The Real Stanley Baxter. We need you! He died aged just 26 and Stanley was heartbroken. View more posts, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), It was 20 years ago todayish. The Citz was a heterosexual theatre company. She may have worshipped Stanley but she never got herself worked up if her husbands white shirts were dry in the morning or not. The spotlight was his. I don't want to be involved in this kind of world'. I began to be scared someone else would do better than me on stage, and my mother would clatter me.'. Still smiling, though. You can tell Ive talked to the press before, cant you? Exasperated, his ITV television bosses told him they could no longer afford his extravaganzas. But it worried me: was it right to doorstep a man who had worked so hard all his life to keep the private roped off from the public? moira robertson baxter And so, Robertson & Baxter was formed. Baxter appeared alongside Jimmy Logan and Rikki Fulton in extravagantly-produced shows with Ziegfeld-scale sets and dancing girls, but also made his first BBC television appearance in 1951. But over the years, Moiras mental health issues worsened. 'I liked her,' Baxter says. But just weeks later he realised he had boarded a runaway train. It was so long ago, the production team was disbanded straight after the last show, and theres nobody left here who worked on it. She visited the LWT studios while her husband's show was recording, and danced in the lobby when she was not allowed onto the stage. He later recalled trying to use his scripts to hide hands encrusted with coal dust, an early indication of the self- consciousness that was to become as ingrained as the coal.Invalided out of the mines with an ear problem, Baxter joined the left- wing Unity Theatre in Glasgow. After all, the pair had spent endless hours discussing sexuality, preferences and honesty. He had indeed dreamed of being a professional actor since appearing on stage as a seven-year-old at local talent contests. but not to publish it. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Filmed and edited Weekly Storytime's (ext.) They would meet for lunch every day. The owners of the park you live in may say it is an RV park. In this remarkable new authorised biography, which Stanley originally refused to have published before his death for fear of being judged journalist Brian Beacom reveals the secrecy and sadness that have haunted the entertainer all his life. Brian Beacom 2020. This is it, I thought, suddenly breathless. 30+ "Moira Robertson" profiles | LinkedIn He suggested I contact Mentorn Films, who were recording new links for the show. His last was Mother Goose, at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow, in 1991. If it doesn't work out, you just get divorced and you move on. And my father replied with a very heavy voice, No, it's not as easy as that., The following Monday, the Scottish Daily Express wrote of the 'quiet' wedding. As his mother Bessie, a blacksmith's daughter, accompanied him on the piano, the boy belted out saucy music hall numbers with titles such as I'm One Of The Lads Of Valencia: 'You can't beat a Spaniard for kissing, Oh ladies, just think what you're missing!' This was the defining moment of Stanleys life. And then he met Moira, this soft-spoken chic young woman with the Bette Davis eyes. It was all good, clean, pre-Carry On fun. ', Stanley was terrified. Positions of Responsibility - Santa Sabina College He was happy to talk about the Scottish approach to pantomime, with its emphasis on storyline and tradition, but declined to talk about Baxter as a person. Bringing the very best to his latest film role, Crooks Anonymous, starring alongside Julie Christie and Leslie Philips. Jun 2021 - Jan 20228 months. She danced too in the gardens in Highgate Village, naked. The relationship made a sort of sense, says Stanley. This is no mean achievement. I told her my preference and said, Thats why I am breaking off the relationship. And we never really discovered who he was, other than a brilliant character actor and impersonator; as the rules of celebrity changed, he simply refused to play by them. moira robertson baxter. The most outrageously funny man on British television 50 years ago was Stanley Baxter. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. In terms of countries? . Stanley managed to survive the threat to his career just and Moira, as expected stood by her man. The last panto was in 1991, wasnt it? Used Buffer and WordPress to advertise programming. Hes not there anyway. He was the lead in one play before going off to serve with the Royal Army Service Corps in the Far East, where he was recruited for the Combined Services Entertainment unit, a drag- and-greasepaint outfit straight out of It Aint Half Hot Mum. Archived - Perth Tango Embrace This was Angus Lennie, once the chef in Crossroads. There was, it seemed, no prospect of an interview. Very boring!' 