WITHOUT Fred Collins, Elaine C. Smith or the Krankies wouldn’t be the panto stars they have become.

Indeed, panto, as we know would most likely not exist.

And without Fred, Scotland would not have made it to the forefront of variety theatre in Britain.

The Collins clan, headed by performer, agent and impresario Fred Collins, shaped the landscape of modern theatre.

And they nurtured some of the greatest stars of the 20th century in a career spanning over 60 years, across three generations.

Now, a new BBC documentary The Collins Variety Agency reveals how the family from Glasgow took vaudeville to new heights in Scotland and showcased a caravan of weird and wonderful acts all over the UK,.

The Collins family became the Scots version of PT Barnum and his Greatest Show On Earth.

“Fred Collins began as a songwriter,” says his great-grandson Ross Collins.

“His real name was James Nelson but he changed it when he went into showbiz.

“Fred then went on to write for the likes of Harry Lauder, but there wasn’t a great deal of money in songwriting.

“He then became a comedian. I’ve no idea how good he was but he knew how to produce shows.”

Born in 1876, Fred Collins was orphaned from an early age, growing up in the East End of Victorian Glasgow.

Looked after by his elder sister, he was an apprentice house painter aged 13 but he was stage struck.

And he had a natural instinct for theatre production.

When Fred became an inpresario he cut down the traditional pantos from four hours to two by removing the ballet element, allowing for a twice nightly performance.

“Fred’s great legacy is in re-shaping panto,” says Ross. “He really made them entertaining and fun.”

When World War 1 broke out, Fred declared “Business as usual” and he went on to form the Fred Collins Variety Agency, (above Lauder’s Bar in Renfield Street) looking after artistes and building a trustful reputation.

He was hugely successful, going on to set produce shows up and down the country.

In 1930, Fred wrote his autobiography My Thirty years In Stageland, which was published in The Glasgow Weekly News over ten weeks, giving an insight into his popularity.

After his sudden death in 1931, son Horace took over and created Scotland’s first real theatre circuit, taking on leases for four key venues such as the Pavilion in Glasgow.

Horace signed acts to rotate among the venues and his portfolio meant he could attract big-name performers from London to Scotland.

The bookings sheets included names such as Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, Stan Laurel and Sir Harry Lauder, all performing at Collins’ venues.

Fred’s other son Pete also began his own agency in London and was a master of off-the-wall ‘Would You Believe It?’ .

Pete would hire acts such as Lofty and Seppetoni, the 9ft 3ins giant ( the truth was he was only seven feet nine) and his three feet six inch sidekick, (who was also his brother-in-law) who made his entrance in Lofty’s attache case.

Pete toured the fish-swallowing regurgitator known as the Human Aquarium, and also the Human Gasometer, who would cook an omelette with a flame from his ignited breath.

Many of the Collins family were involved in the show, on stage or in production, indeed forerunners to Brendan O’Carroll’s Mrs Brown shows.

On Horace’s death in 1947, his wife Josee took over the reins.

“But when Horace died, there was no one left as charismatic as him,” says Ross.

“My dad became a hairdresser. He wanted a more secure line of work.”

Television arrived, and had a huge impact upon variety theatre. By the late fifties the writing was on the wall.

But what has Ross, a children’s book author and illustrator who performs book reading, learnt about his illustrious family he didn’t know previously?

“What was unearthed from the documentary research was the Collins family were all nice men. And they had the charisma to create this incredible showbiz world.”

The Collins family must have made fortunes in their day?

“Yes, but I don’t know where the money went,” he says Ross, smiling.

“It certainly didn’t come down to me.”

* The Collins Variety Agency, BBC2 Scotland, Tuesday, 9pm.