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Paddy Higson

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Paddy Higson
Born
Patricia Anne Frew

(1941-06-02)2 June 1941
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died (aged 83)
OccupationFilm producer
Notable workGregory's Girl

Patricia Anne "Paddy" Higson (nee Frew, 2 June 1941 – 13 April 2025)[1] was a Scottish producer of film and television. She is known for her work with Bill Forsyth, including the films That Sinking Feeling and Gregory's Girl.

Early life

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Patricia Anne Frew was born on 2 June 1941 in Belfast, Northern Ireland while her father was briefly stationed there while he served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War. The family returned to Scotland and she grew up in Glasgow where she was educated at Laurel Bank School.[2] After leaving school, she spent some time in France.[3]

Career

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She began her career at the BBC in the 1970s as a production secretary.[4] She met editor Patrick Higson there, and through the Films of Scotland Committee they became involved in making documentary films together.[5] With Paddy now married to Patrick, he left the BBC in 1970 and set up a film company with Murray Grigor that they named Viz. A New Zealand costume drama series The Mackenzie Affair had scenes to be filmed on location in Scotland and when Viz were asked to support she spent five weeks in Ullapool with a crew of 40 people.[3] She was production assistant on a documentary Blow by Blow which followed the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band who were former World Champions.[6] It showed on television in 1977.[7] In 1982 she made a film about the A9 road that runs for more than 250 miles from Central Scotland to the Highlands.[8][9]

She was associate producer and production manager on Bill Forsyth's first feature film That Sinking Feeling which was released in 1979. It was made with a low budget with funding raised in Scotland and using youth theatre actors.[10] She was producer for Charles Gormley's romantic comedy film Living Apart Together[5][11] She was associate producer on Forsyth's comedy film Comfort and Joy which was released in 1984.[12] In July 1984 Thorn EMI suggested her as associate producer for the adventure comedy film Restless Natives which would cost £1.25 million to make.[3] She was producer for The Girl in the Picture which starred John Gordon Sinclair and was released in 1985 after being shot entirely in Glasgow's West End on a budget of only £850,000.[3][13][14] She worked as producer on the film Orphans (1988) which was Peter Mullan's debut as director. She worked with Mullen again on The Magdalene Sisters as executive producer,[4] with daughter Frances Higson the producer.[15] She was the producer for Silent Scream which was David Hayman's first feature film as a director, released in 1990.[16] Actor Iain Glen won a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the film itself won a Special Jury prize.[17] She was production mentor for the short drama The Groundsman.[18]

Higson was involved in the production of many television series, such as working for two series on the Scottish television crime drama Taggart and Jed Mercurio's Cardiac Arrest (1994–1996).[19] She produced the political thriller Brond which aired in 1987, with John Hannah selected for his first role and Michael Caton-Jones directing.[14][20] Other television series that she has worked on include: an episode of The Play on One that aired in 1990,[21] Life Support,[22] Monarch of the Glen[5] and Nice Guy Eddie.[23]

Higson founded the film and television production company Antonine Productions, in 1983 with her late husband, Patrick.[24] When a lack of funding became apparent in 1991, the company was wound up.[25] Antonine Films was set up by Higson and her daughter Frances in 1991[25] and wound up in 2001.[26] Higson joined BBC Scotland again in 1990 on a one-year contract.[27]

Higson ran the Black Cat Studios in Parkhead, purchasing a former cinema and operating the space for a range of film and television productions.[3][28][29] The studios were used for Channel 4's first show broadcast live from Scotland Halfway to Paradise.[30][31]

Higson joined Scottish film charity Glasgow Media Access Centre (GMAC Film) in 2014 as a member of the governing board, and took up the position of chief executive officer in 2019 which she held until her retirement in 2022.[4] The charity made her their first patron.[32] She was recognised to have given chances to some emerging talents.[13][33]

Personal life and death

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She married Patrick Higson in 1965 and they had three children; he died in 1983.[11][34] She married Graham Harper in 1984, although this marriage only lasted a few years.[2][3][11]

On 13 April 2025, Higson died of cancer, at the age of 83.[2][4][35]

