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Shirley Henderson was the eldest of three sisters born into a working-class family in the village of Kincardine in Fife, Scotland. As a teenager she sang locally and performed in school drama clubs. Her first break came when she watched a singer on the Opportunity Knocks (1956) TV talent program and decided she could do as well. She entered and won a talent competition at Butlins Holiday Camp and from there graduated to local music club gigs. She was later accepted by London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She performed on stage in England's National Theatre company, which led to a role on the British TV drama Hamish Macbeth (1995) with future Trainspotting (1996) co-star Robert Carlyle.

Born in Scotland, trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he was named most promising drama student. Scott's early work was in Scottish national theatre and television, first appearing in the series Soldier Soldier as well as on the stage in the Tim Fleming directed production of Wallace. Early television credits to follow included The Rover, Taggart: Nest of Vipers, Lovejoy, and Soldier Soldier. Scott followed this up with impactful turns in the films You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, Black Beauty, and Another Nine & a Half Weeks. Shortly thereafter, Scott could be seen opposite Drew Barrymore in the hit film Ever After, opposite Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, and Vanessa Redgrave in the film Deep Impact, as well as the second installment in the hit Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible 2. Scott also appeared opposite Kate Winslet in Michael Apted's Enigma as well as the 2002 film Ripley's Game, opposite Ray Winstone. Starring opposite Jennifer Connelly in the 2005 film Dark Water and the 2007 film Hit Man, Scott soon appeared in US television for the first time in the ABC miniseries The Ten Commandments as well the Hallmark TV movie Arabian Nights.

US television audiences next saw Scott in the NBC series Heist as well as the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives. He followed these impressive turns with the BBC miniseries adaptation of the cult classic novel The Day of the Triffids. Scott was most recently seen in the critically-acclaimed movie My Week With Marilyn, the hit Netflix series Hemlock Grove, and the Cinemax series Strike Back. Scott can next be seen in the films Last Passenger and Lionsgate's The Vatican Tapes.

Scott's impressive theatre resume includes the 2000 Donmar premiere of To The Green Fields Beyond, directed by Sam Mendes, The Rover, directed by Jules Wright, and The Power and the Glory, directed by Tim Luscombe.

Moira was born the daughter of Harold Charles King, a civil engineer, in Dunfermline, Scotland. She was educated at Dunfermline High School, Ndola in Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) and Bearsden Academy, Scotland. She received her professional training at the Mayfair School and The Nicholas Legat Studio. She made her debut in the International Ballet with 1941 and then danced at Sadler's Wells in 1942. From 1942 to 1952 she danced all the major classic roles and a full repertoire of revivals and new ballets. Her first role as prima ballerina was "Sleeping Beauty" at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1946 which was followed by 'Coppelia' and. 'Swan Lake'. She toured the United States with the Sadler's Wells Ballet in 1949 and in 1950/51. She toured as Sally Bowles in "I am a Camera" in 1955 and appeared at the Bristol Old Vic as "Major Barbara" in 1956. Although these performances were the start of her secondary career as an actress, she continued her primary career as a ballerina. She has appeared on TV as a ballerina and as an actress

Richard Gadd was born on 11 May 1989 in Wormit, Fife, Scotland, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Baby Reindeer (2024), Wedding Season (2022) and Against the Law (2017).

Dunfermline-born character actor Kenneth Cranham has specialised in playing abrasive characters, reprobates and rough diamonds on stage, on radio, in films and in one-off dramas or guest roles on TV. The son of Ronald Cranham, an English civil servant and former army staff sergeant and his Scottish wife Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson), he spent the first four years of his life in Scotland. The family then moved to London where Kenneth attended Tulse Hill Comprehensive School. At the age of nineteen, while working at a bookshop, he was discovered by the playwright Joe Orton who cast him in his radio play 'The Ruffian on the Stair'. This marked the beginning of his career.

