Web Page 3022
30th November 2022
Molly Weir
First Picture: Publicity Photo
Third Picture: 1955 photo
Forth Picture: Flash
Advert.
Molly Weir was a well known Scottish actress who was born Mary Weir in
1910 in Glasgow but was known as Molly. She appeared as the character Hazel
the McWitch in the BBC TV series Rentaghost. She was also the sister of
naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir. She began working in amateur dramatics
and her early professional career progressd as she became a well-known radio
actress, featuring in many comedy shows. She was one of the original cast
members of The McFlannels. Her original part, in 1939, as 'Mrs McLeather', was
quietly dropped and, later, to her delight, she became the wee Glesca keelie,
'Ivy McTweed', who made an enjoyable contrast to the wee douce 'Teenie' of
Down at the Mains, which she played at the same time. She wrote that the
series "became a great joy to me" and made her a real 'name' in Glasgow, and
in Scotland. The most famous radio series she appeared in was ITMA. In
relation to that show, the Labour MP for Coatbridge, Jean Mann, complained
about her character during a House of Commons debate in February 1947: “
greatest insult of all to Scotland is the introduction of a Scots girl to ITMA
who is supposed to be falling head over heels for a little 'twerp' called 'The
Governor'. No true Scotswoman would ever have looked at him twice. “ Her
greatest theatrical success came in the play The Happiest Days of Your Life.
She made her film debut in 1949, and had a regular role as the housekeeper,
Aggie McDonald, in the radio and television sitcom Life With The Lyons. During
the 1970s and early 1980s she became famous as a writer, with several volumes
of best-selling memoirs, notably, Shoes Were For Sunday. She also appeared in
a series of television advertisements for Flash the household cleaning agent.
In 1969, she appeared in the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie starring
Dame Maggie Smith. She and Helena Gloag played the Kerr sisters, the sewing
mistresses of Marcia Blaine School for Girls. In 1970 they reprised their
collaboration in the 1970 film Scrooge, playing old sisters in debt to Mr
Scrooge, played by Albert Finney. In the 1970s she was one of the presenters
of Teatime Tales, a television series broadcast by STV in which she recalled
her childhood. In the 1980s, she lampooned this homely image in the comedy
series Victoria Wood As Seen On TV and appeared in a pop video for The
Bluebells 1983 hit Young at Heart. She is also the subject of the 1988 song
Molly's Lips by The Vaselines, and later covered by Nirvana. After her death,
Molly Weir's ashes were scattered on the banks of Loch Lomond, a favourite
holiday location; and almost all her estate (of nearly £1.9 million), was
bequeathed to charities. She had married Sandy Hamilton in 1939. I met her
once at the revived Radio Radio show in Earls Court, London. This was a one
off event held in the mid 1970s. After watching an interview with Robert
Morley I wandered off to the Childrens Area where I listened to Molly Weir
telling a story . When she left the area she walked over to me, took me by the
arms and said walk with me to the Green Room, during that short walk I learnt
all about her life with her husband Scotty.
Stay in touch Peter
gsseditor@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment