People who won’t have consciously known of his work will certainly have seen it (if they are of a certain age.) He contributed album covers to the work of both Billy Connolly and – his partner in the Humblebums – Gerry Rafferty, both in his time with Stealers Wheel and his solo work.
Indeed Rafferty wrote a song, Patrick, in Byrne’s honour. (In Byrne’s early days he used his father’s – and his own middle – name.)
It was as a playwright though that Byrne made most impact on the public consciousness, firstly with the stage play The Slab Boys, for which he drew on his experiences in the paint shop of a carpet maker’s, and subsequently with the TV series Tutti Frutti and Your Cheatin’ Heart of blessed memory.
Hie art work is distinctive. You can rarely mistake a Byrne painting for one by someone else.
The video below is illustrated with some of Byrne’s art works.
The Humblebums: Patrick
John Patrick Byrne: 6/1/1940 – 30/11/2023. So it goes.
As an actor he usually filled the screen – and not because of his physical stature.
I suppose he is best known for his role as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films but I remember him from way back in sketch comedy shows such as A Kick Up the Eighties and Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee. He really came to prominence in the BBC Scotland series Tutti Frutti. His delivery of the line, “Don’t get the stripy stuff. It stings my gums,” was masterly.
Then there was his performance as the forensic psychologist Fitz in Cracker, which earned him three BAFTA Awards for best actor.
All in all he has a long, distinguished CV.
Robbie Coltrane (Anthony Robert McMillan,) 30/3/1950 – 14/10/2022. So it goes.
By the time I started listening to popular music Little Richard had passed his heyday. It was still obvious though that he had been important in the development of rock’n’roll – an influence on so many popular musicians of the 1960s and later. Sadly he joined the roll call of the departed this week.
There is really only one phrase with which to sign him off.
Awopbopaloobop alopbambom!
Little Richard: Tutti Frutti
Richard Wayne Penniman (Little Richard) 5/12/1932 – 9/5/2020. So it goes.