'I admired how fashionable she looked. Moira Robertson - Stellenbosch Chiropractic He is an intelligent guy, and he likes to know who hes talking to. Add new skills with these courses Word: Mail Merge in Depth Cert Prep: Word Associate - Microsoft Office Specialist for Office 2019 . He says: Did she carry some hope that I would get off the plane, rush round and save her again? Nigel Dempsters often there, and so are Stanley Baxter and Terry Stamp. Perhaps that is why hardly anyone noticed when, after 1985, he left the television spotlight altogether, just as the glare was getting hotter. And why shouldn't he? His agent advised him to engage the celebrity barrister David Jacobs, who had recently won a libel case for Liberace when a newspaper implied the flamboyant entertainer was gay. They werent interested in doing another take just because Stanley felt there was a whisker of it that wasnt right. My names Cole Moreton, from the Independent on Sunday. His act was so daring that he was probably the first TV comedian to impersonate the Queen. Obituaries | The Scotsman Could he look really old, like the man in the corner with cigarette ash all down his dark suit? A search through the IoS cuttings library unearthed a few mentions of Baxter, one of them an unexpected tribute from Andy Bell, lead singer with the pop group Erasure and another man given to wearing extravagant frocks. Too short-sighted for active Army service, he was afraid of being assigned to the merchant navy and the Atlantic convoys, but instead he was ordered to report to the coal pits, as a 'Bevin Boy' one of the conscripted mine workers. . I was utterly overwhelmed. The more I got to know of her I realised she was a lovely person, a woman of enormous heart.. I kept getting those sheeps eyes every time she passed me in the theatre and she appeared to be heartbroken. Baxter reveals he spent his entire career hiding his sexuality and discussed the impact it had on his relationship with his wife Moira Robertson, who died in 1997, I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think. Tragically, however, in 1997, the year Princess Diana died, Moira took her own life. He was educated at Hillhead High School in Glasgow which he described as 'built like a fever hospital for the far east' and that he was quite . Private passions are what we care about most, skeletons in the cupboard; but even knowing the colour of the upholstery will do. He directed shows himself, calling extra rehearsals if things were getting even a little sloppy mid-run, and coming down hard on anyone who attempted to ad lib. Baxter staged full-scale MGM musicals and played every role. He was left with a terror of being held up to public shame. And the new rules dont apply just to celebrities on the A-List: newsreaders and weather girls must also be prepared to have the minutiae of their lives subjected to close scrutiny, or at the very least have Loyd Grossman look through their keyholes. They were married for 46 years. So that was the answer: a recluse in the phone book. The critics loved it. Baxter began to turn work down not playing Captain Hook in a production of Peter Pan opposite Lulu, not appearing with Cannon and Ball at the Palladium. Once stardom had been achieved, he limited his television appearances and won an unusual amount of power over how they were made. And then my impulse to pick up the trail again received further encouragement, when, out of the blue, one of the many former associates of Baxter with whom I had placed calls finally decided to ring me back. In a 1963 entry, Williams described Baxter as disarming, honest, charming and hilariously funny all at once. Alec Guinness and John Gielgud had both been charged with Importuning. But there was no chance of a reconciliation. Sometimes it can blur ones sense of right and wrong. Brian Beacom For The Daily Mail, 'I don't find you funny either - but yet the whole world laughs at you': Sacha Baron Cohen responds to Trump's 'unfunny creep' jibe, Keeping them laughing until the end: Bobby Ball was still filming until weeks before his death aged 76 after positive Covid test, as co-star Lee Mack pays tribute to his 'hero' and devastated Tommy Cannon says: 'Rock on, my good friend'. View the profiles of people named Moira Robertson. We became close, without it ever being more than friendship.'. Identifying clients needs and developing solutions for both existing and new to Bank clients. How could it happen? I believed that no-one in our family should be anything but a star.. Award-winning interviewer, writer and broadcaster. Rather than resolve the issue, I let it slip. Just to be with. He met Moira daily for lunch. Hello, Mr Baxter. They included women, from Shirley Bassey to, later, the Princess of Wales, each precisely observed. And I said Well, it does worry me. His sketch shows were months in the making and the talk of the nation spectacular, controversial, unlike anything ever seen. They became lovers. In January 1962, he visited the public toilets in Madras Place, Holloway, hoping to pick up a man for casual sex. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? He loved the applause 'a hundred people shouting 'Bravo' and I'm beating the adults to the prizes'. 'There are many gay people these days who are fairly comfortable with their sexuality,' he says. He took his time. Her co-accused Helen Wright, 67, was also caught with drugs while police raided the . Managing a portfolio of SME clients across a range of sectors and complexities. His relationship with Marcus deepened and continued until the younger man died of lung cancer four years ago, though the two never lived together. Yes, was the terse reply. A lot of people are interested in this. . When he stopped doing TV spectaculars, we were told that everybody had an eye on the clock because the clock meant money. I had felt the relationship simply had to stop, so I broke it off. / moira robertson baxter. . Tayside & Stirling. ' Friends suddenly shunned him, fearful of guilt by association. PDF ASIC Home | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission Is there any likelihood of that happening? Add a New Bio. Baxter's wife Moira was troubled by mental illness. Ive been in audiences where women in their sixties would sit there and say, with absolute envy: Ooh, look at them legs. Her favourite memory is of one entrance in full rig, with craggy face underneath what looked like a mound of candyfloss. She was in love with him and Baxter believed he was falling in love with her. But Andy Young, who considers himself a close friend of the couple, insisted that they still lived together. This wasnt unrestrained hyperbole. For good. