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They were married for 46 years. Is it possible that we can have a chat with him? My names Cole Moreton, from the Independent on Sunday. . Home. No other intimate had ever talked about him in public. A PAIR of drug dealing Glasgow grans who were caught with over 24,000 worth of cocaine have been jailed. Hanover Public Library. Kenneth asked Stanley what future he could expect if he married Moira Robertson. I dont deserve it, I know, but if anyone can help me at this dreadful period, it is him, Williams wrote before leaving home. The decriminalisation of gay sex between consenting adults was still five years away. 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. It's that time of year again, when I choose to bore the bi-weekly pants off you all by relating my erstwhile greenhouse adventures and, more often than not, misadventures. She wanted to come, too. For decades he has hated to venture out: 'I didn't want to be seen as someone who was once Stanley Baxter,' he says. Meanwhile, Moira had landed part-time work with a milliner but it didnt seem to hold her interest. Baxter had married Moira Robertson, an actress at the Citizens Theatre, in the early Fifties. He first asked me to write his biography more than 20 years ago, but was emphatic that he did not want it to appear while he was alive. Could he look really old, like the man in the corner with cigarette ash all down his dark suit? It was a relief. In travis mcmichael married; susie anthony wife of earl anthony Stanley and Moira (born Moira Robertson) on their honeymoon in London in 1952. Say goodbye? She then went to their new Glasgow flat to cook spaghetti for his supper.". Yet my interest had been rekindled, my hopes raised, before being dashed against the same old stonewalling. Actor Stanley Baxter has come out at the age of 94 revealing his late wife Moira gave her blessing for him to bring men home. And your editor. How much had the big television specials cost to make? Fine, I said. I really dont. 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. Perhaps uniquely, Stanley Baxter has succeeded in making himself invisible. Baxter was a most brilliant cowboy Coward, a smouldering Dietrich. For a nation still mourning the loss of Eric Morecambe, Baxter another survivor of the gentler, pre-television days of variety theatre seemed ready to succeed to the title of Britains Favourite Comedian. He returned to the BBC but, after a one-off in 1986 in which he played 37 roles (including Mae West, whom he first impersonated aged six), that contract also ended. He kept phoning all the time, telling me there was something special between us. Hello, Mr Baxter. Not Stanleys fee, particularly, but you have to pay the Musicians Union, youve got to pay all the dancers, Equity and so on. Why? Baxter himself often spoke of wanting to die. A life without stress you cannae whack it! Getting dark. Baxter's wife Moira was troubled by mental illness. Published by Luath Press Ltd, 20. And he said dismissively, 'Oh yes, I've had all my friends'.'. ', Stanley was terrified. But Stanley couldnt contain his sexual frustrations. Stanley asked . There was, it seemed, no prospect of an interview. No. Fred Baxter, knowing his son was unconvincing in the role of Happy Groom, attempted a last-minute derailment. My dad said This is a very big step you're taking, Stanley. 'I liked her,' Baxter says. Stanley Baxter is arguably the funniest man and one of the most fetching women in Britain. After all, the pair had spent endless hours discussing sexuality, preferences and honesty. He met Moira daily for lunch. He suggested I contact Mentorn Films, who were recording new links for the show. Possibly even liberation is distasteful, because it encourages people to come out and make features of themselves, whereas your social and sexual life should be, as Noel Coward had it, behind closed doors. Stanley Baxter. 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. 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. So he decided that rather than cut his cloth down because hes not a stand-up Channel 4 comedian, is he? Not him, then. What it did entail was years of loneliness, beginning on their honeymoon night. But she did mention several times there was something wrong with Moira, that her emotional balance wasn't quite right. I sat on the edge of the bed and sobbed my heart out, he admits. We became close, without it ever being more than friendship.'