Fulton Mackay was one of Scotland's most versatile and best-loved character actors. From 1949 he was a member of the Citizens Theatre Company where he worked with Duncan Macrae and Stanley Baxter. His career on stage and in film and television was cemented by his work as a playwright for BBC Scotland. The comic menace that was prison officer Mr Mackay in the 1970s comedy series Porridge, was his most popular television role. Forrest's head of Mackay is a personal tribute, although the sculptor referred to it as 'not an easy likeness', without the ‘Porridge’ moustache. Mackay, fascinated by the technical and creative processes of the visual arts, liked the bust and believed it showed his femininity.