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. And after nearly a year of thinking about this man, after all the work I had done to find him, I had absolutely no idea what to say. Eccentric. Helen Wright, 67, and Moira Robertson, 65, were also snared with 51,000 in cash at a . ng bi lc Thng Mt 19, 2023. Stanley knew he was gay. Baxter recalls how he would be allowed by his wife to bring men home, at a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. The STANDS4 Network. Like his previous TV specials, it was a delirious collection of sketches and set-pieces featuring Baxter in character (his meticulously observed parodies of women like Shirley Bassey and Marlene Dietrich were a trademark), complete with spectacular sets and breathtaking changes of costume and make-up. But of course I should have been stronger. 'She guessed wrongly what being with a gay man entailed.'. Television doesnt work like that: budgets and budgets. Young was cagey, preferring to ring Baxter before he would talk to me. And it worked. So funny that hes disappeared. Stanley Baxter, 94, comes out as gay and says he brought men home with He said lots of theatrical things about how marvellous it had been to work with Baxter, with whom he still corresponded from time to time. Stanley Baxter. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. One diary entry, for March 1954, described Baxter as suspicious and ungenerous and said that being with him was like sitting on an oven. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's 'I was going to top myself,' he says. But more than that, he feared his fiercely ambitious mother. Other cuttings described him as practically a recluse. . After all, he was only a comedian, not a criminal or a crooked politician. Moira Robertson - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Suddenly, she raced to the front window of their second storey flat, opened it and climbed out onto the window ledge, yelling, If I can't have you then I won't settle for anyone else! Actor Stanley Baxter comes out at 94 but 'isn't comfortable - Metro STANLEY BAXTER - Aangirfan Despite his success, he had, in fact, always had a certain invisibility. What had happened to Stanley Baxter? . What it did entail was years of loneliness, beginning on their honeymoon night. And she never knew of the window ledge incident. But Stanley, and Moiras family, coaxed her to take medication. Scots who never visit a theatre for the rest of the year still find their way to the panto, where the scenarios and jokes have the familiarity of ritual. Its simple and has the few things I need warmth, decent light for reading, a gramophone and a TV if I wish to view. Bingo! . The Real Stanley Baxter by Brian Beacom is published by Luath Press Ltd, 20. It was real weakness on my part.. A wee'un would surely have grown up with problems and taken drugs.'. His heart raced as he rushed towards her and pulled her back. His pantos became legendary. Stanley Baxter and Moira Robertson were married for more than 45 years. I dont think I could go on then. Theres a great move afoot for them to be repeated, to have a compilation made of them for the States and Canada, and all that, but thats still being worked on. Anyway, here it is: a piece from a time before the internet or ubiquitous mobiles, when the celebrity age was just beginning but you still had to go to the library to look at the electoral register. By the age of 14 when he became radio star he knew where his destiny lay. It was absolutely selfish. Yes I did, and I spoke to you through my agent. Instead of gaining the confidence to join them, he shied away, repelled by the high camp 'all chiffon hankies and make-up and flouncing about. ', This year, he changed his mind. If there was one place where he could still feel at home, it was the world of Scottish pantomime. You know, the same sort of thing as Kenneth Williams. Shall we say affinity, I asked? Her husband's career blossomed, with a series of cinema roles that led to star billing in films such as The Fast Lady. Supported creation and implementation of TD Summer Reading and StoryWalk program. Choosing to eliminate the obvious first, I checked the phone book. He never appeared as himself. Er, or something like it. If I wanted a closer look at him it would have to be on my television on 4 January. Yes. The origins of the company stretch back to the mid-nineteenth century, when William Robertson founded the Robertson & Baxter company in Glasgow. But immediately afterwards she was so sorry.'. Carrying a plastic shopping bag. He took her passport, to prevent her from trying to follow him. We are lucky at The Herald. Instead, he withdrew from the showbiz world. by | Jan 25, 2023 | when do pecan trees lose their leaves | congestion worse after sinus rinse | Jan 25, 2023 | when do pecan trees lose their leaves | congestion worse after sinus rinse Hes having a holiday with his wife, Moira. Anybody who has acquired that kind of carapace is not going to come on like John Inman, rushing out of a closet, shouting, Im free! They have prided themselves on conducting their life with dignity.. but a Yorkshire accent. It was a dark day. A nice, professional no. The tracks had long been covered by this time last year, when Ian Jack, then editor of the Independent on Sunday and (being a Scot) a Stanley Baxter fan, issued his decree. I never wanted