John Cairney

John Cairney:

† Feb 16 1930 – Sep 7 2023

Dark, broodingly handsome Scots actor, largely associated with his memorable portrayals of the poet Robert Burns. His lasting association with Burns began in 1965 with Tom Wright's solo play "There Was A Man" at the Traverse, Edinburgh, and at the Arts Theatre, London. From Burns, he moved on to other solo pieces on William McGonagall, Robert Service and Robert Louis Stevenson.

In the full Rabbie Burns get-up.

Though his movie career began in the mid '50s, it appears that his TV heyday was probably the mid '60s to late '70s, after which he moved to New Zealand. His many television parts include other literary figures, like Branwell Bronte and Edgar Allan Poe, and other famous Scots, like Robert the Bruce. He has featured in programmes as varied as 'Dr. Finlay's Casebook', 'Secret Agent', 'The Avengers', 'Man In A Suitcase', 'Jackanory', 'The Persuaders', 'Elizabeth R', and 'Taggart'. He'd probably be better known if the BBC hadn't wiped his starring role in the 1966 Scottish drama series 'This Man Craig' in which he played an idealistic teacher. (Incidentally, his son in the programme was played by the young Brian Pettifer, saluted here earlier.) 

With Glenda Jackson in the acclaimed 1971 BBC series 'Elizabeth R'

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In 'Jason & The Argonauts' (1963), second from right, just
over Laurence Naismith's shoulder

Feature film appearances include 'Lucky Jim' (1957), the Titanic story 'A Night To Remember' (1958), 'Victim' (1961), 'Jason & The Argonauts' (1963), Cleopatra' (1963), and the Sherlock Holmes meets the Ripper movie 'Study In Terror' (1965).

In the low-budget British sci-fi adventure 'Spaceflight IC-1' (1965)

He made some TV movies in New Zealand during the '80s and '90s as well as writing a number of books on Burns and other great Scottish figures Robert L Stephenson and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.  

John Cairney-imdb

Peter Bland

Peter Bland:

An unassuming name for an accomplished actor who has managed to become a highly recognisable TV fixture without ever achieving widespread fame. With his fleshy, expressive face and hefty build, he has appeared in a wide variety of roles from foreign potentates and hearty policemen to dishevelled drunks and sleek confidence tricksters. He was born in Yorkshire, but emigrated to New Zealand in the '50s. In addition to acting, he is a well known poet and playwright in his adopted homeland, founding the Downstage Theatre Company in Wellington before heading back to London at the end of the '60s.       

There have been a few movie roles; starting with saucy '70s British comedies 'A Touch of The Other' (1970) and 'Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!' (1973), and more recently as a major player in some New Zealand-produced films, such as 'Came A Hot Friday (1985), 'Dangerous Orphans' (1985), 'Queen City Rocker', and 'Savage Play' (1995).

In the popular New Zealand movie 'Came A Hot Friday' (1985)

The '70s was a busy time for him, having joined the Bristol Old Vic, meeting farceur Brian Rix and finding his feet in television comedy and drama. He appeared in Rix's political sitcom series 'Men of Affairs', and in 'Dave Allen at Large', as well as the groundbreaking black family comedy 'The Fosters' and the BBC adaptation of 'The Old Curiosity Shop' which starred Trevor Peacock as Mr Quilp.   
   

As Charlie the shotgun-toting Greek-Cypriot in 'Minder'

The '80s extended his repertoire, with roles in 'Minder', Victorian police procedural 'Cribb', and light comedy in the regular casts of 'Kelly Monteith' and 'Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV'. He was also the guv'nor in the Steve Frost and Mark Arden (you remember, 'I bet he drinks Carling Black Label…') cop spoof 'Lazarus & Dingwall'.  

As the music hall proprietor Samuel Plunkett in 'Cribb'

To find out more about Peter Bland's poetry, click here.

Peter Bland-imdb

Denis Lill

Denis Lill:

New Zealander Denis Lill has worked his trademark combination of 'tache and balding pate into some of the most popular British TV since the early '70s. There are some iconic period dramas, like 'Edward VII', 'Lillie', 'Fall Of Eagles', 'The Gathering Storm' and 'Madame Bovary'. Then there are the popular action series, including 'Z-Cars', 'Softly Softly Task Force', 'Survivors', 'The Professionals' and 'Van Der Valk'.

A rare appearance without the trademark moustache in
the TV sensation of 1976, 'Rock Follies'.

In 'Fall of Eagles' as Prince Frederick III, son-in-law of
Queen Victoria and father of the future Kaiser Wilhelm

He has a talent for comedy too. There have been roles in some of the better class of gentle humour, such as 'Moody & Pegg' (with Judy Cornwell), the rarefied delights of 'Mapp & Lucia', 'Blackadder III', 'Yes, Prime Minister', 'Outside Edge' and Paul Merton's rather pointless revisiting of Galton and Simpson's 'Impasse' sketch from 'The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins' (1971), in which he took the Keith Smith part as the RAC Man.     

As the permanently sozzled Major Benjy Flint in 'Mapp & Lucia'. Seen here with
the great character actor Geoffrey Chater, playing Mr Algernon Wyse.

Unusually, there have been a comparatively few run-of-the-mill soapy dramas and duff comedies, it's mostly inoffensive primetime stuff and the repeat fees must be continually landing on his doormat. See for example, 'The Royal', 'Only Fools and Horses', 'Red Dwarf', 'Casualty' and 'Heartbeat'.   

As senior surgeon Mr Rose in 'The Royal'

Trivia point: he was in 'Batman' (1989), perhaps in the unique instance of a stand-in for a cameo. Original Batman creator Bob Kane was cast as the cartoonist on the Gotham Globe but couldn't make the filming. 


Denis Lill-imdb