Much loved Scottish comedian, impressionist and actor Stanley Baxter has died. It was only two days ago the good lady reminded me he was still alive.

He had a long career on stage, especially in pantomime, but it was in television that he made his mark, first in Scotland in The Stanley Baxter Show which featured the inspired spoof of the language learning series Parliamo Italiano. Those Parliamo Glasgow sketches susbtituted Glaswegian for the original Italian example. Even at the time the contrast between the highly repressed received English spoken sections and the exuberance of the Glaswegian expressions was notable.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find a clip of the phrase I remember most from the spoofs, “Ah’ll no borra wi a baura chocolate. Ah’ve goat a baur in the hoose and ah’ll buy anurra baurramorra,” one I still trot out when attempting to exemplify Glaswegian speech.

I did find these, though.

Upatra burd’s:-

Mia Farra’s farra, the marra and the barra:-

After moving to London, Baxter went on to make extravagantly costumed and budgeted shows (The Stanley Baxter Picture Show, The Stanley Baxter Series) where he often impersonated women, frequently displaying his legs (of which many women at the time were somewhat envious,) and various other television specials. My two children will remember him best, however, as Mr Majeika.

Stanley Livingstone Baxter: 24/5/1926 – 11/12/2025. Tararanoo, Stanley. Tararanoo.