Ford Kiernan
Ford John Kiernan (born 10 January 1962) [1] is a Scottish actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his work with Greg Hemphill on the BBC Scotland sketch comedy series Chewin' the Fat (1999–2005) and the sitcom Still Game (2002–2007, 2016–2019). He also starred as Archie Henderson in Dear Green Place (2007–2008) and as Colin Holliday in Happy Hollidays (2009).
Ford Kiernan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ford John Kiernan 10 January 1962 Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1990–Present |
| Known for | |
Career
Kiernan first performed comedy in 1990 at the comedy club in the basement of the Blackfriars pub in Glasgow. He took up performing full-time in 1993. A run of solo gigs led to his being offered a slot in the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 1994, in a show called The Best Of Scottish Comedy, alongside John Paul "JP" Leach and Alan Taylor. Leach and Kiernan teamed up as a double act during this festival, and had shows at the next two festivals, After Eight Mince and The Full Bhoona, both at the Gilded Balloon.
Kiernan was one of the first performers at The Comedy Cellar, a comedy night started in 1993 by Ed Byrne in Glasgow.[2] He co-wrote a play with JP Leach, Don't Start Me, which won a Fringe First Award at the 1995 Edinburgh Fringe.
Kiernan has also broadcast frequently on BBC Radio Four and BBC Radio Scotland.
Television
Kiernan wrote sketches for Pulp Video (BBC Scotland 1995). Between 1999 and 2005 he was a writer for Chewin' the Fat and starred in it alongside Greg Hemphill, both playing various roles. Karen Dunbar, Paul Riley, and Mark Cox were also in the show. At first, it was shown only in Scotland, but the BBC broadcast the third and fourth series throughout the UK.
The spin-off Still Game started in Scotland only but later reached a wider audience. Every episode of this show was co-written by Kiernan and Hemphill. In 1999 and 2000 Kiernan and Hemphill also scripted seven episodes for the children's TV series Hububb, with Kiernan guest-starring in three episodes, including two of them written by other writers.
In 2007 and 2008 Kiernan starred in Dear Green Place, a BBC One Scotland sitcom about park wardens.[3] The show was co-written by Paul Riley and Rab Christie. In January 2009 Kiernan starred in No Holds Bard, a one-off comedy special shown on BBC Scotland on Burns Night as part of a line-up of special programmes to mark the 250th birthday of Robert Burns.
Kiernan played a caravan park boss in the comedy Happy Hollidays. A pilot episode was shown on BBC 1 in early 2009 and a series was broadcast later in the year. In October 2011 Kiernan played Gordon Brown in The Hunt for Tony Blair, a one-off episode of The Comic Strip Presents...
In 2011 and 2013, Kiernan played George McVie in The Field of Blood.[4] In 2016 he played Felix in Journey Bound.
Films
Kiernan has had several bit-part roles in films. In 1996 he starred alongside Robert Carlyle in Carla's Song and in 2002 he played the role of Black Joke Chief in the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.
Kiernan lends his voice to the character of Banjo Barry in the animated film Sir Billi. The film was released in 2012.
In 2012 Kiernan starred in the film Song for Amy. He has also starred in short films such as The Taxidermist and Perfect. In 2020, Kieran played the role of Gavin in the American comedy movie Then Came You, alongside Craig Ferguson who had appeared with Kiernan in Still Game three years earlier.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Pulp Video | Various Characters |
| 1995 | Ruffain Hearts | Wedding Guest |
| 1996 | Rab C Nesbitt | Agent |
| 1997 | St Antony's Day Off | Gerry |
| Space Cadets | Himself | |
| The Slap Boys | Male orderly | |
| The Baldy Man | Various Characters | |
| Rab C Nesbitt | Phil | |
| 1998 | Och around the Clock | Jack Jarvis |
| Is it Bill Bailey | Various Characters | |
| Stand and Deliver | Taxi Driver | |
| Rab C Nesbitt | Mad Dog | |
| 1999 | Hububb | Inventor |
| The Debt Collector | Janitor | |
| 1999–2005 | Chewin' the Fat | Various Characters |
| 2000 | The Creatives | Lenny the Bruce |
| Donovan Quick | Jim Leahy | |
| 2001 | Randall & Hopkirk | Kiernan |
| 2002 | The Last Great Wilderness | Eric |
| Gangs of New York | Black Joke Chief | |
| 2002–2007 2016–2019 |
Still Game | Jack Jarvis |
| 2004 | Sea of Souls | Sgt Mulgrew |
| 2005 | Happy Birthday Broons | Himself – Presenter |
| 2006–2008 | Dear Green Place | Archie Henderson |
| 2009 | No Holds Bard | Cronie Cameron |
| Happy Hollidays | Colin Holliday | |
| 2011 | The Comic Strip Presents | Gordon Brown |
| 2011–2013 | The Field of Blood | George McVie |
| 2012 | Songs for Amy | Sled Drummer |
| Sir Billi | Banjo Barry | |
| The Angels' Share | Station Master | |
| Just Dandy | Himself – Presenter | |
| 2014 | Inspector George Gently | ACC Hale |
| Doctors | Dougie McClury | |
| Still Game: Live at the Hydro | Jack Jarvis | |
| Still Game The Story So Far | Himself – Presenter | |
| 2016 | Journey Bound | Felix |
| 2020 | Then Came You | Gavin |
Personal life
Born in Shettleston, Glasgow, Kiernan was educated at Alexandra Parade Primary School and Whitehill Secondary School. He then went on to train as a tailor and work as a barman at Glasgow University.
In January 2014 Ford's 12-year-old son Sonny was found dead in the family home. The cause of death was choking. [5] The stage show Still Game Live was dedicated to Sonny later that year.
References
- "Gazetter for Scotland". Overview of Ford Kiernan. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
- Brian McIver (6 March 2011). "Smaller venues are much better for comedy – not massive arenas, says Irish comic Ed Byrne". dailyrecord. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012.
- "Evening Times". It's Still Game . . . with sideburns. Retrieved 18 December 2006.
- "Ford Kiernan plays George McVie". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- "Comedy star's son found dead at home". BBC News. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2018.