A good night in DAVE ANDERSON actor/musician

After spending five years with 7:84, Dave was to spend the next two decades with the Wildcat Theatre Company. Film and television appearances include Gregory's father in Gregory's Girl and the urbane bank manager in television's City Lights. Later this year, we will see him on our screens in Monarch of the Glen and ''yet another'' Taggart.

Come the new year, Dave is on tour with his homage to Hoagy Carmichael which premiered at this year's West End Festival in Glasgow. The show features 26 songs from the man Anderson describes as having an astonishing piano technique. ''The first time I heard him, I thought, 'how many hands does this man have?'. I can't play like him but at least I can put across the flavour of his work.''

It goes without saying that the piano takes pride of place in Dave's north Glasgow flat where he lives with wife Tina. Their son Davey, a musician, writer and actor,is set to musically direct the panto at the Tron Theatre.

HEATHER MACLEOD

What kind of property do you live in and how long have you been there?

For the past five years, we've lived in a two-bedroom top floor flat in a traditional red sandstone tenement on the edge of the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow.

What attracted you to it?

The light. It's big, airy and south-facing with an enormous corner window overlooking the park. At the moment, because the leaves are falling, we can see and hear the river.

What was your previous home?

A Victorian terraced house in Kelvinside, close to where Donald Dewar had a home.

Have you made any alterations?

Not really. It was painted in neutral colours to maximise the light. Tina has a great gift for interior design and I bow to her superior aesthetic values. She's really good at finding paintings and other bits and pieces, usually junk shops finds. She likes to keep things fairly minimalist, not too much clutter. I feel the same but I do have a tendency to collect clutter quickly, even although I don't like it.

Do you have a favourite room?

The living room, because when you walk through the door, the light from all four sides of the bay window just hits you. Although we have two large sofas, I tend to sit where I always do, on the floor.

Where and how do you entertain?

As we have a sizeable dining kitchen, we would eat there and then slouch around the living room. I think we got the kitchen table from Backstreet Pine or somewhere similar.

Have you treated your home to anything special lately?

A Van Gogh print. Don't ask me the name of it but it's a street scene which Tina liked and we bought it on her birthday.

Do you have a favourite ornament or piece of furniture?

Probably some AC Lillie prints of Springburn before they pulled it down. I believe he did hundreds of drawings and took time to produce around two dozen paintings. They are very animated and not dissimilar to LS Lowry's work. I got the prints when I was invited to open an exhibition of his work.

Is there anything in the house you couldn't live without?

The piano, which was given to us by Tina's grandmother. It is made of walnut and was rehabbed in the 1930s with a new case.

Any design disasters?

Just an ugly fireplace which we have covered over with a bookcase and not bothered to take out.

Your next home project?

That fireplace.

Do you have a fantasy home?

When I worked on a cruise ship, we used to pass through Ville Franche which is halfway between Nice and Monaco and has the most spectacular shingle beach. I would like a wee old house there, not too high up the hill.

What is your idea of a good night in?

Dinner with my son Davey and his partner Clem. If Alex Norton's in town we would ask him round too as he would bring some sushi which would take care of the starter. Tina is a fabulous cook so she would do the main course which would probably be fish. I'm a terrible cook. I do try manfully but that is probably why I am such a dreadful cook. We would drink dry white wine and the music would mostly be live.