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Frank Carson

"It's the way he tells 'em!"

How would you describe comedy in its purest form? To put it quite simply, it's a combination of a good joke, well told. Remind you of anything? Here's a couple of clues; "It's a cracker" and "It's the way I tell 'em". For some performers, 'comedian' is a job description. For Frank Carson, it's his species.

Frank Carson in full flow is truly something to behold. Ruthless with his delivery, unrelenting in his gags-per-minute ratio, this is a constant barrage of tall tales and short one-liners that keeps an audience's laughter levels revved up to the max. Resistance is futile. Just sit back and enjoy.

Having been three times outright winner of the grandaddy of new talent shows, Opportunity Knocks, Frank rose to fame via the BBC's classic variety show, The Good Old Days and Granada TV's seminal series The Comedians. A record-breaking tour followed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since those halcyon days, Frank has become one of the most televised comedians in Britain, with appearances on a long list of top-rated shows, not least of which was the 1992 Royal Variety Performance. He has also received the compliment of being the subject of This Is Your Life a programme which holds the record for the longest period of silence on record from a stunned Frank!

Despite his TV fame, Frank Carson has continued to tour the live circuit and has appeared as far afield as Australia, Canada, Europe and both the Middle and Far East. As if this does not keep him busy enough, he also finds time for numerous charities. His work for communities and charities saw him receive one of the greatest honours in the Catholic Church in 1987 when His Holiness the Pope knighted Frank into the order of St Gregory in a private audience in Rome.

Quite simply, the man is a legend.
And, boy, can he tell 'em!

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John Gahagan

John was born in Glasgow in 1958 and freely admits that life never really began until he signed for Motherwell Football Club in 1979 following short spells at Clydebank FC and Shettleston Juniors.

John spent eleven years with Motherwell – the club he had supported as a boy. Playing under such famous men as Ally McLeod, Davie Hay, Jock Wallace and Tommy McLean, he won two first division championship medals in 1981 and 1985.

After a glorious testimonial season in 1990, John moved onto Greenock Morton where he spent four indifferent years under his favourite manager Allan McGraw, before retiring in 1994.

John is a fully qualified SFA coach holding an ‘A’ diploma and spent three very successful years as the SFA Football Development Officer in Clackmannanshire.

His tales of woe about life in and out of football have whipped up a comical storm at every conceivable venue from the Shetland Isles to the Scottish Borders.

Whether flirting with triumph or disaster John’s philosophy has always been the same …’You’ve Got To Laugh’

“Go and see John Gahagan at a dinner….applaud until your hands hurt!” Daily Mail

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John Morgan

“One of the best after dinner speakers you will ever hear” is the way John Morgan’s mother described him.

He was born in Glasgow, brought up in Greenock, and has lived in Bridge of Allan for the last thirty-odd years. He describes the experience as “Glasgow born, Greenock bred, Bridge of Allan refined”.

John’s humour, style and repertoire is equally suited to both all-male and mixed audiences.

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Johnny Beattie

Johnny has appeared in over two hundred TV shows, seven years of ‘Welcome to the Ceilidh’ and nine series of ‘Now You See It’.

Johnny’s abiding passion is the history of the Scottish Music Hall. One of the highlights of the annual Pride of the Clyde show is Johnny’s brilliant tributes to such greats of the past, as Will Fyffe, Dave Willis, Tommy Morgan and Lex McLean. He is also in great demand as an after dinner speaker, being one of Scotland’s best.

Johnny is currently starring in River City BBC Scotland’s soap about Glasgow life!

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Len Murray

Len Murray was born in Glasgow a long time ago, he says, certainly long before traffic wardens were ever invented.

After studying Modern Languages and Law at Glasgow University he qualified as a solicitor before retiring in 2003.

He is now equally known as one of the country's top after-dinner speakers and has spoken all over the UK and abroad, on four continents, from Edmonton and Calgary in the West to Singapore in the East.

