Allan Stewart (comedian)

Allan Stewart is a Scottish comic and impressionist.

Career

Allan Stewart's career began in the 1960s when he performed as a cabaret pop singer and musician.

He got his break when he appeared in Hello, Good evening, and welcome, an all-round entertainment show in which a trio of multi-talented young entertainers present gags, impressions, sketches and music.

His next big show, his 1979 STV series, The Allan Stewart Tapes, were picked up by ITV network and broadcast during spring 1980. This resulted in Thames giving Allan his own show in 1980, followed by a full series by Scottish television.

In 1984 he appeared in Go For It alongside other impressionists, including Les Dennis and Bobby Davro, doing impressions of everyone from Esther Rantzen to Sergeant Bilko. He appeared with Davro again in 1985's Copy Cats, typical cheap-and-cheerful ITV Saturday evening entertainment from LWT. It featured an array of impressionists of varying quality.

Stewart then appeared in Live From Her Majesty's, however the night, April 15, 1984, will always be remembered for Tommy Cooper's fatal onstage heart attack. Next up for Stewart was hosting 1988's The Comedy Crowd, a one-off barrage of skits and impressions for Easter. In 1989 he became host of Chain Letters which was partly broadcast during peak time.

In 1990 Stewart hosted eight half-hours of stand-up comedy taped at the Stakis Tree Tops Hotel in Aberdeen. Patter Merchants was screened in the early hours of the morning and featured a host of unknowns: Mike Lancaster, Jethro, Clem Dane, Steve Womack, Gary Denis, Adrian Walsh, Billy Jeffrey, Jim Rosie, Rikki Stevens, Cheryl Taylor, Mia Carla, Bill Barclay, Eddie Rose, Hilary O'Neil, Dean Park, Dave Wolfe, Johnnie Adam, Gerald Fitzpatrick, Boothby Graffoe (who went on to success on the comedy circuit and radio), Aiden J. Harvey and Duggie Brown.

Allan has performed in two televised Royal Variety Shows^[1] and has been appearing in the lead of a new version of Jolson & Co on a national tour from February to May 2009 to rave reviews.^[2] Allan had previously understudied Brian Conley in Jolson: The Musical (1995–1997).^[3]

Sheila Connor says "Allan Stewart, as Jolson, presents us with a tour de force in the role, which looks back in detail over the entertainer's life. His performance alone warrants this production having life after its present tour finishes as he gives one of the best performances I have seen in a theatre for a long time."^[4]

TV appearances

• Looks who talking (1974/1977/1978 3 episodes ITV Border^[5] )
• Hello, Good (Afternoon)/(evening) and welcome (1976-1980) Scottish television^[6])
• The Allan Stewart Tapes 5 episodes. December 1979 on Scottish television. 29 April - 27 May 1980 on the ITV network.
• The Allan Stewart show (1980 Thames Television^[7])
• The Allan Stewart show (1982 Scottish television^[8])
• Live From Her Majesty's
• Go For It (1984 London Weekend Television)
• Copy Cats (1985 - 1987 London Weekend Television) 4 series
• The Comedy Crowd (1988 Thames Television)
• Chain Letters (1989 Tyne Tees Television)
• Patter Merchants (1990 Grampian Television)
• Scottish television Hogmanay show (1980's)

References

External links

• The Allan Stewart Show show on YouTube
• Official website