Ireland lost one of its most iconic and well-loved actors yesterday with the passing of Frank Kelly, coincidentally on the same day as Father Ted co-star Dermot Morgan’s 18th anniversary.
Fans and co-stars have been paying tribute to a man whose career spanned several decades and encompassed all forms of entertainment from satire to music, to serious acting roles.
His Father Ted co-star Pauline McGlynn aka Mrs. Doyle joined Anton Savage this morning on his radio show to give an emotional tribute to the consummate entertainer.
She described him as someone who could try his hand at anything: “He could do it all in a way that actors of later generations just don’t do it.”
It sounded like he really knew how to get in character, as McGlynn laughed about how he used to fall asleep during rehearsals because of how few lines he had, and his apparent penchant for filthy limericks which were deemed too blue to repeat on daytime radio.
He was a family man first and foremost, and McGlynn became highly emotional on air: “He worked so hard to give his large family the best ever life… He was rare.”
You can listen to the poignant interview below:
Lead image via Nelle Illustrations