Len has also been described as the country’s top speaker on Robert Burns and his Immortal Memory has been described as “legendary”. He is a member of the Burns Federation and is Honorary President of Greenock Burns Club, the oldest Burns Club in the world.

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Robbie Glen

After Dinner Speaker

Robbie Glen was brought up in Lanarkshire and educated at Hamilton Academy and Strathclyde University. Most of his working career was spent in the prison service where he worked until he retired in 1996.

As well as being a popular after dinner speaker Robbie is also Is a member of Lamlash, Brodick and Hamilton Golf Clubs, a barker of the Variety Club of Great Britain, member of the Start of Scotland for Cerebral Palsy, the Hamilton and Lochaber Burns Clubs and The Lord’s Taverners.

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Roy Walker

Born in Belfast, Roy Walker has a dead pan expression and his approach to entertaining has paid handsome dividends. His casual line in patter has endeared him to audiences all over the country.

Roy has appeared in dozens of T.V. shows including Blankety Blank, Bob Monkhouse Show, Tarby and Friends, Paul Daniels Show, The Laughter Show, Live from the Palladium, The Russ Abbot Show, The Comedians and guested on Wogan and hosted the TVS Show, Summertime Special.

Roy continues to headline concert, theatre, cabaret and after dinner speaking engagements

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Stewart Coull

Stewart’s main interest is sport; football, rugby and golf. He supports Airdrieonians football club which makes him an optimist with a sense of humour.

Since he retired Stewart has become a full time after dinner speaker and raconteur. His gift for story telling and his irrepressible sense of humour make him a firm favourite at the wide variety of clubs, venues and functions at which he has appeared.

Stewart has been a regular contributor to the Fred McCauley show on BBC. Radio Scotland and is a member of equity.

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Willie Allan

Willie Allan was born in Edinburgh and brought up in Dunfermline in the Kingdom of Fife. He was educated at Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline, and the Scottish School of Physical Education, Glasgow. He has been a Physical Education teacher since 1984 and is presently Principal Teacher of Physical Education at Buckhaven High School in Fife.

A keen sportsman, Willie spent thirteen seasons as a non-tackling stand-off with Dunfermline Rugby club. He has also represented the North and Midlands. Willie was forced to give up the game due to a serious knee injury but has concentrated his efforts in coaching.

He is presently coaching the Caledonia Reds Under-21 team. Willie spends his long summer holidays coaching tennis at an exclusive all girls school in Montreux, Switzerland! A committed but totally useless golfer, he is a member of Leven Golfing Society.

Willie has been on the after dinner circuit since 1992. He has performed at a variety of venues ranging from local miners’ welfare clubs to the top hotels throughout the UK alongside speakers such as Alex Ferguson, Ian St John, Frank Worthington, Jim Watt etc.

In Scotland he regularly works with Stuart Coull, George McNeil and Jim Leishman and can provide the complete package of entertainment for your function.

His main influences have been his father and Grandfather – both miners for over thirty years. His mother owns a rather quaint cocktail bar in the centre of Dunfermline called “The Bruce Tavern”, named after Robert The Bruce who is buried in Dunfermline Abbey. “The Bruce” has proved to be a rich Source of material.

As a school teacher in the East Fife, Willie also obtains a considerable amount of source material from his experience with ‘young people’.

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Mick Miller

Star of TV and Theatre

Mick was born, Michael Lawton, in Dingle, an area of Liverpool, on 25th February 1950. His father, Stanley, was the manager of a mobile Co-Op shop. His mother, Evelyn, worked in the local Co-Op store. He has an older sister, Marilyn.
From an early age, Mick loved kicking a football around the in the park. When he started at “Cardinal Newman” secondary school, he was in his element as the school had a football team. He made it his goal to be selected for the team. A goal the he soon reached.

