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{{short description|Scottish actor}}
{{Short description|Scottish actor (1905–1967)}}
{{distinguish|Duncan McRae (actor)}}
{{distinguish|Duncan McRae (actor)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
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| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|3|23|1905|8|20|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|3|23|1905|8|20|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| death_place = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| nationality = [[Scotland|Scottish]]
| occupation = Actor
| occupation = Actor
| years active =
| years active =
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He was born at 118 Kirkland Street, [[Maryhill]], [[Glasgow]], the fourth of the six children of James Macrae, a sergeant in the Glasgow police force, and his wife, Catherine Graham.<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|id=55966|title=Macrae, (John) Duncan Graham (1905–1967)}}</ref> He attended [[Allan Glen's School]] and matriculated in the engineering faculty at [[University of Glasgow|Glasgow University]] in 1923–1924, but did not graduate. He trained as a schoolteacher at Jordanhill College, where he met Ann H Mcallister, the voice coach, who was a profound influence on his life. He taught in Glasgow until he became a professional actor in 1943, after a successful amateur drama career.
He was born at 118 Kirkland Street, [[Maryhill]], [[Glasgow]], the fourth of the six children of James Macrae, a sergeant in the Glasgow police force, and his wife, Catherine Graham.<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|id=55966|title=Macrae, (John) Duncan Graham (1905–1967)}}</ref> He attended [[Allan Glen's School]] and matriculated in the engineering faculty at [[University of Glasgow|Glasgow University]] in 1923–1924, but did not graduate. He trained as a schoolteacher at Jordanhill College, where he met Ann H Mcallister, the voice coach, who was a profound influence on his life. He taught in Glasgow until he became a professional actor in 1943, after a successful amateur drama career.


He first made his name as a comic actor of distinction with [[Curtain Theatre (Glasgow)|Curtain Theatre]] in 1937, in the title role of [[Robert McLellan]]'s ''[[Jamie the Saxt]]'', a performance which became his "signature" role in the early years. He was then a member, along with [[Stanley Baxter]], of the early [[Citizens' Theatre]] company in Glasgow,<ref name="Stevens">{{cite book
He first made his name as a comic actor of distinction with [[Curtain Theatre (Glasgow)|Curtain Theatre]], an amateur group, in 1937, in the title role of [[Robert McLellan]]'s ''[[Jamie the Saxt]]'', a performance which became his "signature" role in the early years. In 1938, he directed Curtain's production of [[Henrik Ibsen]]'s ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' at the Lyric Theatre in Glasgow.<ref>Archibald, David, "History in Contemporary Scottish Theatre", in Brown, Iain (ed.) (2011), ''The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Drama'', [[Edinburgh University Press]], p. 97, {{isbn|978-0-7486-4108-6}}</ref> He was then a member, along with [[Stanley Baxter]], of the early [[Citizens' Theatre]] company in Glasgow,<ref name="Stevens">{{cite book
|last= Stevens
|last= Stevens
|first= Christopher
|first= Christopher
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|isbn = 1-84854-195-3
|isbn = 1-84854-195-3
|page=386
|page=386
}}<!--|accessdate=12 June 2012--></ref> founded during the war in [[1943]]. In 1948, he played Oliphant, the Laird of Stumpie, in the first performance of [[Robert Kemp (playwright)|Robert Kemp]]'s ''Let Wives Tak Tent'', a translation into [[Scots language|Scots]] of [[Molière]]'s ''[[L'école des femmes]]'', at the [[Gateway Theatre (Edinburgh)|Gateway Theatre]] in Edinburgh.<ref>Kemp, Robert (1965), "The First Seven Years", in ''The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company, 1953 - 1965'', St. Giles Press, Edinburgh</ref>
}}<!--|accessdate=12 June 2012--></ref> founded during the war in [[1943]].


