Background
Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Edward, a chartered accountant, and Anne (née Brophy) Hemphill, a teacher.
Hemphill was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Edward, a chartered accountant, and Anne (née Brophy) Hemphill, a teacher.
He has also presented on television and radio. Hemphill was Rector of the from 2001 to 2004. He narrowly defeated the writer Alasdair Gray in a tight contest for the post and was widely praised for taking an active interest in the role.
Hemphill has appeared in several projects.
In 1990, he appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe where he was given the "So You Think You"re Funny" trophy. He continued his stage work, appearing in the 1992 God Plus Support performance and in the popular 1995 Only an Excuse? tour.
He also ventured into radio as the original presenter of football show, Office the Ball on British Broadcasting Corporation Radio Scotland and The Eddie Mair Show. Hemphill and Kiernan scripted seven episodes between 1999 and 2000 for then popular children"s television show Hububb.
These were, Lullabubb, Top of the Bubbs, Conquer Leserest, Casual-Tea, Bubb Goes Boo, 2010 A Space Bubbsy and Number Go Pogo.
He guest-starred alongside Kiernan in one episode, which he also scripted with Kiernan, Casual-Tea. However, his best known performances are alongside Ford Kiernan in the television sketch show Chewin" the Fat and its spin-off, Still Game. In series three of Still Game, Hemphill"s brother Steve has a cameo as a CN Tower lift operative.
In 2008, Hemphill was scheduled to star in Ecstasy, the movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh"s best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance.
Hemphill appeared in the Scottish Gaelic-language drama, Eilbheas, in which Hemphill played the spirit of Elvis set in the Western Isles. lieutenant was first shown on the launch night of British Broadcasting Corporation Alberta
He has also written Appointment with the Wicker Manitoba with Donald McLeary for the National Theatre of Scotland, a stage production about a small community"s attempts to produce a musical version of The Wicker Manitoba Hemphill has been involved in the Scottish wrestling scene, matched against actor, comedian and writer, Robert Florence.
Comedian Frankie Boyle became part of this venture, unmasking himself at the end of the match.
Hemphill guest starred in an episode of the award winning children"s television programme Katie Morag (television series) in 2014, playing the part of Donald John Cameron.