Jane McCarry explained

Jane McCarry
Birth Date:1970 5, df=y
Birth Place:Glasgow, Scotland
Yearsactive:1990–present
Education:Queen Margaret University
Children:2
Notable Works:Still Game
Me Too

Jane McCarry (born 3 May 1970) is a Scottish actress and teacher. She is best known for her roles as Isa Drennan in the BBC Scotland sitcom Still Game (2002–2007, 2016–2019), and as Granny Murray in the CBeebies show Me Too! (2006–2007). She trained as an actor at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University School of Drama.

Career

Beginning in 2006, McCarry appeared in the children's programme, Me Too! as the middle-aged childminder, Granny Murray. Similar to the already popular Balamory, the show revolved around McCarry's character working as a nanny who educates children as to what parents may be doing during the workday. The character of Granny Murray provides a kernel of wisdom in each episode that "saves the day" for one of the parents off at work.

McCarry also starred in Rab C Nesbitt, playing Andra's wife in the series eight episode, "Bug" and a nurse in the series 4 episode "Buckfast".

McCarry worked as an actor with the Baldy Bane Theatre Co Glasgow. She appears occasionally in plays at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.

McCarry taught drama at Shawlands Academy and St Pauls High School (Pollok) for three years. She also used to teach at St Andrews RC Secondary School in Glasgow's East End as well as Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu.

In 2012, Jane appeared in The Steamie at the King's Theatre, Glasgow.[1]

McCarry joined the rest of the cast of the multi BAFTA Scotland award-winning Still Game in 2014 at the comeback live show at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow. There were 21 performances of the sell-out show.[2]

In 2016, she reprised her role of Isa in the new series of Still Game, recommissioned by the BBC after the stage show's success.[3]

In 2018, McCarry appeared in Nativity! The Musical while it toured to The Kings Theatre, Glasgow.[4] [5]

Personal life

McCarry is an only child[6] and was raised in the King's Park area of south Glasgow.[7] [8] She has two children (Iain and Alexander) with her former husband, Robert Gibson[9] [10] [6] [7] who is from nearby Rutherglen;[11] she has stated that she based aspects of her Isa character upon observations of the town's residents going about their lives.[8]

Filmography

!Year!TItle!Role!Notes
1994The Tales of Para HandyFloraEpisode: "A Night Alarm"
1994–2014Rab C. NesbittSergeant Heenan / Nurse / Babette4 episodes
1995–1996Pulp VideoVarious
1997The Baldy ManNurse2 episodes
1998–2001HububbVarious7 episodes
2002–2007, 2016–2019Still GameIsa Drennan
2006–2007Me Too!Granny Murray
2020Nothing to DelcareAnne2 episodes
2022The Devil's HourBella Holness

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jane McCarry shows she's still game for Steamie role. Kirsty. Topping. Deadline. 19 March 2012. 30 November 2017.
  2. News: Still Game pulls in £6million from 21 sell-out shows. John. Dingwall. Daily Record. 11 October 2014.
  3. News: BBC comedy Still Game to return for new series. 12 May 2016. BBC News.
  4. Web site: Wild . Stephi . Jane McCarry Joins the Cast of NATIVITY! The Musical . 2023-08-02 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
  5. Web site: Glasgow . What's On . Jane McCarry in Nativity! The Musical News . 2023-08-02 . What's On Glasgow . en.
  6. News: Still Game's Isa on life as a 'sandwich carer'. Stephen. Brocklehurst. BBC News. 20 September 2017. 30 November 2017.
  7. News: Still Game actress Jane McGarry on playing Isa. Kenny . Smith. . 10 February 2010. 30 November 2017.
  8. News: Still Game star Jane McCarry gets quizzed by young look-a-likes when she visits Burnside Primary. Jonathan . Geddes. Daily Record / Rutherglen Reformer . 5 October 2016. 30 November 2017.
  9. News: Scotsman.com . Granny shows us how . Edinburgh . Gareth . Edwards . 13 October 2006 . 7 March 2018.
  10. Web site: Jane McCarry on the secrets behind her Still Game role. 29 December 2020. The Herald. 25 March 2019 . Glasgow. en.
  11. News: Ibiza trip changed Still Game star Jane McCarry's life forever. Sunday Post. 17 November 2014. 30 November 2017.