Gordon Pinsent

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Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Gordon Edward Pinsent Template:Post-nominals (July 12, 1930 – February 25, 2023) was a Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He was known for his roles in numerous productions, including Away from Her, The Rowdyman, John and the Missus, A Gift to Last, Due South, The Red Green Show, and Quentin Durgens, M.P.<ref name = Star20121222>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> He was the voice of King Babar in the Babar the Elephant television and film productions from 1989 to 2015.

Early life

Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland (present-day Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada).<ref name = Austen>Template:Cite news</ref> His mother, Florence "Flossie" (née Cooper), was originally from Clifton, Newfoundland and his father, Stephen Arthur Pinsent, was a papermill worker and cobbler originally from Dildo, Newfoundland.<ref name = RedGreen> Template:Cite web</ref> His mother was "quiet spoken" and a religious Anglican; the family was descended from immigrants from Kent and Devon in England.<ref name="lit">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> He was a self-described "awkward child" who suffered from rickets.<ref name = Star20121222/>

Pinsent began acting on stage in the 1940s at the age of 17. He soon took on roles in radio drama on the CBC, and later moved into television and film as well. In the early 1950s, he took a break from acting and joined the Canadian Army, serving for approximately four years as a private in the Royal Canadian Regiment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Pinsent's professional acting career began in 1957 at Winnipeg's Theatre 77 (later known as the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre) under the direction of John Hirsch. In the years that followed, he performed in many theatrical productions in Winnipeg, in Toronto at the Crest Theatre and at the Stratford Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the early 1960s, he appeared in Festival, Scarlett Hill and The Forest Rangers. He later became a staple of Canadian television with roles including the series Quentin Durgens, M.P., A Gift to Last (which he created), The Red Green Show, Due South, Wind at My Back, and Power Play.<ref name = Star20121222/>

Pinsent's film roles include The Rowdyman, Who Has Seen the Wind, John and the Missus, The Shipping News and Away from Her. He wrote the screenplays for The Rowdyman and John and the Missus. Perhaps his best known early film role was that of the president of the United States in the 1970 science fiction cult classic Colossus: The Forbin Project.<ref name =VanSun20230225>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His other plays include Easy Down Easy (1987) and Brass Rubbings (1989).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

One of Pinsent's largest roles was playing the character of Hap Shaughnessy on The Red Green Show from 1991 to 2006. Hap was notorious for telling largely exaggerated stories about his past. He was frequently called out on his fabrications by his friend Red Green (played by Canadian comedian and show co-creator Steve Smith) or others.

His first memoir, By the Way, was published in 1992 by Stoddart Publishing. His second, Next (with George Anthony), was published in 2012 by McClelland and Stewart.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On March 8, 2007, it was publicly announced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that Pinsent had accepted the appointment of honorary chairman of the "Building for the Future"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> fundraising campaign for The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2008, 2010, and 2011 summer periods of CBC Radio One, Pinsent presented a radio documentary series called The Late Show featuring extended obituaries of notable Canadians whom the producers believed deserved attention.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Pinsent appeared in one of Canadian director Stephen Dunn's early short films titled Life Doesn't Frighten Me, which won various awards, including the CBC Short Film Face-Off, with a cash prize of C$30,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film also won awards at the Toronto Student Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He had a guest starring role as Maurice Becker on the February 3, 2010, episode of Canadian television series Republic of Doyle. He was also a featured guest reader on Bookaboo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He attained notoriety when a comedic segment of him reading dramatically from Justin Bieber's autobiography on This Hour Has 22 Minutes went viral on October 20, 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life and death

Pinsent married actress Charmion King in 1962. They remained together until her death in 2007. Their daughter, Leah Pinsent, is also an actress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pinsent also had two children, Barry and Beverley, from a previous marriage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On February 25, 2023, Pinsent died at a hospital in Toronto at age 92, from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage.<ref name = Austen/><ref name="CBCDeath">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0" />

Awards

In 1979, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1998. In 2006, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007, it was announced that Pinsent would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1997, he won the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in television.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Pinsent received an LL.D from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1975, and honorary doctorates from Queen's University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Lakehead University (2008) and the University of Windsor (2012).<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Pinsent received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2004, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It was on July 12, 2005, in his hometown of Grand Falls-Windsor, and in honour of his 75th birthday, that the Arts & Culture Centre was renamed The Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On September 25, 2008, at a "Newfoundland- and Labrador-Inspired Evening" at The Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, the Company Theatre presented Pinsent with the inaugural Gordon Pinsent Award of Excellence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Pinsent received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Pinsent received acting and writing awards, which included five Gemini Awards, three Genie Awards, two ACTRA Awards, and a Dora Award.<ref name=":1" />

