THE BAY CITY ROLLER/NBC/1978-79
*(Bay City Rollers) Bay City rollers, a popular rock group from Scotland. The
group included Derek Longmuir; Alan Longmuir; Stuart Wood; Eric Faulkner; and
Leslie McKeown.
BILLY/ABC/1992
*(Billy Connolly) Billy Macgregor, a community college teacher of poetry and
English Literature who illegally married a divorcee with three children to avoid
being deported back to Scotland (he forgot to renew his visa). He later won a
green card in an immigration lottery.
CENTENNIAL/NBC/1978-79 - (Mini-series)
*(Richard Chamberlain) Alexander McKeag, Scottish trader living in the Rocky
Mountains during the late 18th century. This miniseries (aired from October 1978
through February 1979) was based on James A. Michener's novel Centennial that
chronicled the historical events revolving around a region of the Rocky
Mountains later to be called Centennial, Colorado. The earlier episodes set in
1795 told the story of French trapper Pasquinel (Robert Conrad) and Scottish
trader Alexander McKeag (Richard Chamberlain).
CHRISTY/CBS/1994-95
**(Stewart Finlay-McLennan) Dr. Neil MacNeil, a Scottish physician living in the
Appalachian community of Cutter Gap in the year 1912.
CIMARRON STRIP/CBS/1967-71
**(Percy Herbert) MacGregor, a frontier deputy of Scottish heritage who assisted
Marshal Jim Crown based in Cimarron City during the late 19th century.
DOCTOR FINLAY'S CASEBOOK/BBC/1962-71
*(Bill Simpson) Dr. Alan Finlay, a Scottish general practitioner working during
the 1920s in the village of Tannochbrae, Scotland with Andrew Cruickshank as the
crusty Dr. Cameron and Barbara Mullen as Janet the no- nonsense housekeeper. The
character was later revived in DR. FINLAY/SCOTTISH TV/1993-94) with Ian Bannen
as Dr. Cameron; Annette Crosbie as Janet the housekeeper; and David Rintoul as
Dr. Finlay who had just returned home from the Second World War.
ER/NBC/1994+
**(William H. Macy) Dr. David Morgenstern, a half-Jewish, half- "genuine
Highland Scots" physician working at Cook County General Hospital in Chicago. On
episode "True Lies" Morgenstern celebrates Robert Burns' birthday, a Scottish
tradition. EVENING SHADE/CBS/1990-94
**(Michael Jeter) Herman Stiles, a mousy, mustachioed mathematics teacher and
assistant coach for The Mules football team at Evening Shade High School in
Evening Shade, Arkansas. On the [4.07-93] episode "The Dance" Herman learns he
has Scottish ancestors.
HAMISH MACBETH/BBC/1995-97
*(Robert Carlyle) Hamish Macbeth, police constable for the small village of
Lochdubh in the West Scotland. His friends and acquaintances include Wee Jock,
his small Westie dog; Ralph Riach as TV John McKeever, Hamish’s close friend and
assistant; Shirley Henderson as Isobel Sutherland, the reporter for the Lochdubh
Listener; Valerie Gogan as novelist Alexandra MacLaine; Stuart McGugan and
Barbara Rafferty as Barney & Agnes Meldrum, the local pub owners; Duncan Duff as
Doc Brown, the village physician; Brian Pettifer as Rory Campbell, the grocery
shop owner; Agnes Lacey as Esme Murray, the town teacher and owner of the local
boarding house; Billy Ridoch and Stuart Davids as Lachie Snr and his son, Lacnie
Jnr, the town schemers; Major Peregrine MacLaine, landowner and Alexandra’s
father; Neil the Bus; Rory Calhoun; Neil Findlay; Flora, the town gossip; Zoot
MacPheron, a wealthy local; and the Clan MacLopez, the makers of illegal sherry
stills. The coastal village of Lochdubh seen on the series is actually the
Scottish Highlands village of Plockton. The Hamish Macbeth program was broadcast
in America on the BBC America channel. See also SPANISH - “The Clan MacLopez”
HEAD OF THE CLASS/ABC/1986-91
*(Billy Connolly) Billy MacGregor, a high-spirited American History teacher of
Scottish heritage working with the IHP (Individual Honors Program) students of a
New York High School. His lilting Scottish accent was extremely pleasing to hear
as he instructed his genius pupils. He taught his class from a personal
perspective seeing the American Revolutionaries as terrorists and Benedict
Arnold as a hero. Billy MacGregor was introduced during the 1990 season.