At the age of twelve, his father took him to Goodison Park to see his first professional match. He was hooked, and set himself another goal. One day, he would play professionally. In the short term, he managed to gain a place as goalkeeper for the Liverpool Catholic Schoolboys team. He did well, but with typical scouse humour, his teammates nicknamed him “Dracula” because he was no good with crosses!

In 1976, Mick applied to go on the popular TV talent show, New Faces. He was accepted and won his heat. As a direct result, he was signed up for a national tour supporting Chuck Berry. Other tours followed, and in 1977 he was offered his first summer season in Morecambe.

1978 saw him appear for the summer season at Blackpool’s South Pier. The show was very well received, and he was invited back the following year. It was during this season that TV producer, Johnny Hamp first saw Mick work. He loved what he saw and immediately offered Mick a regular spot on “The Comedians” TV show. He appeared alongside such household names as Roy Walker, Stan Boardman and Jim Bowen. He loved every minute of it and is still close friends with many of the team. After the success of that show, Mick was offered other TV work. He appeared on such shows as Blankety Blank and The Little And Large Show. He was also given his own half hour TV special by Granada TV called “Success.”

Eventually, Mick was asked to co present a series called “The Funny Side” along with Mike Smith and Cheryl Baker. Thanks to shows such as “Des O’Connor Tonight,” he has appeared on TV every year since “The Comedians”.

Coming up to the present, Mick has appeared on the cult sports quiz, “They Think It’s All Over” and had a “half hour special” on Sky One. This was filmed in front of a live audience at a famous London comedy club. He is also very proud to be a regular guest on the popular daytime TV show, “Today With Des And Mel.”

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W.S.G. (Willie) young

Former Scottish Football Referee

Until 2005 he enjoyed 15 seasons as a Class One Scottish Football Association official during which he refereed over 500 Scottish Senior matches, including the Scottish Cup Final, the Scottish League Cup Final, the Bells Challenge Cup Final and the Scottish Women’s FA Cup Final!

Before age defeated him, he was on the FIFA List of International Referees and officiated in 27 different countries at 71 International and club matches, including as 4th Official at the 1999 UEFA Cup Final in Moscow between Parma and Marseille.

Paulo di Canio of Celtic once asked him during a game if he “wanted to be Manager of Rangers?” and Dick Advocaat of Rangers once accused him during a game of being “a Celtic Supporter”. These comments tend to suggest that he was fairly impartial!

He is one of the few referees ever to send off Ally McCoist - playing for Kilnockie in the Robert Duvall film “A Shot At Glory”!

He now writes a weekly sports column for a national newspaper and makes occasional contributions to radio and TV football programmes.

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Eric Davidson

With his hilarious satirical poetry along with lovely personal anecdotes, Eric Davidson is without doubt one of the finest speakers on the After Dinner circuit.

He was raised in that Cultural Cul De Sac, the Creme de la Skimmed Milk of all Scottish mining villages, Newtongrange. He now lives with his wife Jackie and two young daughters in the Midlothian village of Pathhead.

Even at the tender age of 11, Eric knew he was bound for stardom. His Stylophone rendition of Chuck Berry's 'My Ding-A-Ling' took the Newtongrange Church Opportunity Knocks competition by storm.
In his teens he tried Ventriloquism, but ended up too heavy for the guy's knee! After a spell at thrashing a drum kit around for a local Punk Rock band, Eric started writing and performing comic Poetry. In the year 2000 he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the hit show 'Rhymes and Misdemeanors'.

In 2003 Eric started performing on the busy After Dinner Circuit. He has performed across the length and breadth of the country, picking up several awards along the way.

He also has a sporting claim to fame. In 1989 he scored a wonderful goal for Coldstream against Albion Rovers in the 2nd round of the Scottish Cup! Eric does admit, however, that in those days Albion Rovers were not the powerful force in Scottish Football they are today!

If you're looking for a speaker with a difference then look no further than Eric Davidson.

Eric's Client List

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