Actress and comedienne. Born in Baillieston and brought up in Motherwell, Elaine C. Smith came to prominence as Mary, wife of Rab C. Nesbitt in the BBC TV programme of the same name. She is well known locally for her many years as a comedienne and actress on the Scottish theatre circuit. Beginning in the famed Wildcat Theatre Company, she remains popular on the stage and in pantomime. Her one-woman shows Elaine with attitude (1996) and Elaine (2001) were highly acclaimed.
Smith caused some controversy when she publicly switched her political support from the Labour Party to the Scottish National Party.