Gerard Kelly

Scottish actor (1959-2010)

Gerard Kelly
Born	Paul Kelly^[1] (1959-05-27)27 May 1959 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	28 October 2010(2010-10-28) (aged 51)
Other names	Gerry Kelly^[1]
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1971–2010

Gerard Kelly (born Paul Kelly; 27 May 1959 – 28 October 2010) was a Scottish actor who appeared in many comedies, including City Lights, Rab C Nesbitt, Scotch and Wry and Extras. He had more serious roles as well, including PC David Gallagher in Juliet Bravo (1981), the villainous Jimmy in EastEnders (1994) and the villainous Callum Finnegan in Brookside (1997–2000).

Career

Kelly had a small part in the critically acclaimed film Comic Strip Presents... Mr Jolly Lives Next Door (1987) and as the music video director in More Bad News (1987). In 1983 Kelly was featured in "Killer", the pilot episode of the crime drama series Taggart.^[2]

In 2005 and 2007 he appeared in the Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant comedy series Extras as Ian "Bunny" Bunton.^[3]

From 2007 to 2010 he appeared regularly as Father Henderson, a camp Doctor Who-loving priest, in the award-winning BBC Radio 4 comedy Fags, Mags and Bags. In 2011, after Kelly's death, reference was made in the series to Father Henderson's move to another parish and to the fact that the new priest can never replace him.^[3]

Stage performances

In 1994 Kelly played Felix Ungar in a Scottish touring production of The Odd Couple, relocated to modern-day Glasgow, alongside Craig Ferguson as Oscar Madison. Kelly reprised the role at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2002, this time opposite his former City Lights co-star Andy Gray.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006 and 2007 Kelly directed and starred in a Scottish play, Rikki and Me, celebrating the life of the comedian Rikki Fulton, in which he played the role of Jack Milroy.^[4]

Kelly played the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show in Edinburgh and Aberdeen from 21 June to 3 July 2010. He was due to revive this performance for one week at the King's Theatre, Glasgow, from 8 to 13 November 2010.^[5]

Kelly was well known for his appearances in pantomime at the King's Theatre. He headlined the show for 20 years and was crowned King of Panto. In 2008 he appeared in Cinderella,^[6] and the following year (2009/2010) he starred in Aladdin, his last pantomime.^{[citation needed]}

Death and tribute

Kelly was due to star in the 2010/2011 King's Theatre production of Snow White in Glasgow, but died on 28 October 2010 at the West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth,^[7]^[8] after collapsing with a brain aneurysm.^[9] His funeral service took place in Glasgow on 12 November.^[10]

On New Year's Eve 2010, BBC1 Scotland broadcast an hour-long tribute, Gerard Kelly: A Celebration.^[11] In 2013, the King's Theatre, Glasgow unveiled a bronze sculpture in tribute to Kelly.^[12]

Kelly never married or had children and left his entire £145,000 estate to a friend of 18 years, English actor Terry Kiely.^[13]

References

^ ^a ^b Brian Beacom (30 October 2010). "Gerard Kelly; actor". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "Take Five | STV entertainment". Entertainment.stv.tv. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ ^a ^b Mark Fisher (2 November 2010). "Gerard Kelly obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "Actor Gerard Kelly dies after sudden illness". News.stv.tv. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "The Rocky Horror Show | UK Tour". Rockyhorror.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "Panto stars show off Cinderella in a Glasgow shop window". Video.stv.tv. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "Actor Gerard Kelly dies after collapse". The Independent. London, England. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
^ "Isleworth star of TV and stage Gerard Kelly dies". getwestlondon. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
^ "Scottish actor Gerard Kelly dies aged 51". BBC News. London, England. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
^ "Hundreds turn out for Glasgow funeral of Gerard Kelly". BBC News. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ "BBC One - Gerard Kelly: A Celebration". BBC. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ Miller, Phil (21 May 2013). "In bronze: theatre to unveil tribute to Gerard Kelly in his Doc Martens". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
^ Duffy, Judith (28 February 2011). "Young actor is left £145,000 by tragic Gerard". Daily Express.