to be gay. Faye has joined us as receptionist and front of house expert on a maternity . Well see what happens. Chic, with hooded eyes, Moira could have been Bette Davis's younger sister. Yes. When he called her from the airport, on his return to the UK several weeks later, she didn't answer. Should he push aside the attention of this attractive, classy young woman? It looked right. And she was very good about letting them go to bed with me. Meanwhile, if you think about it, if you changed out of your pyjamas if you wear any into your clothes, then got to the theatre and for the rest of the afternoon you had 32 dress changes to make, then you go out for a cup of tea and change again, then you do 32 in the evening. Everythings being raked around in here ready for Christmas. But Stanley couldnt contain his sexual frustrations. And by the time the then-teenager landed a place in the entertainment corps during his National Service years, Stanley was convinced that acting was his destiny. He was working out in a gym and swimming several lengths of the RAC pool every day. Hanover Public Library. Which is not good, when youre in your sixties, is it? So: Mr White hadnt been having me on Baxter did live in London, then. Anyone would be insane to choose to live such a very difficult life.' You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . Look, do you mind? Kenneth asked Stanley what future he could expect if he married Moira Robertson. Stellenbosch Chiropractic founder, Moira Robertson, has been living and working as a Chiropractor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 2003 - 2015. And what does the master of disguise look like now? A tabloid, of course, would not be interested in the finer nuances of relationships, and one can understand why Baxter might have preferred to keep such matters to himself. One more try. It was all very selfish of me and a bit macho. Club gossip suggested that he preferred the bigger and busier squash changing- rooms to those by the poolside, and was a bit of a loner.) Just a couple of years later he landed a five-picture deal with Rank Films. Im not entirely sure who I am. Changing tack, I asked if Baxter had a fan club. A porter at the club confirmed that the comedian did swim in the pool most days. . People who knew you knew the shorthand and the jargon. Hes never done a chat show in his life. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Jacobs convinced the court that Baxter could not have been 'soliciting' when he was arrested because, apart from two policemen, there was no one else in the lavatories. They all wanted him: Aspel, Parkinson. February 27, 2023 . moira robertson baxter. He could sing, dance, deliver broad panto comedy and perform pinsharp impressions of any star, male or female. And that was that. Experiences in the Far East during his concert party stint confirmed to the Scot where his heart lay. She called him her Sonny Boy and, as his precocious talent emerged, had him perform at every family gathering. With his telephone number and address in my notebook, I could have rung Stanley Baxter or paid him a visit months ago, instead of waiting for an answer to my letter. Friday afternoon. But not a complete no: perhaps, hed said, perhaps yours will be the one. 21:19 EST 30 Oct 2020 He soon gave up any pretence of being faithful, or heterosexual. Brian Beacom For The Daily Mail After switching to ITV with the promise of a colossal budget for The Stanley Baxter Picture Show, he met a 28-year-old German accountant named Marcus. How would I know what he looked like? He told Kenneth Williams as much. Anybody who survived the Fifties is very adept at covering their trail, she said. Just when it was looking hopeless, I discovered a quote from Don Black, the lyricist of Sunset Boulevard, about keeping himself fit at the RAC Club: I take a Turkish bath at the club every Saturday. He is completely woven into the Scottish psyche, says Mary Brennan, a critic for the Herald. 139 Stanley Baxter Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images They procrastinated for several weeks, then passed me on to Channel 4s press office. Stanley Baxter. He stood facing the audience for a moment and then said, in a vampish voice: I call this my hand grenade dress. I didn't want to know, but gradually I was falling in love.'. moira robertson baxter. In fact, Mum showed her disapproval of Moira right from the start., Stanley agrees. Not to the Press. After a meal with Baxter in October 1969, Williams wrote: At one point when I said to S. I sometimes feel I am so useless I just want to die. He says now that he'd known for years that he found men more attractive than women, because at the Saturday morning cinema club he could not take his eyes off the half-naked Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan, rather than Maureen O'Sullivan's Jane. And he said dismissively, 'Oh yes, I've had all my friends'.'. It had been run over in the street. Home; Uncategorized; moira robertson baxter; Posted on January 19, 2023; By . Drug dealing Glasgow granny could be forced to fork over 45k after 'If you can sing, dance, play a musical instrument or whatever,' the announcement read, 'please apply'. 'It was partly a feeling of, 'I'll show them,' he admits. He lived in dread of being exposed in the press as a gay man. 'It was real weakness on my part,' he says now. Cataract Types, Causes, Symptoms and Risk Factors - DLEI . He had recorded a radio version of Compton Mackenzies book, Whisky Galore! It was the one and only time she had ever reacted in this way. Stanley was bringing the values of a different time and place into a world that had changed.