Ron Donachie

Ronald Eaglesham Porter (born 26 April 1956), known professionally as Ron Donachie, is a Scottish actor. He is known for starring as DI John Rebus in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the Ian Rankin "Rebus" detective novels and for his supporting roles in films The Jungle Book (1994), Titanic and television series Doctor Who and Game of Thrones.

Ron Donachie
Donachie in 2013
Born
Ronald Eaglesham Porter

(1956-04-26) 26 April 1956
Dundee, Angus, Scotland
NationalityScottish
EducationMadras College
Alma materGlasgow University
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present
Spouse(s)
Fiona Biggar (m. 1989)
Children2, including Daniel Portman

Biography

Ronald Porter was born in Dundee, Scotland and educated at Madras College, St Andrews [1] where he performed in three school plays: Serjeant Musgrave's Dance [2] in 1972, A Man For All Seasons [3] in 1973 for which the newspaper review said "Ron Porter was impressive from start to finish, handling a mammoth part with apparent ease, giving a sensitive, subtle and well-controlled performance, especially in the second act", and Taming of the Shrew [4] in 1974 for which the newspaper review said "Ron Porter’s affability shines out like the proverbial beacon ... as the most experienced member of the cast, he has the confidence to be able to establish an immediate rapport with the audience. [He] turned in his usual high standard of performance as the enormously arrogant Petruchio".

His education continued at the University of Glasgow where he was President of the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council (1976–1977) and graduated MA (Hons) in English Literature and Drama in 1979.

He joined John McGrath's 7:84 theatre group for their 1980–1981 touring production, John Burrows' One Big Blow, in which the cast mimicked a traditional colliery band by singing in six part harmony. Following the success of this play members of the cast founded the a cappella vocal group The Flying Pickets in 1982, but Donachie left before their 1983 Christmas number one hit.

Donachie married Fiona Biggar in 1989; the couple have two children: the actor Daniel Portman and Naomi Porter, a linguist. His brother, Stewart Porter, is also an actor and his sister-in-law is Scottish film costume designer Trisha Biggar.

Filmography
Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1986Heavenly PursuitsBig Man in Bar
1994The Jungle BookSergeant Harley
1997TitanicMaster at Arms
2000Beautiful CreaturesPolice Pathologist
2002A Shot at GlorySportscaster
2003Man Dancin'Billy Maddison
2005Man to ManSir Walter Stephenson
2006The Flying ScotsmanScobie
2008Max ManusColonel J.S. Wilson
2008Made of HonourHorse Owner
2011BlitzCross
2012FilthHector
2014What We Did on Our HolidaySergeant Murdoch
2017Steel RainMichael Dobbs, US Secretary of State
2018Outlaw KingRobert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow
2020Rocketry: The Nambi EffectCol. Cleaver
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1986The Monocled MutineerStrachanEpisodes: "Before the Shambles" & "When the Hurly-Burly's Done"
1987Tutti FruttiDennis SproulAll 6 episodes
1987TaggartPat ConnollyEpisode: "Funeral Rites"
1988The Great Escape II: The Untold StoryAl HakeTelevision film
1990The BillSgt. WillisEpisode: "Effective Persuaders"
1991SpecialsSpecial Constable Freddy CalderAll 12 episodes
1992Me, You and HimToddAll 6 episodes
1992CasualtyPC PewseyEpisode: "Rates of Exchange"
1992 – 1993Take the High RoadDuncan StrachanRecurring, 15 episodes
1993TaggartMarco CelliniEpisode: "Death Benefits"
1993StrathblairBob ScottEpisode: "2.1"
1995The Gambling ManAlec McLeanTelevision serial
1995CrackerBarney, the psychologically damaged war veteranEpisode: "Brotherly Love"
1996The BillWilliam HallEpisode: "Pointing the Finger"
1995 – 1996Hamish MacbethZoot McPherrinEpisodes: "West Coast Story" & "A Perfectly Simple Explanation"
1996CasualtyRalph SutcliffeEpisode: "Mother's Little Helper"
1997IvanhoeFriar TuckEpisodes 3, 4 & 6
1997The BillMike ShearonEpisode: "Strange Meeting"
1998TaggartHamish BairdEpisode: "Dead Reckoning"
1999The Scarlet PimpernelMazarini4 episodes
2000 – 2001StarhunterMcDuffEpisodes: "The Divinity Cluster" & "Dark and Stormy Night"
2001TaggartPeter JenkinsEpisode: "Falling in Love"
2001RebusCS WilsonEpisode: "Dead Souls"
2002The Inspector Lynley MysteriesJohn RossEpisode: "Payment in Blood"
2002Auf Wiedersehen, PetDan CalhounEpisodes: "Heavy Metal", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" & "A Bridge Too Far"
2002Silent WitnessDCI Luke TelfordEpisode: "Tell No Tales"
2002 – 2004The BillDCI Andrew RossRecurring, 15 episodes
2003Monarch of the GlenAlec McTavishEpisode: "Series 5, episode 10"
2005The CommanderGeorge HartEpisodes: "Virus" & "Blackdog"
2005The Golden HourDavid TremaineEpisode: "Episode 3"
2006TaggartHarry SteinEpisode: "Law"
2006Doctor WhoStewardEpisode: "Tooth and Claw"
2006 – 2007RebusDCS Jack GunnerEpisodes: "Let It Bleed", "Resurrection Men" & "The Naming of the Dead"
2007RecoveryLen HamiltonTelevision film
2007Still GameCameronEpisode: "Fly Society"
2010LewisProfessor Angus RawboneEpisode: "Falling Darkness"
2010The DeepSturridgeTelevision serial
2011DoctorsJohn Harold DoricEpisode: "Doric's Column"
2011 – 2012Game of ThronesSer Rodrik CasselRecurring, 13 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award – nominated
2012Waterloo RoadBilly ByrneRecurring, 7 episodes
2012Downton AbbeyMr McCreeEpisode: "A Journey to the Highlands"
2013The Field of BloodDCI SullivanEpisode: "The Dead Hour"
2013AtlantisTheosEpisode: "The Earth Bull"
2013 – 2014BlandingsAngus McAllisterEpisodes: "Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend", "Throwing Eggs", "Sticky Wicket at Blandings" & "Custody of the Pumpkin"
2015Father BrownJock HamiltonEpisode: "The Owl of Minerva"
2015CasualtyDI John HartleyEpisode: "The Rita Supremacy" [5]
2016DoctorsJack RayburnEpisode: "Play Date"
2016Agatha RaisinRon AllenEpisode: "The Wellspring of Death"
2017River CityMichael ‘Mikey’ RosenburgRecurring, 4 episodes
2018VeraJesse HenningsEpisode: "Blood and Bone"
2018Starhunter ReduXMcDuffEpisodes: "The Divinity Cluster" & "Dark and Stormy Night"
2018CasualtyBen LoksleyEpisode: "Episode 39" [6]
2019Holby CityRichard MacDonaghEpisode: "Mothers and Their Daughters"
2020Deadwater FellCallum McKenzieEpisodes: "Episode 1" & "Episode 2"

