980s, and was also known for his acting roles and as a pantomime regular.
His friend and biographer Brian Beacom said Baxter died on Thursday in Denville Hall, a north London care home for entertainment figures where he had lived since late 2023.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme, actress Elaine C Smith said Baxter was "an inspiration" and his death felt like "the end of something".
She said: "In one of the early pantos I did, I had one of his costumes.
"I have to say he had a lot longer and better legs than me so it had to be adjusted for my height.
"But his costumes, his standards throughout
showbusiness, and in particular in theatre, were legendary because they just
were stunning. "
After starting his career in Scottish theatres in the 1940s, Baxter found fame in variety theatre.
This led to his casting in comedy sketch show On The Bright Side, where he first performed what became one of his most popular sketches – Parliamo Glasgow.
In this spoof of a foreign language programme, he delivered phrases in a thick Glasgow accent and then "translated" them into the formal pronunciation style of British television at the time.
The Stanley Baxter Show began on the BBC in 1963 and became a huge hit, before he moved to London Weekend Television (LWT) in 1973 with The Stanley Baxter Picture Show.
He played most of the parts in the show's parodies of film and television, winning several Baftas.
This was followed in 1981 by The Stanley Baxter Series, before returning to the BBC later in the decade.
He also appeared in the children's show Mr Majeika before retiring from television in 1990, but he continued to appear as a panto dame in Scotland for several more years.
He later appeared in a series of three half-hour radio
sitcoms for BBC Radio 4, and also recorded a number of plays for the station.
Baxter also appeared in a number of films in the 1950s and 60s, and received a lifetime achievement award at the British Comedy Awards.
Bafta Scotland gave Baxter its Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award in December 2020.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney was among those who paid tribute.
He described him as "a giant of Scottish entertainment" who had "brought incredible joy to generations".
BBC Scotland's director, Hayley Valentine, said: "We are all very saddened by the passing of Stanley Baxter who was one of Scotland's most beloved stars.
"His talent, wit and originality set a benchmark for comedy and performance that has spanned decades.
"His brilliance delighted audiences for generations,
and he leaves behind a remarkable legacy, including his legendary BBC TV
shows."
Staff at the King's Theatre in Glasgow said they were saddened by the news but would be celebrating Baxter's life.
"The legendary actor and comedian made a unique and lasting impact in the world of panto with his memorable performances on the King's stage," they said.
Baxter always considered himself a character actor rather than a comedian and was a reluctant celebrity, giving few interviews and declining to appear on chat shows.
At the age of 94, he confirmed he had always been gay but said he had initially hidden the truth to avoid arrest in the years before decriminalisation.
He said his wife Moira had been fully aware of the situation. The couple, who married in 1951, had lived apart since the 1970s but remained close and never divorced.
Moira died in 1997 and Baxter's long-term partner, Marcus, died in 2016.
At Baxter's request, his funeral will be a small private ceremony in the company of family and close friends, and there will be no memorial service or memorial plaques.
Actor
Children's Christmas Collection (2006)
Children's Christmas Collection
Video
Narrator (voice)
2006
Stanley Baxter in Meeow! (1999)
Meeow!
TV Series
NarratorMaisie Mac (voice)
1999–2000
4 episodes
Stanley Baxter in Reel Terms
TV Movie
Various Roles
1996
Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals, and Hilary Pritchard in
The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)
The Thief and the Cobbler
7.1
GoferSlap (voice)
1993
The Jungle Book (1992)
The Jungle Book
3.7
Video
KaaTabahki
1992
Gregor Fisher in Rab C. Nesbitt (1988)
Rab C. Nesbitt
7.5
TV Series
Matt Fernie
1991
1 episode
Mr. Majeika (1988)
Mr. Majeika
7.2
TV Series
Mr. MajeikaMr. Majolica
1988–1990
20 episodes
Christmas Hamper
TV Movie
Various Characters
1985
PG Tips: The Tipps Family
TV Series
(voice)
1983
1 episode
The Stanley Baxter Hour (1982)
The Stanley Baxter Hour
7.7
TV Movie
Various Roles
1982
Stanley Baxter on Television (1979)
Stanley Baxter on Television
7.9
TV Movie
Various Roles
1979
Christmas Box (1976)
Christmas Box
6.9
TV Movie
Various Characters
1976
Tic Tac: The Girl (1976)
Tic Tac: The Girl
Video
Detective (unconfirmed, uncredited)
1976
Tic Tac: The Tight Spot (1976)
Tic Tac: The Tight Spot
Video
Detective (unconfirmed, uncredited)
1976
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show: Part III
7.8
TV Movie
Various Roles
1975
The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show (1974)
The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show
7.6
TV Movie
Various Roles
1974
Akenfield (1974)
Akenfield
7.2
Blacksmith
1974
Stanley Baxter in The Stanley Baxter Big Picture Show (1973)
The Stanley Baxter Big Picture Show
7.3
TV Movie
Various Roles
1973
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show (1972)
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show
8.0
TV Series
Various Roles
1972–1975
Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie in The
Goodies (1970)
The Goodies
7.7
TV Series
Tourism AgentLoch Ness Monster
1971
1 episode
The Stanley Baxter Show
7.5
TV Series
Various Roles
1963–1971
23 episodes
Benny Hill in A Christmas Night with the Stars (1958)
A Christmas Night with the Stars
5.9
TV Series
Various
1960–1970
3 episodes
Joey Boy (1965)
Joey Boy
4.8
Benny 'The Kid' Lindowski
1965
The Wednesday Play (1964)
The Wednesday Play
7.4
TV Series
William Hazlitt
1965
1 episode
Baxter On...