He had a role in the 1949 [[Ealing comedy]] ''[[Whisky Galore! (1949 film)|Whisky Galore!]]'', based on the book by Sir [[Compton Mackenzie]], and, in the first TV series adapted from stories about ''[[Para Handy – Master Mariner]]'', [[Neil Munro (Hugh Foulis)|Neil Munro]]'s masterpiece of west coast "high jinks", Macrae played [[Para Handy|the eponymous Captain]]. He lived in Glasgow and also had a home in [[Millport, Isle of Cumbrae|Millport]] on the island of [[Great Cumbrae|Cumbrae]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74763742| title=Millport.(Town of the Week)| author=Scottish Daily Record| accessdate=10 December 2005}}</ref> In 1953 he starred alongside [[Jean Anderson]] in the role of James MacKenzie, an embittered settler in the drama ''[[The Kidnappers]]'' for which he received a Scottish Arts Council award. One of the film's most memorable moments comes with the horror on Duncan Macrae's face at what his grandchild must have thought of him when the little boy implores "Don't eat the babbie".
He had a role in the 1949 [[Ealing comedy]] ''[[Whisky Galore! (1949 film)|Whisky Galore!]]'', based on the book by Sir [[Compton Mackenzie]], and, in the first TV series adapted from stories about ''Para Handy – Master Mariner'', [[Neil Munro (Hugh Foulis)|Neil Munro]]'s masterpiece of west coast "high jinks", Macrae played [[Para Handy|the eponymous Captain]]. He lived in Glasgow and also had a home in [[Millport, Isle of Cumbrae|Millport]] on the island of [[Great Cumbrae|Cumbrae]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74763742| title=Millport.(Town of the Week)| author=Scottish Daily Record| accessdate=10 December 2005}}</ref> In 1953 he starred alongside [[Jean Anderson]] in the role of James MacKenzie, an embittered settler in the drama ''[[The Kidnappers]]'' for which he received a Scottish Arts Council award. One of the film's most memorable moments comes with the horror on Duncan Macrae's face at what his grandchild must have thought of him when the little boy implores "Don't eat the babbie".

Macrae played the Nabob in the Edinburgh Gateway Company's [[Edinburgh International Festival]] production of McLellan's historical comedy ''The Flouers o Edinburgh'' in August 1957. He then played the title role in [[James Bridie]]'s ''Dr. Angelus'' at The Gateway before returning to the Citizens' to play [[Malvolio]] in [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Twelfth Night]]''.<ref>Elder, Michael (2003), ''What do You do During the Day?'', Eldon Productions, pp. 122 & 123, {{isbn|9-780954-556808}}</ref> He also played the lead role in ''The Sow's Lug'', a radio play written and produced by the Hawick poet and writer David Hill.<ref>Purvis, Colin, "The Biography of the Hawick Poet, David Hill", in Bryan, Tom (ed.), ''The Eildon Tree'', Issue 3: Spring 2000, [[Scottish Borders Council]], pp. 49 & 50.</ref>


During the 1960s he appeared in episodes of the cult TV series ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' and ''[[The Prisoner]]'', as well as [[List of James Bond allies|Inspector Mathis]] in the [[List of James Bond films|James Bond]] spoof ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]''.<ref name="Stevens"/>
During the 1960s he appeared in episodes of the cult TV series ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' and ''[[The Prisoner]]'', as well as [[List of James Bond allies|Inspector Mathis]] in the [[List of James Bond films|James Bond]] spoof ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]''.<ref name="Stevens"/>
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Macrae died in March 1967, in Glasgow, before the release of several screen appearances: in the films ''Casino Royale'', and ''30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'', and in the television series ''The Wednesday Play'' and ''The Prisoner''.
Macrae died in March 1967, in Glasgow, before the release of several screen appearances: in the films ''Casino Royale'', and ''30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'', and in the television series ''The Wednesday Play'' and ''The Prisoner''.

==Theatre==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Company
! Director
! Notes
|-
| 1948 || ''[[Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites]]'' || Flatterie || [[Citizens Theatre|The Glasgow Citizens' Theatre]] || [[Tyrone Guthrie]], [[Moultrie Kelsall]] || play by [[David Lyndsay|Sir David Lyndsay]], adapted by [[Robert Kemp (playwright)|Robert Kemp]]
|-
| 1948 || ''Let Wives Tak Tent'' || Oliphant || Gateway Theatre Company, Edinburgh || || play by Molière, translated into Scots by Robert Kemp
|-
| 1957 || ''The Flouers o Edinburgh'' ||The Nabob || Gateway Theatre Company, Edinburgh || || play by Robert McLellan
|}


==Selected filmography==
==Selected filmography==
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[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:Theatre in Scotland]]
[[Category:Male actors from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Male actors from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Scottish male film actors]]
[[Category:Scottish male film actors]]
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[[Category:Scottish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Scottish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Scottish male comedians]]
[[Category:Scottish male comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from Glasgow]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish male actors]]
[[Category:People from Maryhill]]
[[Category:People from Maryhill]]

Latest revision as of 21:53, 29 June 2024

Not to be confused with Duncan McRae (actor).

