Tributes after Still Game actor Jake D'Arcy dies

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32943015

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The cast of Still Game has led tributes to actor Jake D'Arcy, who has died.

The Scot was best known for his role as Pete the Jakey in the BBC Scotland sitcom, and for playing the awkward PE teacher in the film Gregory's Girl.

He also starred in a string of Scottish productions including Rac C Nesbitt, Tutti Frutti and Taggart.

Still Game actor and writer Greg Hempill said Mr D'Arcy would be "hugely missed".

Scots celebrities took to Twitter to pay tribute to the actor, whose career stretched back to the early 1970s.

Mr Hemphill, who co-writes Still Game with Ford Kiernan and plays Victor in the show, said: "Jake will be hugely missed. Laughs came so easily for him. We were lucky to have him in our show.

"The Craiglang streets won't be the same."

Gavin Mitchell, who plays Boabby in the show, tweeted: "Such sad news to hear of the passing of Jake D'Arcy today. Great actor, lovely man and one of our own. RIP."

Taggart actor Coin McCredie tweeted: "I grew up watching Jake D'Arcy & had the pleasure to work with him many times #ripjake."

One of Mr D'Arcy's best-loved roles was in the 1981 Bill Forsyth film Gregory's Girl, where he played teacher and football coach Phil Menzies, who struggles to accept that his star player, played by Dee Hepburn, is a girl.

Although he was best known for his comedy roles, Mr D'Arcy also played a number of more serious parts, including Robbie in A Sense of Freedom, John Mackenzie's 1979 film about Glasgow gangster-turned-sculptor Jimmy Boyle, which also starred David Hayman.