Theatre
DateTitleRoleTheatreNotes
Easter 1972Serjeant Musgrave's DancePte. AttercliffeThe Byre
Madras College		[2]
Easter 1973A Man For All SeasonsSir Thomas MoreThe Byre
Madras College		[3]
Easter 1974Taming of the ShrewPetruchioThe Byre
Madras College		[4]
1980 – 1981One Big Blow7:84 theatre group tour
12 November 2007 – 17 November 2007Living QuartersCommandant Frank ButlerRoyal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh[7]
25 September 2013 – 19 October 2013Dark RoadBlack Fergus McLintockRoyal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh[8]
11 August 2017 – 26 August 2017Stand BySummerhall, Edinburgh[9]
29 January 2019 – 1 February 2019Rebus: Long ShadowsInspector RebusTheatre Royal, Glasgow[10]
4 February 2019 – 9 February 2019New Theatre, Cardiff
11 February 2019 – 18 February 2019Cambridge Arts Theatre
25 February 2019 – 2 March 2019Theatre Royal, Newcastle
4 March 2019 – 9 March 2019Theatre Royal, Bath

Radio
DateTitleRoleDirectorStation
25 January 2003 – 1 February 2003The Falls [11]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
The Saturday Play
26 June 2004 – 3 July 2004 Resurrection Men [12]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
The Saturday Play
28 June 2008 – 5 July 2008 Black and Blue [13]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
The Saturday Play
17 February 2010 Fags, Mags and Bags: Mr Majhu Goes to Lenzie [14]Bob Shandy MPBBC Radio 4
7 August 2010 – 14 August 2010 Strip Jack [15]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
The Saturday Play
11 November 2012 – 18 November 2012 The Black Book [16]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
Classic Serial
28 September 2014 – 5 October 2014 Set in Darkness [17]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
Classic Serial
13 February 2016 – 20 February 2016 A Question of Blood [18]DI RebusBruce YoungBBC Radio 4
The Saturday Play

References
  1. Madras College school photo September 1971, class 4Y, Ronald Porter is back row, fifth from left – The Madras College Archive
    (This photo with caption is the third photo on this page)
  2. Serjeant Musgrave's Dance – The Madras College Archive
  3. A Man For All Seasons – The Madras College Archive
  4. Taming of the Shrew – The Madras College Archive
  5. Writer: Jeff Povey; Director: Seán Gleeson; Producer: Caroline Brittain (25 April 2015). ""The Rita Supremacy"". Casualty. BBC. BBC One.
  6. Writers: Jess O'Kane & Jeff Povey; Director: Roberto Bangura; Producer: Gwenllian Gravelle (16 June 2018). "Episode 39". Casualty. BBC. BBC One.
  7. Lynne Walker (12 November 2007). "Living Quarters, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh". The Independent. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. David Pollock (30 September 2013). "Ian Rankin's Dark Road, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh". The Independent. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  9. “Compellingly authentic police drama” – The Stage, 21 August 2017
  10. Weekly, Theatre. "Rebus Long Shadows Extends Tour With Ron Donachie in Title Role". Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  11. BBC – The Saturday Play – Rebus: The Falls
  12. BBC – The Saturday Play – Rebus: Resurrection Men
  13. BBC – The Saturday Play – Rebus: Black and Blue
  14. BBC – Fags, Mags and Bags – Mr Majhu Goes to Lenzie
  15. BBC – The Saturday Play – Rebus: Strip Jack
  16. BBC – Classic Serial – Rebus: The Black Book
  17. BBC – Classic Serial – Rebus: Set in Darkness
  18. BBC – The Saturday Play – Rebus: A Question of Blood


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.