Cranham trained for acting at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and then studied at RADA, graduating in 1966. His association with Orton continued that year with a role in 'Loot' at the Royal Court (and, subsequently, at the Criterion Theatre). The actor later remarked that this role set him up "for all the hoodies in Softly, Softly, Z Cars and New Scotland Yard." With his craggy features and gruff voice, it is hardly surprising that Cranham has often been cast in tough or villainous roles. On screen from 1964, he first came to notice as Noah Claypole, one of Fagin's gang of pickpockets, in Oliver! (1968). His first starring turn was in the comedy series Shine on Harvey Moon (1982) as the titular character, a demobbed RAF corporal. Other notable roles across diverse genres have included the callous Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice (1980), Lenin in Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983), a wealthy, despotic landowner in Heart of the High Country (1985) (set in 1880s New Zealand), the comically over-zealous Pastor Finch in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1989), British gangster Gus Mercer in El C.I.D. (1990), cunning magician Aulfric in Merlin (2008), a scurrilous newspaper editor who gets his comeuppance in Hustle (2004) and Caesar's rival Pompey in Rome (2005). A more recent TV guest spot saw Cranham as an ailing patient in India, attempting to rediscover a lost love in season three of The Good Karma Hospital (2017). He has also essayed real life barristers Michael Mansfield Q.C. (The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999)) and George Carmen Q.C. (Justice in Wonderland (2000)).

For the big screen, Cranham has been notable as the maniacal Dr. Channard in Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), double-dealing mob boss Jimmy Price in Layer Cake (2004), another elder statesman of the London underworld in Gangster No. 1 (2000), farmer James Reaper in the buddy-cop comedy Hot Fuzz (2007) and as the tyrannical King Henry, a main antagonist in Disney's Maleficent (2014).

The actor has been equally prolific on stage where he has headlined as the amoral title character in Orton's play Entertaining Mr. Sloane. He was much acclaimed for his role as Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls at the National Theatre (an Olivier Award-nominated performance, which transferred to Broadway in 1994-95). He played the avuncular detective Rough in Gaslight at the Old Vic in 2007 and finally won the coveted Olivier Award in 2016 for his performance as an elderly man with dementia in Florian Zeller's play The Father. For services to drama, Cranham received a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2023.

Michael Nardone was born on 20 January 1967 in Fife, Scotland, UK. He is an actor, known for Durham County (2007), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Assassin's Creed: Origins (2017).

One of the most brilliant character actors of his generation, Hollywood's loss was British television's gain with Ken Hutchison. Born in Scotland, his handsome features and cheeky expression guaranteed him a career in character roles, but his dangerous streak led him early in his career into dark, villainous roles. He was cast by Sam Peckinpah as one of the sinister villagers of Straw Dogs (1971), raping Susan George and participating in the film's closing violent siege. Peckinpah took to the actor, and the pair indulged in their love of drinking throughout the shoot, often to the frustration of those around them. Hutchison was soon offered a role in the Robert Mitchum film The Wrath of God (1972) but this was his one and only shot at the big time. Quite what went wrong is open to debate. Some say he was wary of success and got cold feet. Whether that is true or not, what certainly didn't help was his unruly behaviour which made studio execs nervous of casting him again. He returned to Britain and continued his career as an anonymous but astounding character actor. He appeared in two of John Mackenzie's Play For Today films based on Peter McDougall scripts. In Just Another Saturday (1975) he played the head thug of the Orange Lodge, and in Just a Boys' Game (1979) he played Dancer Dunnichy, an irresponsible rogue who lived for drinking and dodging responsibility, a character that seemed to echo his offscreen persona. Hutchison was a stalwart of British TV crime series at this time, appearing in series such as Shoestring (1979), Target (1977) and Jemima Shore Investigates (1983) as well as The Sweeney (1975). In fact he also played the lead villain in the movie Sweeney 2 (1978), but the script allowed him precious little opportunity to shown off his skills as an actor. In 1978 the BBC cast him as Heathcliff in a serialisation of Wuthering Heights (1978) and he brilliantly captured the rough magic of the character. In the 80s he was seen less, although he had a regular role as the boss in children's series Murphy's Mob (1982). Since then he has appeared inevitably in shows like The Bill (1984). His great strength is an incredible ability with accents, and super comic timing, but he is also excellent at conveying menace. A riveting screen presence, Hutchison is long overdue for recognition as a treasure for British drama, a talent which his own country has rarely recognised.