HEY, JEANNIE/CBS/1956-57/1960
*(Jeannie Carson) Jeannie MacLennan, a pretty, perky Scottish girl who relocated
to the U.S.A. The series dealt with her day-to-day problems in adjusting to
American life as she worked as a waitress in a New York donut shop. The series
was rerun on ABC as THE JEANNIE CARSON SHOW in 1960.
THE HIGHLANDER/SYN/1992-98
*(Adrian Paul) Duncan MacLeod, a 400-year-old immortal warrior born in the
Highland of Scotland in 1592. For centuries Duncan has been a warrior, a lover,
a wanderer. Constantly facing other immortals in combat to the death with holy
ground his only refuge. He cannot die unless you take his head and lift his
power. In the end there can be only one. May it be, Duncan MacLeod...THE
HIGHLANDER. Duncan first realized he was an immortal when he was mortally
wounded in battle and soon resurrected. His clan thought he was bewitched by the
devil and cast him out of their village. Duncan was thus forced to wander the
ages finding comfort in the arms of mortal women who to soon died in his arms
from tragedy or old age. The series was based on the 1986 feature film
Highlander starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. Lambert reprised
his role of immortal Connor MacLeod in the series pilot episode.
I LOVE LUCY/CBS/1951-57
*(Lucille Ball/costar) Lucy Ricardo, a zany redhead of Scottish descent and wife
of Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban bandleader who worked at the Tropicana Club in New
York City. Lucy once dreamed she was in Scotland (episode "Lucy Goes to
Scotland" broadcast 2/20/1956) and that her Clansmen had chosen to give her to a
two-headed dragon to appease its hunger and save the village. Lucy’s maiden name
is Lucille MacGillicuddy Also featured was Kathryn Card as Lucy's mother, Mrs.
MacGillicuddy (seen occasionally during the 1955-56 season).
MACGRUDER AND LOUD/ABC/1985
*(John Getz/costar) Malcolm MacGruder, Los Angeles police officer teamed with
officer Jenny Loud as they patrolled the streets of Southern California.
Secretly MacGruder and Loud were married and lived in separate apartments that
were connected by a revolving bookcase.
MacGYVER/ABC/1985-92
*(Richard Dean Anderson) Angus "Mac" MacGyver, a scientific genius who first
worked for Western Tech, then the U.S. government and finally for the Phoenix
Foundation. MacGyver shunned the use of firearms but rather used his fertile
imagination to get himself and others out of deadly situations. In his down time
MacGyver lived on a houseboat (until destroyed in 1991) and followed a strict
vegetarian diet. Others cast featured were Dalton James as MacGyver's son, Shawn
Angus Malloy, a photo-journalist (MacGyver first met his son on 4/25/92 episode
"The Stringer"); Lisa Savage as Kate Molloy, MacGyver's college photo-journalist
sweetheart killed in China, who bore "Mac" a son-Shawn-but never told him of the
fact); John Anderson as Mac's grandfather, Harry Jackson; Sean Wohland and Shawn
Donahue as MacGyver as a boy (in flashbacks); Phil Redrow and Martin Milner as
MacGyvers' father, James MacGyver (in flashbacks); and Sheila Moore as
MacGyver's mother Ellen MacGyver (in flashbacks). It wasn't until the last
season of the show that MacGuyver discovered he had a first name. Traveling back
to Medieval Scotland (in a dream sequence) MacGyver sees his name written in
flames on a castle wall. He was not amused at the revelation even after a maiden
remarked "Oh, It's a beautiful name."
