Tributes to Scottish entertainer Logan

Jimmy Logan was a national legend

Tributes have been paid to veteran Scottish entertainer Jimmy Logan following his death from cancer at the age of 73.

Figures from the worlds of entertainment and politics have hailed him as a man of great talent and great courage.

Logan, real name James Short, passed away on Friday morning at the HCI medical centre in Clydebank, near Glasgow, after a battle against cancer of the oesophagus.

During his 65 years in show business, he was a theatre-owner, producer, director, actor-manager and the man who inspired Billy Connolly to turn his hand to stand-up comedy.

He was a generous man, not only in life but professionally too

Stanley Baxter

He became a national name while working on the BBC radio comedy It's All Yours with Stanley Baxter, who he also joined on stage in the long-running Five Past Eight show at the Alhambra Theatre in Glasgow.

The Scottish comic was one of the first to pay tribute to Logan, who he said would be "greatly missed".

"We were contemporaries and worked together on BBC's Its All Yours programme, through which we both became Scottish national names," he said.

"We became instant friends and remained great friends ever since.

"He was a generous man, not only in life but professionally too.

"He will be greatly missed by Scotland and greatly missed by me."

Henry McLeish: "A giant of his day"

Fellow entertainer Rikki Fulton said Logan, who received an OBE in 1996, was one of the big boys of Scottish theatre.

"He was one of the greatest, the most resilient man I have ever known," he said.

"He took some of the biggest blows his life threw at him and he always bounced back.

"Sadly the cancer was the one he couldn't beat."

Fulton first met Logan when he wrote material for him at the BBC in the 1950s and they had remained friends for almost half a century.

He added: "He was on the phone just the other day to ask how I was. That is the kind of man that he was."

'Loved by generation'

Scotland's politicians have also paid tribute to the entertainer.

First Minister Henry McLeish said: "Jimmy Logan was a legend in Scottish theatre - not just in music hall, where he was a giant of his day, but he was a very fine straight actor too.

"Jimmy Logan was loved by generations of Scots and by people with Scottish connections all over the world.

"He did a tremendous amount of work for charity, particularly for ex-service personnel being looked after at Erskine Hospital in Renfrewshire.

"He also did a great deal of work recently for cancer charities.

John Swinney: "He will be sorely missed"

"He was a man of great courage and great talent and he will be sadly missed."

Scottish National Party leader John Swinney said: "I am extremely saddened to hear that Jimmy Logan has passed away.

"He was a great Scot, and a world class entertainer.

"He carried himself with dignity during his brave battle against illness, and will be sorely missed by his many fans."

His agent Robert Pratt said: "Jimmy was much loved by everyone and will be sadly missed."

"Jimmy's wife Angela, sisters Annie and Heather and all the family would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone, friends and public alike, for their love support and generous wishes during this very difficult time."