TV Series
Various Roles
1964
6 episodes
Espionage (1963)
Espionage
7.6
TV Series
James Boswell
1964
1 episode
Father Came Too! (1964)
Father Came Too!
6.2
Dexter Munro
1964
The Fast Lady (1962)
The Fast Lady
6.2
Murdoch Troon
1962
Crooks Anonymous (1962)
Crooks Anonymous
6.2
R.S. Widdowes
1962
Comedy Playhouse (1961)
Comedy Playhouse
7.4
TV Series
Geoffrey Tupper
1961
1 episode
On the Brighter Side
TV Movie
Various Characters
1961
A Coming-Out Party (1961)
A Coming-Out Party
6.7
'Jock' EverettKommondant Stamfel
1961
On the Bright Side
TV Series
Various Characters
1959–1960
14 episodes
Theatre Night (1957)
Theatre Night
8.1
TV Series
Corporal Sydney Green
1960
1 episode
Festival Fever
TV Movie
Vassili Gortchakovitch
1956
Wee Geordie (1955)
Wee Geordie
6.8
Postman
1955
Writer
Stanley Baxter's Picture Annual
TV Movie
Writer
1986
Christmas Hamper
TV Movie
additional material
1985
Christmas Box (1976)
Christmas Box
6.9
TV Movie
writer
1976
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show (1972)
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show
8.0
TV Series
additional material
1972–1975
Baxter On...
TV Series
Writer
1964
The Stanley Baxter Show
7.5
TV Series
writer
1963–1971
Additional Crew
Artworks Scotland (2004)
Artworks Scotland
5.8
TV Series
archivist
2010
1 episode
Self
Comedy National Treasures: Stanley Baxter
TV Special
SelfSelf - Various
2019
The Undiscovered Kenneth Williams (2018)
The Undiscovered Kenneth Williams
7.0
TV Movie
Self
2018
Glasgow: Big Night Out
TV Movie
Self
2014
The Many Faces of... (2009)
The Many Faces of...
6.3
TV Series
SelfSelf - Various Characters
2013
1 episode
The Unforgettable Gordon Jackson
7.3
TV Movie
Self - Friend and Actor
2012
Artworks Scotland (2004)
Artworks Scotland
5.8
TV Series
Self
2010
1 episode
Stanley Baxter: Now and Then
TV Special
Self
2008
The Comedy Christmas
TV Movie
Self
2007
Happy Birthday BAFTA
TV Special
Self
2007
The Comedy Map of Britain (2007)
The Comedy Map of Britain
6.7
TV Series
Self
2007
1 episode
The Story of Light Entertainment (2006)
The Story of Light Entertainment
7.4
TV Mini Series
Self
2006
2 episodes
Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie in Return
of the Goodies (2005)
Return of the Goodies
8.0
TV Movie
Self
2005
Greatest TV Comedy Moments (2005)
Greatest TV Comedy Moments
5.4
TV Movie
SelfSelf - Various
2005
Heroes of Comedy (1992)
Heroes of Comedy
6.6
TV Series
Self
2002
1 episode
The Unforgettable Kenneth Williams
TV Movie
Self
2001
What a Performance!
TV Series
Self
1999
1 episode
Stanley Baxter in Person
TV Movie
Self
1998
Tuned In: 75 Years of Broadcasting by the BBC in Scotland
TV Movie
Self
1998
The British Comedy Awards 1997
TV Special
Self
1997
Goodbye to All That (1992)
Goodbye to All That
TV Special
Self
1992
The Children's Royal Variety Performance
TV Special
Self
1984
An Audience with Dudley Moore
7.7
TV Special
Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
1981
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage (1980)
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage
7.8
TV Special
Self
1980
Bing Crosby in Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas (1977)
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
8.1
TV Special
Self
1977
Val Doonican in The Val Doonican Show (1965)
The Val Doonican Show
6.4
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
David Frost in Frost on Sunday (1968)
Frost on Sunday
7.8
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
Great Scot!
TV Movie
Self
1967
Showtime
TV Series
Self
1960
1 episode
Laugh Line
TV Series
Self
1960
1 episode
Chelsea at Nine (1957)
Chelsea at Nine
TV Series
Self
1958
1 episode
This Is Scotland
TV Special
Self
1957
Garrison Theatre
TV Series
Self - Presenter
1954
1 episode
Archive Footage
The Fabulous Alexander Brothers
TV Movie
Self - The Alecsandy Brothers (archive footage)
2014
Ade in Adland
TV Mini Series
Self (archive footage)
2013
Victoria Wood's Sketch Show Story (2001)
Victoria Wood's Sketch Show Story
7.5
TV Mini Series
Self (archive footage)
2001
Monkey Business (1993)
Monkey Business
7.6
Video
Self - PG Tips Chimp (archive sound, voice)
1993
Television's Greatest Hits
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
1992
1 episode
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