Robert Robertson
- Publication: The Stage
- Date: 2001-01-25
- Author: John Mortland
- Page: 13
- Language: English
Versatile actor and director Robert Robertson, who played the well-known pathologist Dr Stephen Andrews in Scottish Television's long running police series Taggart, died on January 17 aged 70.
Born in St Andrews, Fife, Robertson: spent his early career on the stage, performing at regional reps such as Perth, Dundee, Leicester Phoenix, Edinburgh Lyceum and Cheltenham. He also appeared in the West End in Oliver!, The Ruling Class, The Crunch and Fiddler on the Roof.
Among his other credits were Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Big Daddy (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Jacques (As You Like It), Bottom (A Midsummer Night'S Dream), Frank (Educating Rita), Botvinik (A Walk in the Woods), The Earl of Caversham (An Ideal Husband), James Tyrone (Long Day's Journey Into Night) and Will Dearth (Dear Brutus).
As a director, Robertson's work included The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties, Hedda Gabler, The Cherry Orchard, Playboy of the Western World, The Caretaker, A Vdyage Around My Father, After the Fall and JM Barrie's Mary Rose, as well as a good deal of Shakespeare.
He was a highly successful artistic director of Dundee Rep from 1976 until 1992, ,and devised, wrote and performed his one-man show, Your Humble Servant, which was first presented at the Open Space Theatre in London.
Robertson was cast in the first pilot episode of Taggart (then known as Killer) in 1983, and went on to film all 51 stories to dale. He was the only remaining original cast member of a show which is the longest-running police drama currently on television.
His other television work included programmes such as Dr Who, Paul Temple, The Story of Robert Burns, Ruthour, Murder Not Proven, The Daughter of King Ron and Extras, and he was also in the highly acclaimed film, Breaking, the Waves, which won the Grand Jury Price at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996.
In addition, Robertson was a Frequent broadcaster, notably in BBC Radio's The Piano and In Tune live readings of William MacGonagal poems.
A warm, funny and courteous man, on the evening of Tuesday. January 16 he was regaling the Burns Night audience at the Perth Theatre with an hilarious recital of Holy Wullic's Prayer when he suddenly fell ill.
Attempts to resuscitate him at Perth Royal Infirmary failed, and he died in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He is survived by Monica, his partner of 21 years.
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- APA 6th ed.: Mortland, John (2001-01-25). Robert Robertson. The Stage p. 13.
- MLA 7th ed.: Mortland, John. "Robert Robertson." The Stage [add city] 2001-01-25, 13. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Mortland, John. "Robert Robertson." The Stage, edition, sec., 2001-01-25
- Turabian: Mortland, John. "Robert Robertson." The Stage, 2001-01-25, section, 13 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Robert Robertson | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Robert_Robertson | work=The Stage | pages=13 | date=2001-01-25 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=30 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Robert Robertson | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Robert_Robertson | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>
