George Ian Kenneth Ireland (7 August 1945 – 31 July 2014) was a Scottish actor and theatre director. Ireland was best known to television viewers for his role in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV in the 1980s, and for playing Donald Stewart in Benidorm from 2007 until his death in 2014.
Early life and education George Ian Kenneth Ireland was born on 7 August 1945 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Career Ireland was prominent in Scottish theatre and spent ten years as director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. When he left the post in 2003 he criticised the Scottish arts establishment for providing "theatre on the cheap" and the Scottish Executive for putting plans for a National Theatre of Scotland on "the back burner". The National Theatre of Scotland was finally launched in 2006. He also appeared in an episode of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet as journalist Sid Payne. In some early TV appearances (e.g. the BBC's Five Red Herrings) he was credited as "Ian Ireland".
Ireland's directing credits include Guys & Dolls, A View from the Bridge, Romeo and Juliet, Phaedra, Macbeth, Lovers, The Anatomist, Clay Bull, Mother Courage, Much Ado About Nothing, Of Mice and Men, Private Lives, Oleanna, Sunset Song, The Silver Darlings, The Gowk Storm, Waiting for Godot, Dancing at Lughnasa, Oedipus Tyrannos and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
He also appeared in Acorn Antiques, the STV series Taggart, the 1983 film Local Hero, Dempsey and Makepeace episode "In the Dark", Series 2 of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, the 1990 series House of Cards as media tycoon Benjamin Landless starring alongside Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, and the David Leland film The Big Man with Liam Neeson. He was also in Heartbeat and made a brief appearance in the promo video for Tracey Ullman's "Sunglasses".
He appeared in the television series Benidorm as swinger Donald Stewart from 2007 until the end of series 6, that aired in early 2014. In June 2014, it was announced that he had brain cancer. His character did not appear in the seventh series of Benidorm in person but the character's voice was heard on a telephone call, with the voice over being provided by impressionist Alistair McGowan.
Death Ireland died of cancer on 31 July 2014, aged 68.
Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1972 The Hound of the Baskervilles Sir Henry Baskerville Television film 1980 Enemy at the Door German officer Heller 1 episode The Dogs of War Film crew member Feature film 1982 Moonlighting Timber man 1983 Local Hero Skipper 1984 The Young Visiters Alfred Salteena 1985–1987 Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV Derek 9 episodes 1986 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Sid Payne 1 episode1987 Life Without George Sammy 6 episodes City Lights Bank Rober A Hazard of Hearts Padlett Television film1988 Salome's Last Dance 1st soldier Feature film Drowning by Numbers Jonah Bognor 1989 Hard Cases Slow Michael Resurrected Denzil Clausen Feature film1990 The Big Man Tony Drop the Dead Donkey Sound man Rab C. Nesbitt Gavin Clark House of Cards Ben Landless 1991 Spatz Johnnie 4 Play Sammy Duncan 1992 El C.I.D. Angus 1993 Punch Drunk Vinnie Binns 6 episodes 1997 Hamish Macbeth Torquil McFarquar 1999 Taggart Kenny Murdoch Loose Women Himself 2003 Monarch of the Glen Mike Baxter My Dad's the Prime Minister Union leader 2004 Heartbeat Zeph Pratt 2005 Casualty Joshua Wright New Tricks George Morton Rose and Maloney Mr. Hawkins the prison officer 2007–2014 Benidorm Donald Stewart Series regular, 42 episodes (Series 1–6) 2009 Beyond a Joke Himself 2011 All Star Family Fortunes Benidorm vs. The Only Way is Essex2012This MorningInterview Doctors Godfrey Lang Midsomer Murders George Dormer
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