Robert Fyfe was born on 25 September 1930 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Cloud Atlas (2012), Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and Last of the Summer Wine (1973). He was married to Diana Rush. He died on 15 September 2021.

Will Jordan was born in 1983 in Fife, Scotland, UK. He is a producer and writer, known for Rogue Elements: A Ryan Drake Story (2024), Dick Dynamite 1944 (2023) and The Critical Drinker (2012). He has been married to Susan Jane MacDonald since 1 August 2009. They have two children.

Jan Wilson was born in 1941 in Cardenden, Fife, Scotland, UK. She is an actress, known for Taggart (1983), Adam Smith (1972) and A Sense of Freedom (1981).

Guy Berryman was born on 12 April 1978 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), Unbroken (2014) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018). He has been married to Joanna Berryman since 2004. They have one child.

Ian Anderson, born in Fife, Scotland, is one of the most famous flautists of the last 40 years. A singer and composer, Anderson is also a multi instrumentalist, including acoustic and electric guitars, saxophone, percussion, keyboards, bagpipe, violin, balalaika, clarinet and a large variety of whistles. He is the lead vocalist and founding member of the innovative and influential progressive rock band Jethro Tull. Ian Anderson's style mixes folk, Celtic, jazz, rock, blues and pop, and his lyrics are complex, acerbic and critical of society and religion.

As a flute-player, Anderson is self-taught, his style inspired by another accomplished flautist, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In 1963 his fellow school friends Barriemore Barlow (drums), John Evan (keyboards), Jeffrey Hammond Hammond (bass guitar) and Michael Stephens (guitar), with Anderson taking singing and harmonica playing duties, formed their first band The Blades, a soul and blues outfit. In 1965 they regrouped into The John Evan Band with major lineup changes. They disbanded two years later when Anderson moved to Luton. In his new surroundings, Ian met the drummer Clive Bunker and the guitarist Mick Abrahams, formerly of McGregor's Engine. With Glenn Cornick, a bassist of The John Evan Band, Anderson created the seed of the group that would become the legendary Jethro Tull. Later, the band would have an ongoing change of members. The most important being the incorporation of Martin Lancelot Barre (guitar), the only musician to remain in the band for more than four decades, who replaced Mick Abrahams in 1969. They also gained Mark Craney (drummer), David Palmer (orchestral arranger) and Eddie Jobson (keyboards and violin, ex-UK and Roxy Music).

Alongside his musical pursuits, he and his wife are the owners of a group of companies including salmon farms in the UK, and as far reaching as Chile, South America. The singer has survived a serious deep vein thrombosis, suffered after air travel. His voice has also suffered in his later years with vocal chord problems.

Edith Bowman was born on 15 January 1975 in Anstruther, Fife, Scotland, UK. She is a podcaster and actress, known for Soundtracking with Edith Bowman (2016), The Afternoon Play (2003) and How to Stop a Recurring Dream (2020). She has been married to Tom Smith since 22 December 2013. They have two children.

Val McDermid was born on 4 June 1955 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK. She is a writer and producer, known for Wire in the Blood (2002), Traces (2019) and Karen Pirie (2022).

At only 17, Jobson first gained success as front-man with the Scottish punk band, The Skids, who had a string of hits in a 2-year period, from 1979 to 1981, the biggest song being the top-10 hit, "Into the Valley" in 1979. The band was formed by Jobson and his friend, Stuart Adamson, who later formed the band, Big Country. After Adamson departed the band, The Skids commercially declined and disbanded in 1982. Shortly after, Jobson formed the short-lived band, The Armoury Show and, although not a commercial success, were critically-acclaimed by the music press. This was to be Jobson's last foray as a musician as he turned his attention to modeling for a few years and once claimed he was the highest male earner in the industry.

