Just Daft In Scotland, The Chic Murray Story
Just Daft: The Chic Murray Story. Alternative humour had not been heard of when Chic Murray, a comic Colossus, bestrode the stage. His style was utterly original. He was unique, a ‘one-off’, a comedic pioneer ranked in the highest echelons of his art in the last century. And he turned the Celtic tradition of story-telling into an art form, a hybrid Salvador Dali of humour on stage. His oblique, often perverse look at life was underpinned by a stunning sense of timing which likely originated from his accomplished, but little known, musicianship. Chic became a cult figure and he remains so, far beyond the confines of his homeland. Not long before his death, Chic memorably portrayed Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly in You’ll Never Walk Alone. It received rave reviews, not surprisingly, because this was a living legend representing another in his lifetime.
Just Daft is the story of one of Scotland’s greatest comedians, from his birth in Greenock in 1919, charting his rise through his amateur beginnings in the 1930s, all the way to his 1956 performance in the Royal Variety Show at the London Palladium and his appearances in films such as Casino Royale (1967), Gregory’s Girl (1980) and You’ll Never Walk Alone (1984). Just Daft: The Chic Murray Story
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Chic Murray Scottish comedian 1956.
Chic Murray - 16 Inch Canvas Print (40cm) by MirrorPrintStore
Gregory's
Girl (1981) [1980] There is something so utterly captivating
about this Bill Forsyth film, whether it's the quaintly authentic
Scottish accents or the wholly universal story of young love.
But what really gives Gregory's Girl its evergreen appeal is
the enchanting performance of young Gordon John Sinclair as
the eponymous gangly lead. With his shock of red hair, he's
all arms and legs and inexperience. Gregory becomes infatuated
with Dorothy, who proves a heartier and better athlete than
he is. Gregory's so clueless, he relies on advice from his wee
sister. The won best screenplay at the British Academy Awards.
Scottish comedian Chic Murray with his wife and comedy partner Maidi Murray. Their double act was billed as The Tall Droll with the Small Doll September 1956.
Chic Murray - Framed 20x16 Print (51x40cm) by MirrorPrintStore
The Best Way to Walk. The Chic Murray Story. Seldom has the phrase 'Gone but not forgotten' been so apt as in the case of the extraordinary Chic Murray, who, since his death in 1985, has remained one of the most impersonated comedians in the world. Murray developed his own inimitable style, basing it on his natural sense of surrealism and a gift for storytelling. There were jokes along the way, but most of the stories he told were gentle meanders through life. Putting one foot in front of the other, Chic reckoned, was "The Best Way to Walk". Andrew Yule's absorbing biography is an uproarious journey through Murray's career. From humble origins in Greenock, he made his professional debut in the 1940s as part of a double act with his wife, Maidie Dickson, and they toured the length and breadth of Scotland as the "The Tall Droll with the Small Doll".The pair reached their career pinnacle in the '50s, appearing in London's West End and being invited to take part in the Royal Variety Performance. Murray's career entered a new phase in the 1980s with a film role in Gregory's "Girl", triumph on stage in "You'll Never Walk Alone" and film offers from luminaries such as Francis Ford Coppola and Sam Fuller. In "The Best Way to Walk", the author does not flinch from detailing Chic's 'imp of the perverse', which led to his marriage break-up and a solo career that had many false starts. Set against the colourful background of old-time music hall and top international showbiz venues, it is an enthralling celebration of a truly unique, original spirit constantly in the process of re-inventing himself. The Best Way to Walk: The Chic Murray Story
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