Sutherland's Law star Cuthbertson dies at 79

Published on Wednesday 9 September 2009 00:29

IAIN Cuthbertson, the Scots actor best known for his starring roles in the television series Budgie and Sutherland's Law, has died. He was 79.

The Glasgow-born star, who died on Friday, became a household name in 1971 when he starred as Charlie Endell, a gravelly voiced, rough but charismatic Glasgow gangster, in Budgie. Playing opposite Adam Faith, the character Cuthbertson made his own was so successful it led to a spin-off series, Charlie Endell Esquire.

Five years later he became the popular lead in another television series – Sutherland's Law – in which he played a procurator-fiscal in a rural community in the west of Scotland. He also had a distinguished stage career and ran the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow for three years.

Born in 1930, he was the son of Sir David Cuthbertson, a biochemist who was part of the team that invented the saline drip.

His first stage appearance was in 1955 when he played twin brothers in The Man Upstairs. He was rector of the University of Aberdeen from 1975 to 1978.

In January 1982 Cuthbertson suffered a stroke that left him temporarily paralysed and unable to speak. He fought back and within 18 months was able to read from crib cards.

He played the ghost in a 2003 film version of Hamlet.