THE MACKENZIES OF PARADISE COVE/ABC/1979
*(Shawn Stevens/costar) Kevin MacKenzie, one of a group of spirited orphans of
Scottish descent who were adopted by Cuda Weber, a fishing-boat operator in
Hawaii, when the kids' parents were lost at sea. Other cast included Lory Walsh
as Bridget Mackenzie; Sean Marshall as Michael Mackenzie; Randi Kiger as Celia
Mackenzie; and Keith Mitchell as Timothy Mackenzie.MACKENZIE'S RAIDERS/SYN/1958-59
*(Richard Carlson) Colonel Ronald S. Mackenzie, commander of the U.S. Fourth
Cavalry stationed at Fort Clark, Texas during the year 1873 who crossed the Rio
Grande under secret orders from President Grant and General Sheridan to hunt
down and subdue marauding Mexican bandits. The series was based on the real
military officer who was the focus of the book "The Mackenzie Raid" by Col.
Russell Reeder.
MAJOR DAD/CBS/1989-93
*(Gerald McRaney) Major John D. "Mac" MacGillis, conservative, by-the-book
Marine officer stationed at Camp Singleton in San Diego who fell in love and
married journalist Polly Cooper, a liberal widow with three children. Mac and
family later relocated to Camp Hollister, in Farlow, Virginia near Washington,
D.C.
MAYBE THIS TIME/ABC/1995
**(Craig Ferguson) Logan McDunna, a Scottish man working in a Pennsylvania
coffee shop and cafe.
MIAMI VICE/NBC/1984-89
**(Sheena Easton) Caitlin Davies, a Scottish Rock 'N Roll singer who fell in
love and married undercover policeman Sonny Crockett on the November 20th, 1987
episode. She was killed off later in the season.
MISTER ED/SYN/CBS/1961-66
*(Alan Young) Wilbur Post, an architect of Scottish descent who owned a talking
horse named Mister Ed. On episode No. 56, Alan Young played a dual role as
Wilbur Post and his father, a Scottish farmer. On the episode "Ed-a-Go-Go"
Wilbur plays his bagpipe.
MY THREE SONS/ABC/CBS/1960-72
*(Fred MacMurray) Steve Douglas, a widowed aerospace engineer of Scottish
ancestry. In 1972, Fred MacMurray played a dual role as his Scottish relative
Laird Fergus McBain, who was searching for a wife. The voice of McBain was
dubbed by actor Alan Caillou.
NASH BRIDGES/CBS/1996-2001
*(Don Johnson) Nash Bridges, a police detective of Scottish escent working for a
Special Investigation Unit in the city of San Francisco. On one episode, Nash
tells his parnter Joe that his is Scottish but qualifies that statement saying
"only half of a half" on his father's side. Nash's family includes his ex-wives
Stacey Bridges (Angela Dohman) and Lisa Bridges (Annette O'Toole), Nash's
16-year-old daughter Cassidy (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) and Nash's father, Nick (James
Gammon) who is suffering from Alzheimer's disesae. Nash's mother (now deceased)
was a librarian. One of Nash's relatives, Hagus Bridges, was a klutzy Constable
who works for the Glascow police. He traced the family tree back to Wallace
Bridges, in the days of Robert the Bruce. He vistied San Francisco on one
episode.
OUT ALL NIGHT/NBC/1992-93
**(Simon O’Brien) Angus McEwen, nutty Scottish student who lived in an Los
Angeles apartment building owned by a former black singer and night club owner.
PRIVATE SECRETARY/CBS/1953-57
*(Ann Sothern) Susan “Susie” McNamara, private secretary for the theatrical
agency International Artists, Inc. in New York City. Susie was born in Mumford
Indiana, her ancestors come from Scotland.
