Tony Roper (actor)

Tony Roper (born 19 August 1941) is a Scottish actor, comedian, playwright and writer.

Tony Roper
Born
Denis Daniel Michael Roper[1]

(1941-08-19) 19 August 1941[1]
Glasgow, Scotland
Years active1971–present
Spouse(s)Isobel[2]

Career

In his early life he worked as a miner in Fife (where there were family connections), and as a van boy in a Glasgow bakery.[1] His first major starring role was in Scotch and Wry. He wrote the comedy-drama The Steamie in 1988, for which he won a BAFTA.[3] He achieved even greater fame in Naked Video and in the spin-off series Rab C. Nesbitt, in which he played Rab's partner-in-crime, Jamesie Cotter. He also starred in the short-lived 1999 sitcom All Along the Watchtower. Tony also had a small part as the postman in the longer version of the 1973 cult film, The Wicker Man.

In theatre, he played Tom Weals in Miles Tredinnick's farce It's Now or Never! at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch in 1994. Also starred other stage plays such as "Willie Rough" by Bill Bryden, "The Red Runner" by Billy Connolly, and various other plays by Alyn Aykbourne, Shaw and Shakespeare.

In the 1980s, he co-founded the charity football team Dukla Pumpherston. Other football-related work included regular appearances on the television and stage versions of the satirical series Only an Excuse? during the 1990s alongside Jonathan Watson.

Roper has also written Paddies, a conceptual sequel to The Steamie set in Glasgow's "Paddies Market" (Paddy's Market[4]), and two novels based on Rikki Fulton's character Rev. I. M. Jolly. In 2004-2005 he co-wrote and starred as Rikki Fulton in Rikki and Me, a play about the comedy actor Rikki Fulton, which is available on DVD, and appeared as Merv in the 2005 Scottish film, On a Clear Day.

Other activities

Roper is a lifelong supporter of Celtic F.C. He presented the club' s VHS/DVD The Treble in celebration of Celtic's 2000–01 treble-winning season, and Hoops we did it again in 2001–2002. In 2008, he wrote and directed the hit play The Celts in Seville which played at the Pavilion Theatre (Glasgow) in 2008 and 2014.[5][6]

Personal life

Roper and his wife Isobel live in Glasgow.

He was awarded an honorary degree by Abertay University in 2008.[7]

In April 2013, Roper received treatment for prostate cancer.[8] He was given the all-clear.[2]

His autobiography I'll No Tell You Again was published in 2014.[1] The foreword was written by his friend, Billy Connolly.[9]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1973The Wicker ManPostman
2005On a Clear DayMerv the Perv
Television
Date Title Role Notes
2 February 1988The Play on One [10]BruceEpisode: "Normal Service"
1 April 1989The Play on One [11]GordonEpisode: "Biting the Hands"

References
  1. I'll No Tell You Again: My Autobiography (Chapter 9), Tony Roper; Black & White Publishing, 2014; ISBN 9781845028954
  2. "Legendary Scots actor Tony Roper: I only faced up to cancer after rocket from wife". Daily Record. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  3. "In conversation: Tony Roper". Mearns Leader. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/history/paddys-market-closed-11-years-13039701
  5. McGuire, Joe (2 April 2012). "Tony Roper: Even Rangers fans will enjoy Celts in Seville.. because Celtic get beat". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  6. Barrie, Douglas (19 March 2014). "The Celts in Seville cast remember 2003 ahead of show's return". STV Glasgow. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. https://www.abertay.ac.uk/life/alumni-and-supporters/honorary-graduates/tony-roper
  8. "Cancer op for Rab C star Tony Roper". Evening Times. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  9. "Scotland Tonight: Spotlight on the career of comic actor Tony Roper". STV. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  10. BBC – Radio Times – The Play on One: Normal Service
  11. BBC – Radio Times – The Play on One: Biting the Hands
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