Gerard Kelly: City light

GERARD Kelly was in the mould of Scottish comedy greats such as Stanley Baxter or Rikki Fulton - a panto king who could perform traditional and contemporary comic acting as well serious roles.

Born in Glasgow in 1959, one of five children, he would look back fondly on early parts such as Donal in the BBC Play for Today Donal and Sally. He was 18 when cast as the lad with learning difficulties.

He graced the stage of panto for 20 years, having carved out a comedy career, most famously as Willie Melvin in the TV sitcom City Lights. More recently he played a camp, domineering panto director, Bunny, in Ricky Gervais' Extras.

A heavy smoker, he joked how his doctor was trying to get him off cigarettes.

His roles ran from Felix Ungar in a specially scripted Scottish version of The Odd Couple with Craig Ferguson, to directing and starring in Rikki and Me, celebrating two of his heroes, Rikki Fulton and Jack Mulroy - aka Francie and Josie. In this year's panto at Glasgow's King's Theatre, Snow White, he was due to play Muddles.