. That counts for a lot in this part of north London, where there are more antique shops than newsagents. On December 23, 1950, Williams made another note in his diary: 'Stanley wrote to say he is going to marry Moira. A bit boring! As I approached the flats, a figure bundled up in odd layers of clothing and a heavy overcoat came towards me, and turned towards the gate. Perhaps it was time to forget it, let him be. But even today he finds it difficult to discuss the case, referring to it as 'le scandale'. Its Christmas, he said. I was just ringing for you. Stanley was up for the challenge. And he reads the Independent. Add new skills with these courses Word: Mail Merge in Depth Cert Prep: Word Associate - Microsoft Office Specialist for Office 2019 . So: Mr White hadnt been having me on Baxter did live in London, then. . Helen Wright, 67, and Moira Robertson, 65, were also snared with 51,000 in cash at a . And as the years progressed, the medicated Moira and Stanley became close again. But just weeks later he realised he had boarded a runaway train. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. He never appeared as himself. 3mo. STANLEY BAXTER has come out as gay at the age of 94 in a brave statement in his new biography, The Real Stanley Baxter, as the veteran actor admitted he brought men home with his "understanding" wife's blessing. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. I didn't want to know, but gradually I was falling in love.'. 'Thankfully Moira was very understanding. hed rather not do them. It was all good, clean, pre-Carry On fun. His divas and dames were so good they were beyond description. Yes. Yes, there would be a show. 'Marcus took me completely by surprise. 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. I dont see Stanley ever leaving himself that vulnerable hes too self- obsessed a cookie), not about Baxter the human being. Smiling at me. But had Moira truly leapt at the idea of leaving Glasgow and friends and family behind? Yet he was, and is, missed: in England, as the funniest man on television; in Scotland where they take panto very seriously as the greatest dame of the century: a master of the double entendre and the quick, stunning costume-change. They werent interested in doing another take just because Stanley felt there was a whisker of it that wasnt right. And there he was, coming up the steps to the door. Baxter was 46, and thought their two-day fling would be no more than a brief encounter. Im not sure that Stanley would say it just now, but he had this kind of sexual whats the expression? Moira Robertson & Stanley Baxter, 1962 British actress Moira Robertson (year of birth unknown-1997) and her husband, British comedian and actor Stanley Baxter, at Clerkenwell Magistrates Court in London, England, 5th March 1962. Download Admission Form; Fee Structure; Documents Required; Student Rules You. After the war in Europe was over, in June 1945, a 19-year-old Baxter was told to report to the Seaforth Highlanders regiment. 64, I said. Moira Robertson could be forced to hand over 45,000 after being jailed . I didn't think that she was ever going to make it very big and I suggested she give it up. . Footnote from the present day: Stanley came out of retirement the following year, returning to our screens for a short while before slipping away again. STANLEY Baxter has come out as gay, revealing for the first time that his marriage was a faade. 'Anybody else would have gotten rid of me but she was devoted. A porter at the club confirmed that the comedian did swim in the pool most days. Fellow Scottish comic legend Rikki Fulton, who has presented his own hugely popular Hogmanay TV show for the last 16 years, said that Baxter retired from playing dames because the energy and athleticism required was exhausting. When hes like this, one could die for him. Stanley was freaked out at my turning up at his house. Then he vanished from our lives, leaving so little trace that few people even remarked on his disappearance. Now that personal publicists are de rigueur for everyone from ministers mistresses to rugby players wives, we may even catch ourselves feeling faintly disapproving at the thought that he might want to do without the oxygen of publicity. For a journalist, it can be difficult to tell. Scottish perspective on news, sport, business, lifestyle, food and drink and more, from Scotland's national newspaper, The Scotsman. There had been no mystery about the retirement, said Lennie, who talked about the physical demands of changing costumes so often. In a 1963 entry, Williams described Baxter as disarming, honest, charming and hilariously funny all at once. Moira didn't ever leap anywhere, he says softly. How? Edrington's success stems from a heritage of exceptional people dedicated to craftsmanship. He