Honours and awards

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In July 2007, Higson received an honorary degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD).[36] Higson received a Scottish BAFTA for her outstanding contribution to the Scottish film industry in 2018.[37] She was presented with the BAFTA Scotland Award by David Hayman who described her as the "mother of the Scottish film industry".[19] She declined the offer of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to the Film and Television Industry and to Diversity and Inclusion in Film and Television.[38][11]

References

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  1. ^ Paddy Higson obituary, Ryan Gilbert, published in the Guardian, 24 April 2025
  2. ^ a b c "Paddy Higson obituary: producer known as 'mother of Scottish film'". The Times. 17 April 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Russell, William (8 March 1986). "The Woman in the picture". The Glasgow Herald. p. 7. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Dalton, Ben (15 April 2025). "Scottish producer Paddy Higson, collaborator of Bill Forsyth and Peter Mullan, dies aged 83". screendaily.com. Screen International. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Weir, Douglas (17 April 2025). "Paddy Higson obituary: A pioneering, prolific producer of Scottish film and TV". British Film Institute. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Blow by Blow with the Strathclyde Police Band. 1976". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Television Radio. STV". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1977. p. 26. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  8. ^ Jamieson, Teddy (15 May 2022). "The A9: The tarmac spine of Scotland". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  9. ^ "A9 highland highway. 1982". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  10. ^ "That Sinking Feeling". The Herald Magazine. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d Cooper, Neil (19 April 2025). "Producer known as 'mother of Scottish film industry' dies". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Comfort and Joy (1984 film)". Screenonline. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Paddy the Godmother". Evening Times. 27 June 1986. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  14. ^ a b Young, Andrew (17 April 1987). "Glasgow setting for political thriller". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  15. ^ "Film focusing on abuse in convent wins prestigious accolade for Scottish actor-director Mullan 's golden day in Venice". the Herald. 9 September 2002. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  16. ^ 'Silent Scream' Q&A with director David Hayman. Glasgow Film Theatre. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  17. ^ "The Scream machine". The Evening Times. 8 March 1990. p. 8. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  18. ^ The Groundsman. vimeo.com. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Paddy Higson on her trailblazing career in the Scottish screen industry". gmacfilm.com. October 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  20. ^ Docherty, Gavin (9 November 1987). "Bookie's runner". The Evening Times. p. 14. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  21. ^ "The Play on One: Separation. BBC One. Thu 23rd Aug 1990, 21:30 on BBC One London". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  22. ^ "Life Support: Where Angels Fear to Tread. BBC One. Mon 19th Jul 1999, 21:30 on BBC One London". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  23. ^ "Nice Guy Eddie. BBC One. Sun 30th Jun 2002, 21:00 on BBC One London". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  24. ^ Long, Rosemary (3 January 1987). "The Lady in the Picture". Evening Times. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  25. ^ a b "Antonine Productions (Film Production Company)". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  26. ^ McLean, Jim (6 April 2001). "Time now for the final credits to roll". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Higson joins BBC Scotland". The Glasgow Herald. 26 January 1990. p. 45. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  28. ^ "Subfonds GKC/BCS - Black Cat Studios, Springfield Road, Parkhead, Glasgow". Glasgow School of Art. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  29. ^ Young, Andrew (7 July 1987). "£100,000 package keeps the film cameras rolling". The Glasgow Herald. p. 7. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  30. ^ Moir, Jan (25 November 1988). "Its simply paradise". Evening Times. p. 15. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  31. ^ Young, Andrew (8 August 1989). "Electronics wizard in forefront of revolution in broadcasting". The Glasgow Herald. p. 30. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  32. ^ "Pioneer in Scottish film industry, Paddy Higson, becomes first Patron of GMAC Film". gmacfilm.com. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  33. ^ Russell, William (14 October 1986). "Film fund that puts you in the picture". The Glasgow Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  34. ^ "Births, Engagements, Marriages Deaths > Deaths". The Glasgow Herald. 11 August 1983. p. 2. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  35. ^ Gilbey, Ryan (24 April 2025). "Paddy Higson obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  36. ^ "Princess picks up uni honour". glasgowtimes.co.uk. 4 July 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  37. ^ "Alan Cumming to receive Outstanding Contribution Bafta". STV News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  38. ^ "In full: All the Scots honoured in New Year Honours List". 30 December 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
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