Bill was born in Glasgow in 1945.
After a three year stint as a struggling apprentice quantity
surveyor he escaped to the teaching course at the Royal Scottish
Academy of Music and Drama.

His first professional appearance was with the Glasgow
Citizens Theatre in their 1967 production of Brecht's 'Arturo Ui'
(above) which launched the career of Leonard Rossiter.

From 1970 - 72 he was with the Citizen's Theatre for Youth
as actor and assistant director and at the 1972 Edinburgh Festival
he appeared in the now historic 'Great Northern Welly Boot Show'
written by and featuring Billy Connolly (below).




He then became a founding member of John McGrath's 7:84
(Scotland) Theatre Company and toured extensively throughout
Scotland, Ireland and Europe with such shows as 'The Cheviot,
The Stag and the Black Oil' (below).




He made his first appearance in London in 1976 with the company.

He appeared at the Royal Court with Billy Conolly's first play
'An Me Wi' a Bad Leg Tae'.

Followed by John Byrne's 'Writers Cramp' at the Edinburgh Festival
and the Bush Theatre.

home
gallery
contact