Pantomime and television legend Stanley Baxter left an estate worth nearly £3 million after his death. The Scottish actor and comedian passed away at the age of 99 in Denville Hall, a north London care home for entertainment figures, in December.
Estate Details and Will
Probate papers reveal that Baxter's estate amounted to £2,758,286 before being reduced to £2,691,693 after costs. A will signed in August 2020 allocated gifts totalling £540,000 to friends and family. He also generously rewarded the care home with £250,000, including a £10,000 fund to be shared among his carers.
Baxter stipulated that items from his career, including his BAFTA award, wigs, scripts, and costumes, should be gifted to his friends. Any remaining theatrical memorabilia was to be given to the Library of Showbusiness Books and Tapes. The remainder of his estate was ordered to be held in trust for family and friends, including a £30,000 legacy to his biographer Brian Beacom.
Final Farewell and Tributes
A plaque in his memory was unveiled at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow last month during an event where his ashes were scattered. Famous faces including actors Bill Paterson and Alex Norton gathered at St Marylebone Crematorium in London earlier this year, where Baxter made a surprise appearance via a pre-recorded video message. He said: 'I couldn't resist the lure of the microphone and the chance to offer this final performance.' The message added: 'Make the very most of the time you have. Because the cameras will be switched off before you know it.'
Career Highlights
Born in Glasgow in 1926, Baxter was one of the biggest stars on British television for several decades. He appeared in numerous hit series between the 1960s and 1980s and was known for his acting roles and pantomime performances. The BAFTA-winning actor became famous for his impressions of notable figures, including Queen Elizabeth II. The Stanley Baxter Show began on the BBC in 1963 and became a huge success, before he moved to LWT in 1973 with The Stanley Baxter Picture Show.
Baxter also featured in several films in the 1950s and 1960s, including Very Important Person, The Fast Lady, and Father Came Too! He received a lifetime achievement award at the British Comedy Awards and BAFTA Scotland gave him its Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award in December 2020.
Personal Life
The legendary performer came out as gay at the age of 94 in 2020, after 46 years of marriage to his wife Moira, who died in 1997. He said he had hidden the truth to avoid arrest in the years before decriminalisation. Baxter stated that his wife Moira was fully aware of the situation. The couple, who married in 1951, lived apart since the 1970s but remained close and never divorced. Moira died in 1997, and Baxter's long-term partner, Marcus, died in 2016.
Legacy and Tributes
Following his death, tributes poured in from across the entertainment world. BAFTA released a statement saying: 'We're saddened to hear that Scottish actor and comedian Stanley Baxter has died aged 99. Baxter starred in a string of TV comedy shows including the BAFTA-winning The Stanley Baxter Series and The Stanley Baxter Big Picture Show. He received an Outstanding Contribution to Film & Television award at the BAFTA Scotland Awards in 2020.'
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said: 'Very sorry to hear of the death of Stanley Baxter - a giant of Scottish entertainment. He brought incredible joy to generations. My sympathy to his family.'
Actor and voice artist David Holt, a friend of Baxter, said: 'Stanley was an inspiration to me and a whole generation of other actors and performers. His masterful stage craft, his extraordinary gift for characterisation, voices and mimicry, his brilliantly inventive comic mind, his high-camp humour, his even higher production standards, produced one of the most unique entertainers of his generation and he was the last of the greats: up there with the Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.'
