Richard Wilson (born Iain Carmichael Wilson; 9 July 1936) is a Scottish actor, broadcaster, and theatre director. He is most famous for playing Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. Another notable role was as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin.
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Early life
Wilson was born on 9 July 1936 in Greenock in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He went to Lady Alice Primary school in Greenock. He studied science subjects at Greenock Academy, then completed his National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore.
Career
Wilson worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research assistant before switching to acting, aged 27. He trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, graduating in 1965 with an Acting (RADA Diploma). He then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre), Glasgow and Manchester (Stables Theatre).
Wilson initially turned down the role of Victor Meldrew and it was almost offered to Les Dawson before Wilson changed his mind. Wilson has stated that he came to hate Meldrew's catchphrase of "I don't believe it!" to the point where he now refuses to say it except for charity.
Wilson was appointed an OBE in the 1994 Birthday Honours for services to Drama. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.
The narration of "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus", from Strawbs' 1969 eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson.
Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson, was written by James Roose-Evans.
In March 2011, Wilson presented an edition of the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches entitled Train Journeys From Hell, with transport journalist Christian Wolmar highlighting the failings of the British railway network.
Personal life
Wilson has lived in London since 1959.
Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years. He appeared at charity events organised by gay rights campaign group Stonewall, but had not discussed his own sexuality in interviews with the media. He was named in a list of influential gay people in 2013 by Time Out magazine, which he considered to have outed him.
Wilson is a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United. He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust. Wilson is a good friend of his One Foot in the Grave co-star Angus Deayton, and is godfather to Deayton's son.
Wilson is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre. Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony. He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard. He has been honorary president of the Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA) since 1998.
Wilson is a supporter of the Labour Party. He donated more than £5,000 to the party in 1997 and recorded the party's manifesto on audio for the 2010 general election.
On 12 August 2016, it was reported that Wilson had suffered a heart attack. He had been due to reprise the role of Victor Meldrew in a one-man show at the 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In June 2021, Wilson was the guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. His choices included "Hammond Song" by The Roches, Symphony No. 6 in D minor by Sibelius and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" performed by Roberta Flack. His book choice was the poetry of Robert Burns and his luxury item was a subscription to The Guardian.
Wilson had one elder sister, Moira, who died in 2021 at the age of 91.
Filmography
Films
Junket 89 (1970) as Mr Potter
The Trouble with 2B (1972) as Mr Potter
Mark Gertler: Fragments of a Biography (1981) as Clive Bell
Those Glory Glory Days (1983, TV Movie) as Arnold – Journalist
A Passage to India (1984) as Turton
Foreign Body (1986) as Col. Partridge
Whoops Apocalypse (1986) as Nigel Lipman
Prick Up Your Ears (1987) as Psychiatrist
How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) as Bristol
A Dry White Season (1989) as Cloete
Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992) as Uncle Salvatore
Carry On Columbus (1992) as Don Juan Felipe
The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997) as Sir Roger Daggenhurst
Women Talking Dirty (1999) as Ronald
Love and Other Disasters (2006) as Registrar
Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) as Mr. Capulet (voice)
Sherlock Gnomes (2018) as Mr. Capulet (voice)
Television
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1956) (Uncredited)
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1965) – as Mason
Crown Court (1970s) – as Jeremy Parsons QC (1972–1984)
My Good Woman (1972–1974) – as Rev. Martin Hooper (in 3 episodes)
Soldier and me (1974) – as Dr Nixon
A Sharp Intake of Breath 1977 to 1980
Yanks Go Home (1977) – as Rev. Desmond Brierley (in 2 episodes)
The Sweeney episode "The Bigger They Are" as DCI Anderson (1978)
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em episode "Wendy House" as Mr Harris The Insurance Man (1978)
Only When I Laugh (1979–1982) as Gordon Thorpe
In Loving Memory as Percy Openshaw (in two episodes)
Andy Robson (1982–1983) – as Mr Ridley (in 3 episodes)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes episode The Red Headed League as Duncan Ross (1985)
Have I Got News for You
Screen Two: Poppyland (1985) as Theodore Watts-Dunton
Howards' Way (1986 one episode) as Viscount Cunningham
Emmerdale (1986)
Room at the Bottom (1986–1988) as Toby Duckworth
Stage acting
Twelfth Night, as Malvolio, Royal Shakespeare Company
Whipping it Up by Steve Thompson, Bush Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre
What the Butler Saw, as Dr Rance, Royal National Theatre
Peter Pan, as Mr Darling/Captain Hook, Royal Festival Hall
Waiting for Godot, as Vladimir, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
Uncle Vanya, as Vanya, Traverse Theatre
A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau, Theatre Royal, Bath, August 2013
Krapp's Last Tape, as Krapp, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, 25 June – 19 July 2014
Forty Years On by Alan Bennett, Chichester Festival Theatre, as the Headmaster, 21 April – 20 May 2017.
Theatre direction
Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert.
An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 1986
A Wholly Healthy Glasgow by Ian Heggie, Royal Exchange Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, The Royal Court, 1988/89
Women Laughing by Michael Wall, The Royal Exchange Theatre, 1992
The Lodger by Simon Burke. World premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre, 1994
Primo 2004
The Woman Before by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Royal Court, May 2005
East Coast Chicken Supper by Martin J Taylor, The Traverse, 2005
Rainbow Kiss by Simon Farquhar, Royal Court, April 2006
Smack Family Robinson by Richard Bean – Kingston upon Thames, March and April 2013
Blasted by Sarah Kane, Sheffield Studio, 2015
Peggy For You by Alan Plater, Hampstead Theatre, 2021
Radio
The Corrupted (BBC Radio 4, 2017) as Melford Stevenson
Radio Diaries (BBC Radio 4, 2021) as Archie, a former tango dance partner/teacher on cruise liners, now in a care home, looking back over his life relationship with the tango. Written by Ron Hutchinson.
Believe It! (BBC Radio 4, 2012–22) as himself in a spoof comic autobiography written by Jon Canter
King Lear (BBC Radio 4, 2025) as King Lear
Exercise videos
Let's Dance (1996)