THE SIMPSONS/FOX/1989+
**(Cartoon Character) Willy, the red-bearded school groundskeeper/custodian for
Springfield Grammar School. He was born in North Kilttown, Scotland (conceived
on a pool table in a tavern owned by his parents) and spoke with a strong
Scottish accent. Willy once revisited his homeland on an expedition to find the
Loch Ness Monster. He's been deported four times.
SNOWY RIVER: THE MCGREGOR SAGA/FAM/1993-96
*(Andrew Clarke) Matt McGregor, head of the McGregor clan, Scottish immigrants
who settled the Australian frontier of the late 1800s. Living on the sprawling
Langara ranch, family members included Joshua Lucas as Luke McGregor; Brett
Climo as Colin McGregor; Guy Pearce as Rob McGregor; Jolene Crnogorac as Danni
McGregor and Sheryl Munks as Emily McGregor. The McGregor's nemesis was the
Blackwood family who owned a nearby ranch. The series is based on A. B. "Banjo"
Paterson's ballad "The Man from Snowy River" and the movies The Man from Snowy
River (1982) and Return to Snowy River (1988) aka The Man from Snowy River II
(1988). The series was filmed in Australia's Snowy River mountains.
STAR TREK/NBC/1966-69
*(James Doohan/costar) Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott, the dedicated chief
engineer aboard the Federation starship the USS Enterprise who spoke with a
pronounced Scottish accent. Beginning his engineering career in 2242, he served
aboard eleven ships including a stint as an engineering advisor on cargo ship
run to the planet Deneva. James Doohan reprised his role of Montgomery Scott in
the theatrical feature films STAR TREK: THE MOVIE, THE WRATH OF KHAN, SEARCH FOR
SPOCK, and THE VOYAGE HOME. The revival TV series STAR TREK: THE NEXT
GENERATION/SYN/1987-94 literally resurrected the Scotty on episode No. 130
"Relics" when Scotty's transporter pattern was found suspended (and still
active) 75 years after Scotty had beamed his 72 year old body into the machine
as a means of survival after his ship (the "Jenolen") had crash-landed on an
huge artificially constructed alien planetoid called a "Dyson Sphere." Before
his accident Scotty was in the process of relocating to the retirement community
at the Norpin Colony. After a brief interlude with the crew of the USS
Enterprise-D, Scotty set out for parts unknown in a shuttlecraft provided
through the courtesy of Captain Jean Luc Picard, the current Captain of the
Enterprise-D. During his days on the original USS Enterprise, Scotty was
famous for pushing the limits of the dilithium crystal controlled warp engines
to get the captain and crew out of danger just in the nick of time.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/SYN/1987-94
*(Gates McFadden/costar) Dr. Beverly Howard-Crusher, a chief medical officer of
Scottish descent working aboard the Starship Enterprise-D in the 24th century.
Later in the series Beverly visited the planet Kaldor (a recreation of the
Scottish culture) to finalized the estate of her Nana Howard, who had moved
there from earth years earlier. When she arrived she discovered that her Nana
and all of the Howard women had been possessed since 1647 Glascow by an 800 year
old ghost whose essence lived in a candle flame. The ghost was actually a
parasitic life-form who assumed the form of their lover and then lived off their
life energy through each generation. When the spirit tried to possess Beverly,
it was ultimately destroyed. Beverly's maiden name of Howard was first seen on a
biographical summary appearing on the ship's computer screen in the episode #114
"Conundrum" (Stardate 45494.2 First aired in 1992). Her character was named for
Merri Howard, the program's producer.
UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS/LWT/1970-75
*(Gordon Jackson) Angus Hudson, Scottish butler and consummate professional who
directed a group of London house servants working for the Bellamy family from
the years 1903 through the depression. The series was a contrasting study of
Edwardian life and its class structure dramatized through the upstairs lives of
the aristocratic Bellamy family and the downstairs lives of their servants. The
55 episode series were shown as part of Masterpiece Theatre on the PBS Network
in America.
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