Brian MacKinnon (student)

Last updated

Brian Lachlan MacKinnon (born 3 June, 1963) [1] is a Scottish impostor who gained notoriety by returning to his former school by posing as a teenager when he was 30 years old. [2]

Contents

Early Life

McKinnon was born in Glasgow to working class parents; his father was a lollipop man and his mother worked at a care home. He originally attended Bearsden Academy from 1974 to 1980, [3] then went on to study medicine at University of Glasgow. He left after failing exams due to an illness. [4] He then returned to Bearsden and found work as a janitor at a health club. [5]

Imposture

Using the name Brandon Lee, McKinnon reenrolled at Bearsden Academy as a fifth year student in 1993, claiming to be a sixteen year old Canadian. [2] He said that he moved to Scotland to live with his grandmother after his mother, an opera singer, died in a car crash. [5]

MacKinnon became popular with his classmates. [2] He portrayed Lieutenant Joe Cable in the school’s production of South Pacific . [6] He earned five As in his Higher Grade examinations and was accepted at University of Dundee to study medicine. [7]

McKinnon was exposed as a fraud by an anonymous phone call to education authorities and newspapers. [2] He was consequently expelled from University of Dundee. [7]

Media

McKinnon is the author of two autobiographies: the first, entitled Margin Walker, he published on the internet in the late 90s; the second, entitled Rhesus Negative was published by Austin Macauley Publishers in 2016. [8]

In the late 90s, a movie based on MacKinnon’s life was in development. It was to be entitled Younger Than Springtime, starring and directed by Alan Cumming, but it never materialized. [9]

A documentary entitled My Old School , directed by MacKinnon’s former classmate Jono McLeod, was released in 2022. MacKinnon agree to be interviewed for the documentary, but refused to appear on camera. Alan Cumming portrayed McKinnon, lip syncing his audio interview. [10]

As of 2022, MacKinnon is reportedly developing a sitcom based on his life story. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Teenagers</span> American doo wop group

The Teenagers were an American music group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead singer, is also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Cumming</span> Scottish actor (born 1965)

Alan Cumming is a Scottish actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, two Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and an Olivier Award. He received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for the West End production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1991). His other Olivier-nominated roles were in The Conquest of the South Pole (1988), La Bête (1992), and Cabaret (1994). Cumming won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for reprising his role as the Emcee on Broadway in Cabaret (1998). His other performances on Broadway include Design for Living (2001), and Macbeth (2013).

Alan Reid is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician who has been a councillor in the East Dunbartonshire ward of Bearsden North since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearsden</span> Town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland

Bearsden is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately six miles from the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Santiago</span> Puerto Rican singer

Herman Santiago is a Puerto Rican rock and roll pioneer and songwriter who was previously a member of the vocal group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. He (disputedly) co-wrote the group's iconic hit "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dark of the Matinée</span> 2004 single by Franz Ferdinand

"The Dark of the Matinée" is a song by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the third single from their eponymous debut studio album on 19 April 2004. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In Australia, the song was ranked number 50 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High School of Dundee</span> Private day school in Dundee, Scotland

The High School of Dundee is a private, co-educational, day school in Dundee, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils. Its foundation has been dated to 1239, and it is the only private school in Dundee.

Alan Nigel Kernaghan is a football manager and former professional player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High School of Glasgow</span> Private school in Glasgow, Scotland

The High School of Glasgow is a private, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. The original High School of Glasgow was founded as the choir school of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, and is the oldest school in Scotland, and the twelfth oldest in the United Kingdom. On its closure as a selective grammar school by Glasgow City Corporation in 1976, it immediately continued as a co-educational independent school as a result of fundraising activity by its Former Pupil Club and via a merge by the Club with Drewsteignton School. The school maintains a relationship with the Cathedral, where it holds an annual service of commemoration and thanksgiving in September. It counts two British Prime Ministers, two Lords President and the founder of the University of Aberdeen among its alumni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grove Academy</span> Secondary school in Dundee, Scotland

Grove Academy is an 11–18 mixed secondary school in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland.

Brandon Lee (1965–1993) was an American martial artist, actor, and the son of Bruce Lee.

Raymond McKinnon is a Scottish football player and coach who is the manager of Forfar Athletic.

Alan Gordon was a Scottish football player who is notable for playing for the two senior sides of both Edinburgh and Dundee, and is thought to be the only player to do so.

Laurie Ellis is a Scottish football coach and former professional footballer who is currently a coach with the Rangers Academy. He played for Raith Rovers over three spells, as well as St Mirren, Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion. As a coach, he has twice served as caretaker manager at Dundee United and managed Queen's Park between May and December 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearsden Academy</span> Secondary school in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland

Bearsden Academy is a non-denominational, state secondary school in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Cumming</span> Scottish clan

Clan Cumming, historically known as Clan Comyn, is a Scottish clan from the central Highlands that played a major role in the history of 13th-century Scotland and in the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Clan Comyn was once the most powerful family in 13th-century Scotland, until they were defeated in civil war by their rival to the Scottish throne, Robert the Bruce.

Darian MacKinnon is a Scottish football coach and former player who is a first-team coach at Hamilton Academical.

Darrell Currie is a Scottish television presenter and journalist. He is currently a presenter and touchline reporter for TNT Sports where he covers English and Scottish football. He also is part of the ESPN football coverage team. In addition, Currie also works on the Scottish Cup coverage for Premier Sports.

"The Tattler" is the third episode of the sixth season of the American television police sitcom series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the 115th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by David Phillips and directed by Jennifer Arnold.

<i>My Old School</i> (2022 film) 2022 documentary film

My Old School is a 2022 documentary directed by Jono McLeod on the subject of the Brandon Lee scandal. In 1995, it was discovered that "Brandon Lee"—who had a year earlier enrolled as a fifth-year student at Bearsden Academy secondary school in Bearsden, Scotland—had actually been a 30-year-old former student, Brian MacKinnon, posing as a 16-year-old. The story attracted widespread and sensational news coverage at the time.

References

  1. ↑ MacKinnon, Brian (25 September 1995). "Exclusive: Brian MacKinnon was on holiday when the news broke about his extraordinary deception at Bearsden Academy". The Herald.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brocklehurst, Steven (2 March 2022). "Brandon Lee: The model school pupil who was a 30-year-old imposter". BBC News.
  3. ↑ Agnew, Megan (21 August 2022). "Too cool for school? No, he was a perfect pupil . . . but he was also 32". The Times.
  4. ↑ Murray, Tom. "My Old School: The incredible story of how a 32-year-old man fooled teachers into believing he was a teenager". Independent.
  5. 1 2 Bond, Kimberley. "Brian MacKinnon was 31 when he pretended to be a pupil to fool his old school - but how?". MSN.
  6. 1 2 Lyons, Bev (20 August 2022). "I posed as a teen to go back to school even though I was 30 – now I want to turn my story into TV sitcom". Scottish Sun.
  7. 1 2 Arlidge, John (19 September 1995). "Bogus pupil set to lose place at university". Scottish Sun.
  8. ↑ Didcock, Barry (20 August 2022). "A double life examined: the strange case of Brandon Lee comes to the big screen". The Herald.
  9. ↑ Ferguson, Brian (24 January 2022). "Alan Cumming: 'It was worth waiting 25 years to play infamous Scottish schoolboy imposter'". The Scotsman.
  10. ↑ Brooks, Libby (18 August 2022). "'A damaged person': Alan Cumming on playing the schoolboy who was actually 30". The Guardian.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.