Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton (15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show Scotch and Wry. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, Francie and Josie, alongside Jack Milroy. Robert Kerr Fulton was born into a non-theatrical family at 46 Appin Road, Dennistoun, Glasgow. Fulton's mother, who was 40 at the time of his birth, developed severe postnatal depression. Due to this, Fulton grew up a "solitary child" and developed a "voracious reading habit" throughout his childhood.
Career
Fulton began his professional acting career in straight theatre, primarily performing in repertory theatre and on BBC Radio, including The Gowrie Conspiracy in 1947. Alongside acting, he worked in the family stationery business with his brothers. After the bank withdrew its financial support, he committed himself fully to his acting career.
In the early 1950s, Fulton moved to London and became the compère of The Show Band Show, working alongside the likes of singer Frank Sinatra.
In 1957 he appeared, with Tommy Steele, as the Dame in the pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. His 1958 pantomime appearance was in Sinbad The Sailor at the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow In 1959 he appeared again in Sinbad The Sailor, with Reg Varney at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh.
In 1960, he headlined in the new Scottish pantomime "A Wish for Jamie," with Kenneth McKellar, Fay Lenore and Reg Varney, which premiered at the Alhambra Theatre Glasgow, and in its sequel "A Love for Jamie," which ran for three consecutive winters. He starred in pantomime and Five Past Eight in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. While working at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, Fulton met comedian Jack Milroy. Together they created a stage double act named "Francie and Josie", two Teddy Boys from Glasgow.
Fulton continued to perform regularly in pantomime and in straight theatre, mostly notably with the Royal Lyceum Company in Edinburgh and the Scottish Theatre Company based in Glasgow. However, it was the comedy sketch show, Scotch and Wry, that became a Hogmanay institution. In 1982, he made an appearance in the film Gorky Park, where he played a KGB officer. Director Michael Apted chose Fulton for the role because "he [Apted] had never seen such cruel eyes". Fulton, along with Denise Coffey, adapted the French playwright Molière's, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme as A Wee Touch o' Class. He performed in the lead role at that year's Edinburgh Fringe; the Festival re-booked it for the following year and it went on tour throughout Scotland.
Fulton made several guest appearances in other BBC Scotland programmes. Alongside his Scotch and Wry co-stars Gregor Fisher and Tony Roper, Fulton made two appearances in Rab C. Nesbitt; once in 1988 and 10 years later in 1998. In 1992, Fulton was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and a year later the Lifetime Achievement award from BAFTA Scotland.
Fulton's last full performance on television came on New Year's Eve 1999 with the comedy special It's a Jolly Life and his final Last Call monologue as the Reverend I.M. Jolly. After saying his final goodbye to television, Fulton wrote and published his autobiography, Is It That Time Already? (1999). In 1994, Fulton was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts from Abertay University, Dundee, in 1995 an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Strathclyde and in 2000 another honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of St Andrews.
Personal life
Fulton was first married to actress Ethel Scott, who appeared with him on The Rikki Fulton Show in 1960 and 1961. Matheson saw Fulton perform in a production of Noël Coward's Hay Fever, He grew to depend on Kate more and more until, eventually, it was decided he move into the Quayside nursing home. After contracting the "superbug" MRSA and returning to Quayside, Fulton died on 27 January 2004, aged 79. The Reverend Alastair Symington, who was a close friend of Fulton, led the service, which featured tributes from Fulton's widow and Tony Roper. Both Rikki and his wife were strong supporters of the Scottish SPCA, which received a financial donation following Fulton's funeral. A Scottish SPCA inspector represented the animal welfare organisation at the service.
Kate Matheson died in 2005 after completing a book about her relationship with Fulton, entitled Rikki & Me. For her funeral in Glasgow, Matheson requested no black ties should be worn because "we [she and Fulton] were together again".