The Scottish actor Gerard Kelly was born on May 27th 1959 in Glasgow.
Given the name Paul at birth, the actor and comedian was born and brought up in Cranhill, the son of a fish and chip shop owner, Kelly was destined for the stage from the time a teacher suggested "we have an actor amongst us".
He first came to public attention in 1978 on the BBC television comedy Scotch and Wry starring Rikki Fulton and went on to play Jack Milroy opposite Tony Roper's Fulton in Rikki and Me in 2006, which he also directed.
In 1992, Gerard was slashed in an unprovoked attack as he entered his Clydeside apartment, leaving him with a permanent face scar. This caused him to leave Glasgow for London for a time.
In 1994 he played Felix Ungar in a Scottish touring production of The Odd Couple, relocated to modern-day Glasgow, alongside Craig Ferguson as Oscar Madison.
Known for his versatility, Kelly also starred in the pilot of the tough Glasgow detective series Taggart, in Rab C. Nesbitt, Juliet Bravo,City Lights and Extras, together with soaps, Eastenders and Brookside.
Films he starred in were Blind Date, with Kirsty Alley and Ken Loach's Ae Fond Kiss.
On stage he found success in John Byrne's The Slab Boys and was praised for his role in Much Ado About Nothing in London's West End he was also a regular in pantomime at Glasgow's King's Theatre.
Kelly collapsed at his home in London and died in a nearby hospital some days later. His funeral was held at St Aloysius' Church in Glasgow with the cortege passing the King's Theatre, where he was due to perform at the time of his death, on its way to a committal at Daldowie Crematorium, he will always be fondly remembered.
