His ambition was to become an opera singer but, lacking the necessary vocal range for leading roles, he decided to become a full-time actor instead.

Like several of his colleagues in Take the High Road, he had a long career in Scottish theatre, playing a wide variety of roles.

[3] He made his TV debut in 1961 and went on to make guest appearances in several drama programmes, including four in Dr. Finlay's Casebook and three in Sutherland's Law.

He was Jamie's father, Mr Knox, in the Bill Douglas trilogy of My Childhood (1972), My Ain Folk (1973) and My Way Home (1978).

[5] In 1976, he was cast as Jock Nesbit in Garnock Way and, when that series was axed in 1979, he was offered the role of workshy handyman Archie Menzies in Take the High Road.