Duncan Macrae
Macrae in Casino Royale (1967)
Born
John Ducan Macrae

(1905-08-20)20 August 1905
Maryhill, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died23 March 1967(1967-03-23) (aged 61)
Glasgow, Scotland
NationalityScottish
OccupationActor

John Duncan Macrae (20 August 1905 – 23 March 1967) was one of the leading Scottish actors of his generation. He worked mainly as a stage actor and also made five television appearances and seventeen films.

Life and career

[edit]

He was born at 118 Kirkland Street, Maryhill, Glasgow, the fourth of the six children of James Macrae, a sergeant in the Glasgow police force, and his wife, Catherine Graham.[1] He attended Allan Glen's School and matriculated in the engineering faculty at Glasgow University in 1923–1924, but did not graduate. He trained as a schoolteacher at Jordanhill College, where he met Ann H Mcallister, the voice coach, who was a profound influence on his life. He taught in Glasgow until he became a professional actor in 1943, after a successful amateur drama career.

He first made his name as a comic actor of distinction with Curtain Theatre, an amateur group, in 1937, in the title role of Robert McLellan's Jamie the Saxt, a performance which became his "signature" role in the early years. In 1938, he directed Curtain's production of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Lyric Theatre in Glasgow.[2] He was then a member, along with Stanley Baxter, of the early Citizens' Theatre company in Glasgow,[3] founded during the war in 1943. In 1948, he played Oliphant, the Laird of Stumpie, in the first performance of Robert Kemp's Let Wives Tak Tent, a translation into Scots of Molière's L'école des femmes, at the Gateway Theatre in Edinburgh.[4]

He had a role in the 1949 Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!, based on the book by Sir Compton Mackenzie, and, in the first TV series adapted from stories about Para Handy – Master Mariner, Neil Munro's masterpiece of west coast "high jinks", Macrae played the eponymous Captain. He lived in Glasgow and also had a home in Millport on the island of Cumbrae.[5] In 1953 he starred alongside Jean Anderson in the role of James MacKenzie, an embittered settler in the drama The Kidnappers for which he received a Scottish Arts Council award. One of the film's most memorable moments comes with the horror on Duncan Macrae's face at what his grandchild must have thought of him when the little boy implores "Don't eat the babbie".

Macrae played the Nabob in the Edinburgh Gateway Company's Edinburgh International Festival production of McLellan's historical comedy The Flouers o Edinburgh in August 1957. He then played the title role in James Bridie's Dr. Angelus at The Gateway before returning to the Citizens' to play Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.[6] He also played the lead role in The Sow's Lug, a radio play written and produced by the Hawick poet and writer David Hill.[7]

During the 1960s he appeared in episodes of the cult TV series The Avengers and The Prisoner, as well as Inspector Mathis in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale.[3]

Macrae became a mainstay of television Hogmanay celebrations in the 1950s and 1960s with a rendition of his song (in Glaswegian Scots), "The Wee Cock Sparra".

Macrae died in March 1967, in Glasgow, before the release of several screen appearances: in the films Casino Royale, and 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia, and in the television series The Wednesday Play and The Prisoner.

Theatre

[edit]
Year Title Role Company Director Notes
1948 Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites Flatterie The Glasgow Citizens' Theatre Tyrone Guthrie, Moultrie Kelsall play by Sir David Lyndsay, adapted by Robert Kemp
1948 Let Wives Tak Tent Oliphant Gateway Theatre Company, Edinburgh play by Molière, translated into Scots by Robert Kemp
1957 The Flouers o Edinburgh The Nabob Gateway Theatre Company, Edinburgh play by Robert McLellan

Selected filmography

[edit]

Television

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Macrae, (John) Duncan Graham (1905–1967)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/55966. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Archibald, David, "History in Contemporary Scottish Theatre", in Brown, Iain (ed.) (2011), The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Drama, Edinburgh University Press, p. 97, ISBN 978-0-7486-4108-6
  3. ^ a b Stevens, Christopher (2010). Born Brilliant: The Life of Kenneth Williams. John Murray. p. 386. ISBN 1-84854-195-3.
  4. ^ Kemp, Robert (1965), "The First Seven Years", in The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company, 1953 - 1965, St. Giles Press, Edinburgh
  5. ^ Scottish Daily Record. "Millport.(Town of the Week)". Retrieved 10 December 2005.
  6. ^ Elder, Michael (2003), What do You do During the Day?, Eldon Productions, pp. 122 & 123, ISBN 9-780954-556808
  7. ^ Purvis, Colin, "The Biography of the Hawick Poet, David Hill", in Bryan, Tom (ed.), The Eildon Tree, Issue 3: Spring 2000, Scottish Borders Council, pp. 49 & 50.
[edit]
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