The Many Faces Of Mr Norton

The illustrious, talented actor has plenty of tales to tell . . . and write

- LAURA COVENTRY

LEGENDARY Scots actor Alex Norton has brought some of our favourite television characters to life in a memorable and varied career spanning six decades - from Taggart's DCI Matt Burke, to Eric Baird in hit sitcom Two Doors Down.

When asked about his favourite character he's portrayed, however, Glasgow-born Alex reveals it wasn't actually in a Scots TV drama at all.

“The best job ever was in Comrades by great Scottish director Bill Douglas.

“Out the blue, I had received a phonecall from my agent saying, ‘Do you know a director called Bill Douglas?’ I said, ‘Oh yeah, he did the trilogy My Childhood.’ I saw it years and years ago and was knocked out by it – I thought, ‘This guy’s a genius.’

“He wanted to see me as he was doing a film about the Tolpuddle Martyrs. They were agricultural labourers in Dorset in 1830s, who were transported to Australia as punishment for forming one of the early unions.

“There is a character in the film called The Lanternist, who does lantern shows. He also appears throughout the film in 14 different characters, so I played this part. I was a brutal overseer in Australia; I was a ship’s captain; I had 14 different characters. It was the best job in my life. I loved it.”

Bill went on to write a version of James Hogg’s famous Scots novel, Confessions Of A Justified Sinner and lined up a very eager Alex to play the part of Gil-Martin.

Alex, who has three grown-up sons, explained, “Gil-Martin is a shapeshifter and I was so looking forward to it – I was skipping down the road after our meeting. I thought, ‘This is the one, this will be the greatest thing I have ever done in my life’ – and then Bill died. He'd gone. Lung cancer.