For the past decade, Jobson has been working on SKY-TV in Britain, presenting predominately film shows and the odd music show on VH-1 Britain. However, after the death of his old friend, Stuart Adamson, in December 2001, he reunited The Skids at a tribute gig for Adamson on May 31, 2002 in Glasgow and, needless to say, stole the show. His next project will be in directing films - he is currently working on his first film in this category, 16 Years of Alcohol (2003).

Iain Banks was born on 16 February 1954 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The Business, Complicity (2000) and Consider Phlebas. He was married to Adele Hartley and Annie Blackburn. He died on 9 June 2013 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK.

Barbara Dickson was born on September 27, 1947 in Dunfermline, Scotland, the daughter of a policeman turned Rosyth dockyard worker. Barbara's mother was a housewife, and the family's strong interest in music led to Barbara taking up the piano from the tender age of five. By the age of twelve Barbara had also started to learn to play the guitar and upon leaving school at seventeen, she moved to Edinburgh combining a job in the Registrar General's office with evening spots as a folk singer in local pubs and clubs.

When Barbara was offered a short-term contract singing at a club in Copenhagen, she was refused time away from her day job, and she resigned, deciding to try her luck as a professional singer.

The mid-to late '60s saw Barbara "paying her dues" as a respected singer on the Scottish folk club circuit, enjoying some success, particularly with Archie Fisher and Rab Noakes. She cut three albums for Decca Records in the early 1970s, which were well-received but Barbara began to become disillusioned with the fading Scottish folk scene of the time, and on the advice of Hamish Imlach and Christy Moore she began to concentrate on the booming folk scene of the North of England.

Fate intervened one evening late in 1972 when Bernard Theobald attended one of Barbara's shows in Wolverhampton and offered to become her manager. So began a successful partnership which has endured thirty years. Around this time Barbara also became acquainted with Willy Russell, who managed a folk club in Runcorn and was himself touring the folk circuit with his group The Kirkby Town Three. The friendship led to Barbara being offered a major role in Willy's musical 'John Paul George Ringo...& Bert', which was to be staged by Liverpool's Everyman Theatre. Barbara was on stage throughout the entire show, singing The Beatles' songs at the piano, and the show became an instant success, quickly transferring to London's West End. Here the show was seen by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who invited Barbara to sing on the studio cast recording of their new musical 'Evita' - the subsequent single, 'Another Suitcase In Another Hall', released early in 1977, became a huge hit.

Barbara signed a deal with RSO Records, and in 1976 enjoyed her first commercial success, ahead of 'Another Suitcase...', with the single 'Answer Me'. 1977 saw Barbara in Nashville recording the 'Morning Comes Quickly' album, but by 1978 she had signed to CBS/Epic Records and TV exposure in shows such as The Two Ronnies (1971) began her breakthrough to a much wider audience.

1980's 'January, February' proved Barbara's biggest hit to date, and the accompanying LP, 'The Barbara Dickson Album' went gold in the UK. 1982's phenomenally successful "All For A Song" collection cemented Barbara's status as a major recording artist. In 1983 Barbara accepted the lead role of Mrs. Johnstone in a new Willy Russell musical, 'Blood Brothers', which again opened in Liverpool. The show, which provided Barbara with her first major acting role, earned her rave reviews, a West End transfer and the first of many 'Best Actress' awards from the Society Of West End Theatres.

Barbara was also firmly establishing herself as a must-see concert artist, with lengthy sold-out concert tours which took her to every major town and city within the UK, culminating in shows at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

Barbara's 1985 duet with Elaine Paige, 'I Know Him So Well', from the musical 'Chess', reached number one in the UK singles' chart, clocking up sales of over 900,000 copies, and the 'Gold' album for K-Tel the same year achieved platinum status.

