GARY Lamont seems to wear a smile on his face more often than kids don summer kagouls.

The River City star is upbeat and grabs at the positive in life with both hands.

However, that’s not to say the actor from Castlemilk has never had to deal with the difficult moments.

Right now, Gary has been making life more difficult for himself as a he prepares for his Edinburgh Festival showcase, a cabaret of song and comedy entitled What A Riddy.

It will feature the songs from a range of red-heads, from Lulu to Eddie Reader.

However in recent months he’s had to cope with an experience that was potentially far more terrifying.

Gary was on holiday in Orlando in June, at the time when 49 people were murdered by a terrorist in a gay nightclub.

The actor admits he could well have been one of those massacred.

“Yes, that could have been me I suppose,” he says in reflective voice. “The club was fifteen minutes away from where I was staying.

“However, that weekend I decided to jump on a plane and head to Los Angeles for the weekend, for the Gay Pride event. But had I not done that, yes, I was set to party.

“And I was in that area. What the experience tells you is you never know the minute. You can take nothing for granted.”

Gary’s River City hairdresser character Robbie Fraser has had a tumultuous seven years. Yet, Gary’s own life has featured its dramatic moments.

“I’ve had the hard times, the heartache, the break-ups. And being a performer you have the dark days of insecurity and doubt. You ask yourself ‘Is this what I want? Am I good enough?’”

Gary recalls his decision to go to drama school, Glasgow’s RSAMD.

“At the beginning I was naïve. I genuinely didn’t realise what drama school was all about and if I had I would have ran a blinking (similar word) mile.”

Gary was rejected. But not dejected. He took himself off to Langside College for a year to study drama, and prepare to audition again for RSAMD.

“Here, I was the golden boy of the class, and I felt I was quite good at this acting business.

“Then I went to RSAMD and I was the black sheep for three years. Suddenly, I was surrounded by big, charming American men. I looked around and the place was full of six feet two inch English boys who were beautiful at quoting Shakespeare.

“But I just tried to get on with people and get on with learning.”

The black sheep feeling did however prove to be a positive.

“It meant I left drama school expecting nothing,” he says.

“I had no ego and no expectations. I just took each audition as it came. And it worked for me.”

Gary was never the drama queen who would scream of how he would die if he didn’t make it in the business.

“I take the business seriously, but I remember reading a quote from a comedian about the best bit of advice ever given. It was ‘Not everyone will like you’ and that’s what I’ve adhered to.

“My feeling is just get out there and do it. I don’t care what people think as long as I’m having fun. I don’t need a six pack to get a part in Game of Thrones.”

He adds; “We’re all tortured souls us actors. Otherwise why put ourselves through this? But you keep it real. And you just enjoy the applause when it comes.”

And he does love a challenge, hence his one-man Edinburgh show.

The idea for the show, a celebration of gingerness via the songs of red-headed singers and some jokes thrown in, was born ‘over a few wines’.

“Then a friend said ‘We’ve got one of the biggest arts festivals in the world in our doorstep. So why don’t you do what you’re supposed to, and perform.”

Gary has never been a ginger apologist. In fact, he points out in some countries he’s seen as a ginger Adonis.

“It’s not really a problem when you live in Scotland where every other person is ginger,” he says, grinning.

“But what I’ve discovered is when I travel, and I travel a lot, I’m like a sex god. There are countries in which you are revered for being red headed.

“You are seen as exotic. People say you’re good looking. And who knew anyone would ever love freckles?”

He adds, laughing; “I really don’t know why I live in Scotland.”

After Edinburgh, Gary will appear at the MOGOS (Music of Ginger Origin) in Ireland, a red-headed convention held in Cork and he’s been nominated for ginger glory in Ireland.

“I’ll do half an hour of my show, and sing the ginger songs,” he says, smiling. “Then back to River City for more fun.”

He adores the showbiz life, but Gary Lamont isn’t showbiz.

“Oh no,” he agrees. “And that’s because my life has stayed the same. My family (his dad is a taxi driver) and my pals aren’t in the business.

“I have great acting friends, but on the whole the acting community is not for me.”

He adds, grinning; “More often than not, my evenings are spent at my pal Donna’s flat in Dennistoun being jumped on by her three kids.”

• Gary Lamont – What a Riddy, The Boards, (Venue 59) Edinburgh, August 9-13.