The Stage

Stewart McLean

Published Friday 25 August 2006 at 15:35 by Gordon Irving

Stewart McLean was a business man, actor and competent pantomime manager at Edinburgh’s historic King’s Theatre, due to celebrate its 100th Christmas season in December.

Born on March 7, 1941, McLean enjoyed the respect of every performer, from stars Allan Stewart and Andy Gray, to front of house staff.

He was one of those versatile types to welcome in any team, be it setting up a business or attending to the idiosyncrasies and moods of artistic actor types.

He was good in two different business worlds - setting up and managing photo processing firms was one.

The other, probably more enticing, took him from Aberdeen to the south of England, to work with artists and stars in pantomime, drama, musicals and amateur dramatics.

In 1993, when he was 52, he went fully professional in theatreland.

As a company manager, McLean was much respected, as was proved at his funeral when Sue Pollard, whose recent UK tour he had managed, was among the showbusiness mourners.

McLean the actor was also busy in TV, with roles in Taggart, High Road, Rab C Nesbitt and Doctor Finlay. In pantomime, he doffed his company manager bow tie for comedy fun.

He worked in most Scottish theatres, notably the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, as well as the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, The Byre Theatre St Andrews and HM Theatre, Aberdeen.

He died at the age of 65, on August 6 at his home in Glasgow’s West End, just one year after a heart bypass operation. Divorced, he is survived by a son and a daughter and two grandchildren.