▁ ▁Life ▁Born ▁Russell ▁Ell is ▁in ▁Glasgow , ▁Hunter ' s ▁child hood ▁was ▁spent ▁with ▁his ▁mat ernal ▁grand par ents ▁in ▁Lan ark shire , ▁until ▁returning ▁to ▁his ▁un emp loy ed ▁father ▁and ▁cleaner ▁mother ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 2 . ▁He ▁went ▁from ▁school ▁to ▁an ▁app rent ices hip ▁in ▁a ▁C ly de bank ▁ship yard . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁he ▁did ▁some ▁amateur ▁acting ▁for ▁the ▁Young ▁Commun ist ▁League ▁before ▁turning ▁professional ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁work ▁Under ▁the ▁stage ▁name ▁Russell ▁Hunter , ▁he ▁acted ▁at ▁Per th ▁Rep ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Glasgow ▁Unity ▁Theatre ▁ ▁also ▁performing ▁in ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁Edinburgh ▁Festival ▁Fr inge ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁in ▁The ▁Pl ough ▁and ▁the ▁Stars ▁by ▁Se án ▁O ' Case y , ▁was ▁a ▁com ed ian ▁in ▁summer ▁variety ▁shows ▁and ▁tou red ▁with ▁a ▁one - man ▁show . ▁ ▁Hunter ▁worked ▁in ▁re pert ory ▁theatre ▁and ▁Scottish ▁variety ▁before ▁making ▁his ▁film ▁debut ▁in ▁L illi ▁Mar l ene ▁( 1 9 5 0 ). ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁film ▁The ▁G orb als ▁Story , ▁which ▁featured ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Glasgow ▁Unity ▁Theatre ▁including ▁Arch ie ▁Dun can ▁and ▁Rod dy ▁Mc Mill an . ▁The ▁film ▁also ▁featured ▁Hunter ' s ▁first ▁wife , ▁Mar jor ie ▁Thom son . ▁He ▁followed ▁these ▁by ▁playing ▁a ▁pilot