Tributes to comedian Stanley Baxter after death aged 99

BBC

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. "

Actor and writer Forbes Masson spoke of Baxter's influence on his own work with Alan Cumming, including their stage alter-egos Victor and Barry, as well as Steve and Sebastian, the camp cabin crew from sitcom The High Life.

"You just thought he was going to go on forever and ever and ever. He's been such a kind of stalwart, certainly of my experiences of comedy when I was a young boy," he said.

"These things were really formative to what I ended up wanting to do myself. That sort of very Scottish camp, which is quite unique, and I think in a way Alan and I as Victor and Barry were definitely, definitely inspired by Stanley.

"But he was also a really amazing actor as well."

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.

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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.