Una McLean MBE (born 12 January 1930) is a Scottish actress and comedian. She is best known for appearing in pantomimes. She was married to Scottish stage and film actor Russell Hunter from 1991 until his death in 2004.

Una McLean
Born (1930-01-12) 12 January 1930 (age 94)
Strathaven, Scotland
NationalityScottish
EducationRoyal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Spouse
(m. 1991; died 2004)

McLean trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and began her career at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews in 1955. She joined the Citizens' Theatre in Glasgow in 1959.[1] From 1965 she starred in her own show for Scottish Television, Over to Una, and In 1967 she starred in Scotland's first one-woman television show, Did you see Una?[2] She has appeared in several films, including Peter Capaldi's Strictly Sinatra in 2001.

McLean has appeared in many pantomimes in Scotland, often starring opposite Jimmy Logan and with Stanley Baxter. She starred in Jack and the Beanstalk alongside Jimmy Logan in his last pantomime appearance at King's Theatre, Glasgow as Wondergran, a show that also featured Alyson McInnes, John Ramage, and Euan McIver.

In 2006, she was awarded the MBE.[1] She appeared in 2007 on television in the sitcom Still Game.[3] In 2009 she began playing the role of Molly O'Hara in the BBC One Scotland soap opera River City. In May 2019, she announced her retirement from the show.[1]

Theatre

edit
Year Title Role Company Theatre Director Notes
1989 The Guid Sisters Germaine Lauzon The Tron Theatre Company Tron Theatre, Glasgow Michael Boyd play by Michel Tremblay, translated into Scots by Bill Findlay and Martin Bowman

Radio

edit
Date Title Role Director Station
19 September 2005 The Sundowner Betty Lu Kemp BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
9 January 2008 Jimmy Murphy Makes Amends[4] Phyllis Kirsty Williams BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
8 September 2009 Meryl the Mounted[5] Bunty Lobe Kirsty Williams BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "BBC - Una McLean retires her River City role as matriarch Molly O'Hara - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Una McLean, b. 1930. Actress and comedienne". National Galleries of Scotland. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Singer Michelle's a Still Game star!". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  4. ^ BBC – Afternoon Play – Jimmy Murphy Makes Amends
  5. ^ BBC – Afternoon Play – Meryl the Mounted
edit