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IMDbPro

Richard Wilson(II)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Richard Wilson
Richard Wilson On The Road
Play trailer1:14
Richard Wilson on the Road (2015– )
15 Videos
81 Photos
Richard Wilson OBE (born Iain Carmichael Wilson; 9 July 1936) is a Scottish actor, theatre director and broadcaster. He played Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990). A later role was as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin (2008).

Wilson was born in Greenock, Scotland. He studied science in Greenock, and did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore. He worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research scientist before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at RADA and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre), Glasgow and Manchester (Stables Theatre).

He initially turned down the role of Victor Meldrew and it was almost offered to Les Dawson before Wilson changed his mind.

Wilson was awarded the OBE for services to drama as a director and actor in 1994. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.

Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson, was written by James Roose-Evans.

Wilson has worked for the gay rights campaign group Stonewall and the Labour Party. He is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre. Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony. He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard.

The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus", from Strawbs' eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson.

He is a major supporter of the Labour Party, and he recorded the party's manifesto for the 2010 General Election.

In March 2011, Wilson presented an edition of the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches (1987) entitled Train Journeys from Hell (2011), with transport journalist Christian Wolmar highlighting the failings of the British rail network.

Wilson was a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United. He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust. Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years, and he came out as gay in a Daily Mail interview in March 2013. Wilson is good friends with his One Foot in the Grave (1990) co-star Angus Deayton, and is godfather to Deayton's son.

It was reported on 12 August 2016 that Wilson had suffered a heart attack. He had been due to reprise the role of Victor Meldrew in a one-man show at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
BornJuly 9, 1936
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJuly 9, 1936
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 BAFTA Awards
    • 4 wins & 4 nominations total

Photos81

Doreen Mantle and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Annette Crosbie and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Annette Crosbie, Terry Taplin, and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Doreen Mantle and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Annette Crosbie, Andrew Powell, and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
John Cater and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Angus MacKay and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
John Bluthal, Roger Hammond, and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
Peter Corey, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle, and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)

Known for

Annette Crosbie and Richard Wilson in One Foot in the Grave (1990)
One Foot in the Grave
7.9
TV Series
  • Victor Meldrew
Bill Murray and Joanne Whalley in The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)
The Man Who Knew Too Little
6.6
  • Sir Roger Daggenhurst
  • 1997
A Passage to India (1984)
A Passage to India
7.3
  • Turton
  • 1984
Matt Lucas in Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
Gnomeo & Juliet
5.9
  • Mr. Capulet(voice)
  • 2011

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • High Stakes
    • Bruce Morton
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 2001
  • Sweetly It Turns
    • Len
    • Completed
  • Declan Donnelly and Anthony McPartlin in Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2002)
    Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
    • Sir Kenny Lilo
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • G Flat (2022)
    G Flat
    • Ceri
    • Short
    • 2022
  • David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma, and Leonie Benesch in Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
    Around the World in 80 Days
    • Grayson
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Alan Cumming, Jason Isaacs, Jonathan Cake, Alex Désert, Jonathan Firth, Lorien Haynes, Issy Knopfler, Emmett Carnahan, and Charlie Field in Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men (2021)
    Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men
    • Michael
    • 2021
  • Lorien Haynes and Richard Wilson in Michael (2020)
    Michael
    • Michael
    • Short
    • 2020
  • Richard Ayoade in The Crystal Maze (1990)
    The Crystal Maze
    • Father Christmas
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Johnny Depp, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ashley Jensen, Matt Lucas, James McAvoy, Stephen Merchant, Emily Blunt, Julio Bonet, and Eve Webster in Sherlock Gnomes (2018)
    Sherlock Gnomes
    • Mr. Capulet (voice)
    • 2018
  • Matt Lucas and Maxine Peake in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016)
    A Midsummer Night's Dream
    • Starveling
    • TV Movie
    • 2016
  • Jane Horrocks, Mark Addy, Rita May, Jason Watkins, and Joel Fry in Trollied (2011)
    Trollied
    • Frank Uture
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Danny and the Human Zoo (2015)
    Danny and the Human Zoo
    • James Broughton
    • TV Movie
    • 2015
  • Playhouse Presents (2012)
    Playhouse Presents
    • John
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Richard Wilson, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Colin Morgan, and Bradley James in Merlin (2008)
    Merlin
    • Gaius
    • TV Series
    • 2008–2012
  • Matt Lucas in Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
    Gnomeo & Juliet
    • Mr. Capulet (voice)
    • 2011
  • Rob Brydon, Ronnie Corbett, Matt Lucas, and David Walliams in The One Ronnie (2010)
    The One Ronnie
    • Party Guest
    • TV Movie
    • 2010
  • Children in Need (1980)
    Children in Need
    • Gaius
    • TV Series
    • 2009–2010

Director

  • Look Back in Anger
    • Director
    • 2016
  • Primo (2005)
    Primo
    • stage director
    • Video
    • 2005
  • Play for Today (1970)
    Play for Today
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1982–1984
  • ITV Playhouse (1967)
    ITV Playhouse
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1970

Additional Crew

  • Primo (2007)
    Primo
    • directed for the stage by
    • TV Movie
    • 2007
  • Primo (2005)
    Primo
    • directed for the stage by
    • Video
    • 2005
  • The Play on One (1988)
    The Play on One
    • directed for stage
    • TV Series
    • 1990
  • Play for Today (1970)
    Play for Today
    • directed for stage
    • TV Series
    • 1982–1984

Videos15

Hot Metal: The Complete Second Series
Clip 1:48
Hot Metal: The Complete Second Series
Merlin: The Complete First Season
Trailer 0:39
Merlin: The Complete First Season
Merlin: Complete Second Season
Trailer 1:25
Merlin: Complete Second Season
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Trailer 1:52
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Trailer 0:31
The Man Who Knew Too Little
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Trailer 2:16
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
A Passage to India
Trailer 1:56
A Passage to India
Richard Wilson On The Road
Trailer 1:14
Richard Wilson On The Road
Merlin: Season 3
Trailer 0:55
Merlin: Season 3
Merlin: Season 2 (Trailer 1)
Trailer 1:07
Merlin: Season 2 (Trailer 1)
Merlin: Season 5
Trailer 2:01
Merlin: Season 5
Merlin
Trailer 1:00
Merlin

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Richard Wilson OBE
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • July 9, 1936
    • Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
  • Parents
    • Euphemia Wilson
  • Relatives
    • Moira(Sibling)
  • Other works
    Appears in "BBC: Serious About Comedy" TV commercial for BBC America (2000)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Interview

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He initially turned down his most famous role as Victor Meldrew, since he was only 53 and the character was supposed to be over 60.
  • Quotes
    I don't mind people saying I'm gay, because I am. But I don't live in a gay relationship. That is probably why I go to counseling.
  • Trademark
      Distinctive clipped Scottish accent.

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