died aged just 26 and Stanley was heartbroken. In the front room of Moira Robertsons parents home in Dumbarton, Stanley slowly, cautiously, uttered the words I do. He failed to convince. But more than that, he feared his fiercely ambitious mother. In December at the Citz, Stanley and Moira starred in the Christmas panto Red Riding Hood (Stanley played Granny McNiven, Moira played Red Riding Hood). In a television era rich with comic talent, from Morecambe and Wise to Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery to Mike Yarwood, everyone agreed Stanley Baxter was king. Used Buffer and WordPress to advertise programming. Baxter had done Shakespeare, and in 1969 he appeared alongside Sir Ralph Richardson in the original cast of Joe Ortons last play, What The Butler Saw. We hope you've really thought about how important it is., And I said nonchalantly, Oh, not nowadays. 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! She called him her Sonny Boy and, as his precocious talent emerged, had him perform at every family gathering. Changing tack, I asked if Baxter had a fan club. . I was utterly overwhelmed. As he grew up, she was intensely jealous and would shoo away any girls who admired him: 'She started telling me about these two boys who once took a wee girl into a haunted house up the road and did terrible things to her. She was 69 years old. Would it have happened anyway? Yes I did, and I spoke to you through my agent. She danced too in the gardens in Highgate Village, naked. Moira wrote him a very sane and balanced letter. And Stanley noticed her little eccentricities, her remoteness, her rejection of life's boring rituals of cleaning, cooking, washing laundry, had become more pronounced. The rest was silence. Doesnt he do interviews at all? British actress Moira Robertson and her husband, British comedian and actor Stanley Baxter, at Clerkenwell Magistrates Court in London, England, 5th. As spring approached, Stanley saw even more of the woman with the hooded eyes, even taking her along to his parents home at 5 Wilton Mansions in Glasgow's Kelvinside. My call was answered by Mr White himself, who seemed suspicious of my reasons for ringing. Can you tell me where they are? Tanned and fit-looking, straight-backed, with his broad face exactly as it was on the television years ago, eyes that were calm but curious, and slightly sparkling. Could they get me an interview? I told him of how she was slipping into little overdoses, and I would be going round to see her and reviving her. but a Yorkshire accent. Favourite Place: My living room in [he named a very nice suburb of north London]. He never replied. And she never knew of the window ledge incident. Instead, Baxter told Moira he could no longer live with her. I don't want to be involved in this kind of world'. 'Silly boy,' the actor noted pithily in his diary. Hes always quite pernickety about who hell speak to, which is why I dont want to say too much about him at the moment. There was no biography, and no memoir; just a few intriguing references to be found in the published diaries of his close friend Kenneth Williams. What Williams didnt know, however, was the pressure Stanley had been under. One diary entry, for March 1954, described Baxter as suspicious and ungenerous and said that being with him was like sitting on an oven. Moira Robertson Doctor at CHUV Lausanne. So: a legend. Yet, the relationship was doomed from the start. By Alec Guinness and John Gielgud had both been charged with Importuning. 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. Stanley knew he was gay. Moira Robertson wrote: "There are so many people working hard to support the economic growth and development of Salford. I like to retreat into playing other people. 11:52 EST 31 Oct 2020. Retirement, at the relatively early age of 63, was total. In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Alpha Events. . Stanley Baxter is one of the most successful entertainers of his generation and for many years had his own Bafta-winning TV series. . That never happened: once television began to damage theatre audiences, many serious Scottish actors were forced into variety. Its such hard, hard work. He had also appeared alongside Baxter in many Scottish pantomimes, including the comedians last, and was prepared to talk, up to a point. A nice, professional no. One of them might be him, I thought. The last panto was in 1991, wasnt it? He rang back the next day, but the news was bad. Comments have been closed on this article. But Baxter's anxieties were channelled into his work, and his perfectionist instincts became overwhelming. She has special interest