Bill Paterson

Infobox actor
name = Bill Paterson

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imagesize = 180px
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1945|06|05|df=y
birthplace = Glasgow, Scotland
occupation = Actor
spouse = Hildegard Bechtler
yearsactive = 1970s-present
website = http://www.billpaterson.co.uk/
baftaawards = BAFTA Scotland Award
1997 "The Crow Road"

Bill Paterson (born 3 June 1945) is a Scottish stage, film, and television actor.

Biography

Early years

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Paterson spent three years as a quantity surveyor's apprentice, before attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He made his professional acting debut in 1967, appearing alongside Leonard Rossiter in Bertolt Brecht's "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre. In 1970, Paterson joined the Citizen's Theatre for Youth. He remained there as an actor and assistant director until 1972, when he left to appear with Billy Connolly in "The Great Northern Welly Boot Show" at the Edinburgh Festival. Paterson would work with Connolly again, some years later, when he performed in Connolly's play "An Me Wi' a Bad Leg Tae".

Career

Paterson spent much of the 1970s in John McGrath's theatre company, [7:84] touring the United Kingdom and Europe with plays such as "The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black Black Oil". He was a founding member of 7:84, and made his London debut in 1976 with the company.

Paterson's career began to centre more on television than the theatre. His first appearances included the 1978 BAFTA award winning drama "Licking Hitler", and playing King James in the UK television serial "Life of Shakespeare" the same year. He also provided the voice of the Assistant Arcturan Pilot in Episode 7 of the original BBC Radio 4 version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" in 1981.

Paterson did not, however, entirely neglect the theatre, and in 1982 he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Schweyk in another Brecht play, "Schweyk in the Second World War" at the National Theatre. He has continued to perform in many plays over the years.

The early 1980s also saw Paterson starting to appear in films, including "The Killing Fields", "Comfort and Joy" and "A Private Function" (all 1984). Other film credits include "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1987), Just Ask For Diamond (1988)"Truly, Madly, Deeply" (1990), "Chaplin" (1992), Sir Ian McKellen's "Richard III" (1995), "Oliver's Travels" (1995), "Bright Young Things" (2003) and "Miss Potter" (2006).

Bill Paterson made his name in 1985 as the devious gangster Ally Fraser in "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet alongside" Gary Holton and Jimmy Nail. His other television credits include "Smiley's People" (1982) "The Singing Detective" (1986), "Traffik" (1988), "The Crow Road" (1996) and "The Whistleblower" (2001). He has also provided voice-over narration for many documentaries.

Mucyh of his recent work has been for the BBC, starring as Dr. Douglas Monaghan in the supernatural drama series "Sea of Souls", and providing the voice of the Storyteller in the children's serial "Shoebox Zoo". He also played the role of Dr. Gibson in the 1999 production of "Wives and Daughters". Also in Foyles war, appearing as a surgeon in series 3.

Personal life

Paterson is married to stage designer, Hildegard Bechtler, with whom he ason and daughter. They live in London.

Filmography

* "Criminal Justice" (2008) (TV)

External links

* [http://www.billpaterson.co.uk/ Bill Paterson official website]
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Persondata
NAME = Paterson, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Paterson, William
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Actor
DATE OF BIRTH = 1945-06-05
PLACE OF BIRTH = Glasgow, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =