The Arts

SCOTLAND’S leading stage actor of his generation, John Clyde, who died at his daughter’s home at 34 John Street, Helensburgh, on November 1 1920, also had the accolade of being Scotland’s first film star.

Father of film actors Andy and David Clyde, and stage star Jean Clyde, John was the best known actor-manager of the 19th century in his home country — but only the most ardent film buff is aware of his place in cinema history.

THE most famous stage star of the children of actor John Clyde was his daughter Jean, who spent some of her childhood and much of her later life in Helensburgh.

From joining her brothers David and Andy on stage in childhood, she went on to become known all over Scotland, having appeared in many of her father’s productions, and later as the star of other plays.

THE oldest of the three children of a Helensburgh family who became international stars was David Clyde.

Brother of Andy and Jean Clyde, he did not quite became as famous as they did, but he did make a very good career out of stage and film acting.

A STAR of Western films, Andy Clyde, who was born in New Rattray, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, was brought up in Helensburgh where his uncle, Bob Clyde, had grocery shops on Sinclair Street and West Princes Street.

Born Andrew Allan Clyde on March 25 1982 the fifth of six children of Scottish theatrical actor, producer and manager John Clyde and his wife Mary, Andy joined his siblings David and Jean on stage in childhood.

THE great entertainer, Jack Buchanan, was born on April 2 1890 in Helensburgh and died of spinal cancer on October 20 1957 in London.

A major UK musical comedy, revue and film star, choreographer, director, producer and manager with a disarming, casual style, Buchanan's career spanned 40 years.

HELENSBURGH-BORN David MacDonald was a director of British films who trained in Hollywood.

Born in 1904, he made some good thrillers — and the occasional comedy — in the late 1930s and immediate post-war years, but seemed to lose his touch after the Christopher Columbus (1949) disaster.

A MUCH admired feature of the exhibition held by Helensburgh Heritage Trust in April 2007 to mark the centenary of the birth of burgh artist Gregor Ian Smith was an excellent portrait of him by Jon Peaty.

The property of Helensburgh and District Art Club, it was lent to exhibition organisers Helensburgh Heritage Trust for display and also for use as a publicity image.

ONE of the most successful BBC television and radio series produced in the 1960s was 'Dr Finlay's Casebook', which was based on stories written by A.J.Cronin, who was born in Cardross and spent part of his childhood in Helensburgh.

Dr Archibald Joseph Cronin was born at Rosebank, a cottage just outside and to the west of Cardross, on July 19 1896.

A WEDDING Casket presented by the people of Helensburgh to local laird Sir James Colquhoun and his wife to mark their marriage in 1904 was sold at auction on May 4 2006.

In the Fine Decorative Arts & Design from 1870 Sale at Sotheby’s in London, the casket, designed by Edward Spencer and executed by Charles Moxey and Robert Fergusson of the Artificers’ Guild, was bought by an un-named buyer for £48,000.

ONE work of art which was not on show in Helensburgh Heritage Trust's 2007 Gregor Ian Smith Exhibition at Helensburgh Library was a watercolour caricature of the late John B.Widdowson during his time as the last headmaster of Larchfield Boys Prepatory School in Colquhoun Street.

HELENSBURGH'S most famous film star Deborah Kerr, who died on October 16 2006 at the age of 86, was regarded in Hollywood as a typical English rose . . . refined and reserved.

But of course Deborah Jane Kerr Trimmer was born on September 30 1921 to Arthur Charles (Jack to his friends) Trimmer, a civil engineer, and his wife Kathleen Rose (known to her family as Colleen or Coll), when they lived in Helensburgh, and spent her early years in the town.

A FORMER pupil of Helensburgh's Lomond School, Lee Bisset, is now one of Britain’s established opera and concert singers.