in the conservative treatment of spine and joint conditions. February 27, 2023 . . As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. If I wanted a closer look at him it would have to be on my television on 4 January. His agent was still stonewalling, and his old television company had forgotten him. Marcus was a constant support. Exasperated, his ITV television bosses told him they could no longer afford his extravaganzas. Look, do you mind? You mustn't let that worry you. This would be NO life for you, married to someone who is essentially and primarily homosexual!, Moira's reaction was surprising, even to those who knew how liberal she was. Fixated,' he says. He had indeed dreamed of being a professional actor since appearing on stage as a seven-year-old at local talent contests. Fine, but not much help to me. Since our merger with Granada theres nobody higher up who would have been involved either. Actor Stanley Baxter, 94, has bravely come out as gay and opened up about how his sexuality impacted his relationship with his wife Moira Robertson, who died in 1997. Why did Stanley agree to marry Moira? This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's But it was because I knew I'd made the biggest mistake of my life.. Ah-ha. They procrastinated for several weeks, then passed me on to Channel 4s press office. Im not giving any interviews at the moment. An edge in his voice. Just to talk to a faithful hand that takes all the chaff and grain together, keeps whats worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blows the rest away. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. He soon gave up any pretence of being faithful, or heterosexual. ', Until, inevitably, it did. why is today capitalized in hebrews 3:13; Tags . Her reaction was dramatic. So he wouldnt talk to a newspaper, even over the phone? Comic actor Stanley Baxter dressed as a Roman soldier during a comedy sketch, circa 1980. When he called her from the airport, on his return to the UK several weeks later, she didn't answer. And although she was a good cook, she wasn't very good at washing. 'She guessed wrongly what being with a gay man entailed.'. Moira Robertson was the wife of actor Stanley Baxter. Home; Uncategorized; moira robertson baxter; Posted on January 19, 2023; By . 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. . Overwhelmed by the knowledge that he was making a mistake that would ruin both their lives, Baxter sat on the wedding bed and sobbed. Since then, he has been completely absent from stage or television, and rarely even mentioned in print. Having made it big south of the border, he regularly returned to direct and star in big-budget productions. Early on she used to say, That woman's following you around like a wee dug! And she was right. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. Ill tell you, he said, managing to communicate weariness down the line. There was no answer. It was real weakness on my part.. Moira Robertson, 65, was snared with 51,000 of cash and 24,000 of cocaine at her home on June 20, 2019. Ive often wondered how her life would have turned out had she married a devoted heterosexual husband., He adds, his voice breaking: I will never know why she loved me so much. By that time, I had so many tender feelings for her, he explains. You know, the same sort of thing as Kenneth Williams. Shall we say affinity, I asked? We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse. Moira Grant: m.grant@ssc.nsw.edu.au Director of Community Relations P-12 Yvette Graniero: y.graniero@ssc.nsw.edu.au: Director of People and Culture Ann McGovern: a.mcgovern@ssc.nsw.edu.au: Head of Primary P-4 Joanne Giannini j.giannini@ssc.nsw.edu.au: Director of Mary Bailey House Jackie Baxter j.baxter@ssc.nsw.edu.au He did impersonations of Laurel and Hardy, and Mae West. The most outrageously funny man on British television 50 years ago was Stanley Baxter. Stanley Baxter is one of my all-time favourites, he said. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Stanley's wife of over 45 years Moira Robertson died in 1997 . What would the neighbours think? In 1997, he decided to spend a month at the villa they owned in Cyprus. Everythings being raked around in here ready for Christmas. By Kathryn Ingate. Editors' Code of Practice. For Bill this was just sexual experimentation, and he would later reject a sexual relationship with Stanley, preferring women. Even though Moira was dead from an overdose by this time, he was sickened at the thought that his sexuality might become common knowledge. leslie carter funeral, btec january 2021 exam timetable, twin city motor speedway,