PHIL McCall, the veteran Scots actor, was found hanged at his home yesterday.
The star, who played Tosh McKellan in BBC's Monarch of the Glen series, was discovered by his wife, Katherine.
The 76-year-old, who lived in the south side of Glasgow, is probably best known for his appearances in television adverts for Knorr stock cubes.
His catchphrase, ''Pea and ham soup from a chicken, now that's clever'', became famous when the commercials were broadcast in the early 1980s. He also appeared in the critically acclaimed film Breaking the Waves, as well as Minder, Taggart and Lynda La Plante's Trial and Retribution.
As well as a huge catalogue of television work, McCall was a favourite of the stage, particularly in Glasgow. His name is ranked high in the list of old- time showmen and panto stalwarts such as Stanley Baxter, Jack Milroy, Rikki Fulton, Jimmy Logan, Johnnie Beattie and Walter Carr.
McCall and his wife, a television and theatre director, both served as head of Scottish Equity. He was chairman for 17 years.
He had been married to Mrs McCall, who founded the Alive and Kicking project in Springburn presenting concert parties for senior citizens around Glasgow, for 44 years.
Making his early appearances at Greyfriars Drama Club in the Gorbals, which also spawned others such as Joseph Brady, Leo McGuire and Frank Wylie, he was also a friend of Mark McManus, the late star of Taggart, and the two worked together raising funds for charity.
The McCalls' son, Nick, was a child actor and went on to become a theatre sound and lighting designer.
In Monarch of the Glen, McCall played the cantankerous old man who had returned to Glenbogle to reclaim his cottage.
In 1997 he joined Gregor Fisher, Juliet Cadzow, Blythe Duff and William McIlvanney in a public protest in an effort to save the threatened Wildcat Theatre.
A spokeswoman for BBC Scotland said last night: ''We are terribly saddened by the news and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time.''
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said his body was discovered just after 4.30pm.
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