Having a ball in the basement with legendary Chic Murray

SO you can imagine the photographer’s dilemma. He has been sent along to the Glasgow Empire in 1957 to photograph comedian Chic Murray.

Now Chic, by then a theatre star throughout Britain, had been photographed on many occasions, so our artist with the Leica had to think of something new. And there in the basement of the Empire was a Subbuteo or something similar type of football game.

Thus Chic is asked to kneel down beside the game, make his eyes go funny, and generally muck about for the camera.

Picture taken, all that was required was the photographer to write on the back when the print was produced: “Chic’s a footballer – table-top style. In leisure moments, Chic plays miniature soccer with stagehands in the basement.”

Now I did not know Chic Murray personally but, from what I’ve gleaned from people who did, Chic’s leisure time pursuits were more likely to be sinking a few wee goldies rather than sinking a plastic football into the corner of a net.

But it’s a nice picture. The newspaper was no doubt happy, and probably the photographer ended up buying Chic a half – I’m told it was rarely the other way round with Chic.

Copies of our archive photographs can be purchased by emailing photoenquiries@ heraldandtimes. co.uk or via our website www. thepicturedesk. co.uk