Clem Ashby

Clem was first an foremost a jobbing actor, and was (relatively) well known to Scottish audiences due to his regular appearance in supporting roles. His career began with five years with the Old Vic Company, followed by seasons with Repertory Companies, including Oxford, Worthing and Colchester, interspersed with West End productions. He then joined Perth Rep. in Scotland, during which time he started working with comedians: every summer in revue, and every winter in Perth in straight plays. A regular performer in the ensemble variety show 'Half Past Seven' & 'Five Past Eight' these shows visited Glasgow, Edinburgh & Aberdeen on a recurring basis. He was comic feed to Scottish comedian Harry Gordon, then worked with Rikki Fulton for 17 years. Additionally, he was also feed to Bruce Forsyth, Des O'Connor, Reg Varney and Dickie Henderson. He also appeared on the Billy Cotton TV show in the 1960s. In the 1970's he became a continuity announcer for Glasgow-based Scottish Television, and often appeared 'in vision' to introduce forthcoming shows and provide live voice-overs for single-caption commercials during the advertising breaks. Clem's father (whom he was named after, although his father was known within the family as "Coney"), was a professional soldier, whilst his mother Ethel (Miles) was a housewife. Neither were connected with stage or screen. Whilst bespectacled Clem would be the first to admit he lacked the rugged and handsome features of his on-air contemporaries, the vogue for in-vision continuity announcers lessened, and whilst his face no longer graced the screen, he was well known for providing an upbeat close-down messages (in those days, TV stations ceased broadcasting around midnight, and the transmitters were actually turned off until the following day!). Clem made this part of the close down his own, bidding a special goodnight to those who lived alone, and reminding them to switch-off and unplug their television sets. In the 1980s Scottish Television ended his contract - preferring younger (and prettier) on-screen personnel. This change affected Ashby considerably, and actor Rikki Fulton noted in his autobiography how he attempted to take Ashby out of this enforced retirement and get him to 'tread the boards' once more. With no Autocue available, Ashby's lines were bound into a book that he would use as a prop and he could refer to it should he be uncertain of his lines. Later, Fulton explained that he usually collected Clem from his Glasgow apartment for the daily trip to Edinburgh, but one morning did not appear as arranged. On eventually forcing entry at 3pm to Ashby's Cleveden Drive flat, he was found dead on the floor. His daughter Jane married Tony Bennett, in Hobart, Tasmania, and they had three children; his son Nicholas married Margaret Black in Perth, Scotland, with one son.