Mr Mackay
Encyclopedia
Mr. Mackay was a character in the popular BBC
sitcom Porridge, played by Fulton Mackay
.
Mackay is a neurotic and tough prison warder whose constant obsession in life is to catch out Fletcher
. The rivalry between Fletch and Mackay was a thing of comedy
legend. Fletch's sly tactics in misdeeds ranging from fixing boxing matches, stealing pills from the prison doctor
and eggs from the prison farmyard right through to finding new and imaginative ways to stick two fingers up at Mackay and get away with it, were specially designed to get up Mackay's nose. In return, Mackay's frenzied attempts to catch Fletch out, when fruitful, gave Mackay a level of smugness and satisfaction which was only accentuated by Fletch's hostility and skulking.
Mackay was born into a poor family, he was one of 8 children and his father was an unemployed miner. MacKay was formerly a drill sergeant
in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
, and he brings the same manner and expectations of discipline to his job at HMP Slade. Mackay's temper is agitated by the constant suspicion he has of Fletch, and his despair at the leniency of his other polar opposite in the series - his optimistic, mild-mannered, kind-hearted prison officer colleague Mr Barrowclough
.
Mackay's homeland of Scotland
serves as a constant source of entertainment for Fletcher who is constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to antagonise Mackay. In one episode Mackay questions Fletch on whether he felt he was working class. Fletch responds 'I did, until I visited Glasgow. Now I think I'm middle class.'
Mackay's approach to prison officership is perfectly encapsulated in a ranting lecture he delivers to Fletcher and some of the other prisoners on his unexpected return from a period of absence on a training course in the episode, 'Disturbing the Peace.' Strutting back and forth in front of them, he takes great delight in yelling that "There's going to be a new regime here, based not on lenience and laxity but on discipline, hard work and blind, unquestioning obedience. Feet will not touch the floor. Lives will be made a misery. I am back, and I am in charge here." Despite this speech, every single inmate, including Fletch and Godber greet his return with a rendition of For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
. Possibly because it meant the end of the much more severe Mr. Wainwright, who even went as far as stepping on Fletcher's hand when he got his shoes wet.
He also displays his contempt for the prison occupants in an exchange with Fletcher when the latter protests about the infringement of his rights: "rights are a privilege that you forfeit when you choose to transgress the law".
On another occasion he remonstrates with Barrowclough.
Mackay: "They're criminals, man!"
Barrowclough: "Ah yes but they're also human beings."
Mackay: "All right. But criminal human beings!
Despite their rivalry, Fletcher and Mackay can occasionally get along. This is seen in the Christmas special "No Way Out," after Fletcher, while attempting to reveal a false tunnel to Mr. Mackay when the inmates were planning an escape, landed up in the infirmary. A triumphant and tipsy Mackay visits him there and offers Fletcher a (slightly used) bottle of liquor as a Christmas present, and for information regarding the disposal of the dirt from the tunnel. Fletcher responds by informing Mackay the inmates had dug another tunnel and deposited the dirt from the first tunnel down that one!
He appeared in the first episode of spin-off series Going Straight
, having been retired out of the prison service. He and Fletcher share a few drinks on the Fletcher's train home, and although dismissive of Fletcher's plans to go straight, wishes him luck in the future after he gets him out of unknowingly smuggling goods.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom Porridge, played by Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:...
.
Mackay is a neurotic and tough prison warder whose constant obsession in life is to catch out Fletcher
Norman Stanley Fletcher
Norman Stanley "Fletch" Fletcher is the main character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, and the less-successful spin-off, Going Straight...
. The rivalry between Fletch and Mackay was a thing of comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
legend. Fletch's sly tactics in misdeeds ranging from fixing boxing matches, stealing pills from the prison doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and eggs from the prison farmyard right through to finding new and imaginative ways to stick two fingers up at Mackay and get away with it, were specially designed to get up Mackay's nose. In return, Mackay's frenzied attempts to catch Fletch out, when fruitful, gave Mackay a level of smugness and satisfaction which was only accentuated by Fletch's hostility and skulking.
Mackay was born into a poor family, he was one of 8 children and his father was an unemployed miner. MacKay was formerly a drill sergeant
Drill instructor
A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
, and he brings the same manner and expectations of discipline to his job at HMP Slade. Mackay's temper is agitated by the constant suspicion he has of Fletch, and his despair at the leniency of his other polar opposite in the series - his optimistic, mild-mannered, kind-hearted prison officer colleague Mr Barrowclough
Mr Barrowclough
Mr Barrowclough was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by the late Brian Wilde.Henry Barrowclough is a prison warder...
.
Mackay's homeland of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
serves as a constant source of entertainment for Fletcher who is constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to antagonise Mackay. In one episode Mackay questions Fletch on whether he felt he was working class. Fletch responds 'I did, until I visited Glasgow. Now I think I'm middle class.'
Mackay's approach to prison officership is perfectly encapsulated in a ranting lecture he delivers to Fletcher and some of the other prisoners on his unexpected return from a period of absence on a training course in the episode, 'Disturbing the Peace.' Strutting back and forth in front of them, he takes great delight in yelling that "There's going to be a new regime here, based not on lenience and laxity but on discipline, hard work and blind, unquestioning obedience. Feet will not touch the floor. Lives will be made a misery. I am back, and I am in charge here." Despite this speech, every single inmate, including Fletch and Godber greet his return with a rendition of For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre...
. Possibly because it meant the end of the much more severe Mr. Wainwright, who even went as far as stepping on Fletcher's hand when he got his shoes wet.
He also displays his contempt for the prison occupants in an exchange with Fletcher when the latter protests about the infringement of his rights: "rights are a privilege that you forfeit when you choose to transgress the law".
On another occasion he remonstrates with Barrowclough.
Mackay: "They're criminals, man!"
Barrowclough: "Ah yes but they're also human beings."
Mackay: "All right. But criminal human beings!
Despite their rivalry, Fletcher and Mackay can occasionally get along. This is seen in the Christmas special "No Way Out," after Fletcher, while attempting to reveal a false tunnel to Mr. Mackay when the inmates were planning an escape, landed up in the infirmary. A triumphant and tipsy Mackay visits him there and offers Fletcher a (slightly used) bottle of liquor as a Christmas present, and for information regarding the disposal of the dirt from the tunnel. Fletcher responds by informing Mackay the inmates had dug another tunnel and deposited the dirt from the first tunnel down that one!
He appeared in the first episode of spin-off series Going Straight
Going Straight
Going Straight is a BBC sitcom which was a direct spin-off from Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, newly released from the fictional Slade Prison where the earlier series had been set....
, having been retired out of the prison service. He and Fletcher share a few drinks on the Fletcher's train home, and although dismissive of Fletcher's plans to go straight, wishes him luck in the future after he gets him out of unknowingly smuggling goods.