By 1987, tiring of record company politics, Barbara and Bernard decided to release future singles and albums through their own label, beginning with the live 'After Dark' album.

The early 1990s saw Barbara rethinking her career, and she began to move more towards her folk roots with 1992's "Don't Think Twice It's All Right" and 1994's "Parcel Of Rogues". Away from the pop treadmill, she diversified into acting more and more with parts on radio and television, including a guest role in STV's popular 'Taggart' series.

In 1995 Barbara accepted the role of Anita Braithwaite in Kay Mellor's gritty _"Band of Gold" (1995) (mini)_, about the lives of a group of Bradford prostitutes - the role won her great acclaim and the show went on to run for three series. Other TV and stage work, including the award-winning "7 Ages Of Woman", were combined with recording and concert work and in 1999 Barbara scored another huge success on the London stage with the lead role of Viv Nicholson in the new musical 'Spend, Spend, Spend'. The show won her Best Actress in a Musical at the Laurence Olivier and Critics' Circle Awards that year, and Barbara was honoured by the Queen with an OBE in the New Years' Honours the same year.

2002 saw Barbara releasing her double CD, 'For The Record', combining live tracks with greatest hits, and a highly-successful accompanying UK tour. And with plans for a new album, further concerts, and her first movie role recently under her belt, Barbara shows no signs of slowing down!

John Lloyd was born on 15 April 1946 in Anstruther, Fife, Scotland, UK. He is a producer and writer, known for Panorama (1953), Cold War (1998) and The London Programme (1975). He was previously married to Marcia Levy and Judith Ferguson.

Helen King was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, to British parents and raised in Ontario, Canada. She received a B.A. (Hons) in Drama and English Literature at Queen's University in Kingston. She then relocated to Montreal, Quebec, working extensively for local and regional Canadian theatres, as well as becoming a featured performer on several animated series. Since moving to Toronto in 2005, she has continued to appear on film and TV, while expanding her CV across all fields of the industry to include interstitial voice-over, radio and television commercial voice, and video game work. She performs Shakespeare on a regular basis with Driftwood Theatre, a touring company devoted to making theatre accessible to communities around Ontario.

Robert Robertson was born on 3 July 1930 in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Breaking the Waves (1996), Taggart (1983) and Doctor Who (1963). He died on 17 January 2001 in Perth, Tayside, Scotland, UK.

Alec Craig was born on 30 March 1884 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Northern Pursuit (1943), They Made Her a Spy (1939) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). He died on 25 June 1945 in Glendale, California, USA.

Ian Rankin was born on 28 April 1960 in Cardenden, Fife, Scotland, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Murder Island (2021), Rebus (2024) and Rebus (2000). He has been married to Anna Miranda Harvey since 5 July 1986. They have two children.

Ian "Mammoth" Campbell was born in 1924 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotlland. A big, brawny, and imposing 6'3" hulk of a man, Ian was a popular and well-regarded heavyweight wrestler in his native Scotland who would often enter the ring accompanied by bagpipe music. On May 5, 1966 Campbell won the British Heavyweight Champion title after defeating fellow ring rat Billy Joyce in a match held in Perth, Scotland. However, Joyce subsequently won said title back from Campbell a month later in a follow-up match. Ian also frequently toured in America as well as participated in matches held in such countries as Japan, Australia, Africa, and various parts of Europe where he had a fair share of success in both singles and tag team competition. Moreover, Campbell also appeared in a few films and TV shows; he's especially memorable as Oak in the British horror cult favorite The Wicker Man (1973). In addition, Ian did charity work on the side that he kept a low profile on doing. Campbell died at age 68 on January 10, 1993.

Jordan Turk was born on 2 August 1988 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, UK. He is an actor, known for Mary Queen of Scots (2018), Britannia (2017) and Cursed (2020). He has been married to Juliet Voon since 5 June 2014.

Calum Waddell was born in Fife, Scotland, UK. He is known for 42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street (2015), Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film (2015) and Scream Queens: Horror Heroines Exposed (2014).