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Template:Abbr
1964 Lydia Thomas <ref name="TVG">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="CFE">Template:Cite web</ref>
1966 Don't Forget to Wipe the Blood Off <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1968 The Thomas Crown Affair Jamie McDonald <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1970 Colossus: The Forbin Project The President <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1971 Chandler John Melchior <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1972 The Rowdyman Will Cole <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1972 Blacula Lt. Jack Peters <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1974 Newman's Law Jack Eastman <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1974 Only God Knows Father John Hagan <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1975 The Heatwave Lasted Four Days Cliff Reynolds <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1976 Blackwood Narrator <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1977 Who Has Seen the Wind Gerald O'Connal <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1980 Klondike Fever Swiftwater Bill <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1981 The Devil at Your Heels narrator (voice) Documentary <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1981 Silence of the North John Frederickson <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1987 John and the Missus John Munn <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1989 Babar: The Movie King Babar (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1990 Blood Clan Judge William McKay <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1997 Pippi Longstocking Capt. Longstocking (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1997 Pale Saints Gus <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2001 The Shipping News Billy Pretty <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2003 Nothing Man In Suit <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2004 The Good Shepherd Cardinal Ledesna <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2004 Saint Ralph Father Fitzpatrick <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2006 Away from Her Grant Anderson <ref name="TVG"/>
2009 At Home by Myself...With You Narrator (voice) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2013 Sex After Kids Dr. Keaton <ref name="TVG"/>
2013 The Grand Seduction Simon <ref name="TVG"/>
2013 Big News from Grand Rock Stan <ref name="TVG"/>
2016 Two Lovers and a Bear Bear's Voice <ref name="TVG"/>
2017 The River of My Dreams Self (Documentary) <ref name="TVG"/>

Shorts

Year Title Role Notes Template:Abbr
1974 Ocean Heritage Narrator (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1984 The Castle of White Otter Lake Narrator <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1985 Uncle T <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1999 The Old Man and the Sea Old Man (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2002 A Promise Stan <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2003 Snow on the Skeleton Key Winslow Icarus <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2006 The Sparky Book Goldfish <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2009 The Spine Dan Rutherford (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2009 How Eunice Got Her Baby Narrator (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2012 Life Doesn't Frighten Me Francis Weary <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2012 Night Light Benjamin <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2012 Flight of the Butterflies Self / Dr. Fred Urquhart (Documentary) <ref name="TVG"/>
2013 Nuts, Nothing and Nobody (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2016 Martin's Hagge Man on Sidewalk <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2019 Night Shoot Branch <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2020 Age of Dysphoria Fred <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2021 Back Home Again Jack Rabbit (voice) <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>

Television

Template:Inc-tv

Template:Screen reader-only
Year Title Role Notes Template:Abbr
1961–1966 Festival (various) 6 episodes <ref name="CBCaBlu">Template:Cite web</ref>
1963 Scarlett Hill David Black Regular cast <ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>
1963–1965 The Forest Rangers Sergeant Brian Scott Regular cast <ref name="auto"/>
1968–1969 Quentin Durgens, M.P. Quentin Durgens Main Character <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1970 Hogan's Heroes Capt. Steiner 1 episode <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1972 Banacek John Weymouth 1 episode <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1973 Incident on a Dark Street Joe – Mayor TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1973 Cannon Phillip Trask 1 episode <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1974 The Play's The Thing Host <ref name="CFE"/>
1978–1979 A Gift to Last Sgt. Edgar Sturgess TV movie <ref name="auto"/>
1979 The Suicide's Wife Allan Crane TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1980 Up at Ours Template:Unk TV miniseries <ref name="CFE"/>
1981 Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper Ambassador Ken Taylor TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1982 The Life and Times of Edwin Alonzo Boyd Edwin Alonzo Boyd TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1983 Ready for Slaughter Will Hackett 1 episode <ref name="CFE"/>
1984 A Case of Libel Dennis Corcoran TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1984 Seeing Things Englander 1 episode <ref name="CFE"/>
1988 Two Men (director) TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1989–1991 Babar King Babar (voice) Regular cast <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1989–1993 Street Legal Harold Vickers 5 episodes <ref name="CFE"/>
1989 Friday the 13th: The Series Desmond Williams 1 episode <ref name="CFE"/>
1991–2006 The Red Green Show Hap Shaughnessy Recurring cast <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1992 In the Eyes of the Stranger Lt. Ted Burk TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1992 Counterstrike Col. Jack Devon Episode: "Death SEAL"
1993 Bonds of Love Leon TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1994–1999 Due South Robert Fraser Recurring seasons 1-2, Main 3-4 <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1995 A Vow to Kill Frank Waring TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
1997–2000 Wind at My Back Leo McGinty 7 episodes <ref name="CFE"/>
1998, 2003 Made in Canada (The Industry) Myron Kingswell / Walter Franklin, Sr. 2 episodes <ref name="CFE"/>
1998–2000 Power Play Duff McArdle 26 episodes <ref name="CFE"/>
1999 Win, Again! Win Morrissey TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2001 Blind Terror Martin Howell TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2003 Hemingway vs Callaghan Morley Callaghan TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2003 Fallen Angel Warren Wentworth TV movie <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2004 H2O: The Last Prime Minister Michael Cameron 2 episodes <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2009 Corner Gas Corky Dillems 1 episode <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010 The Pillars of the Earth Archbishop TV miniseries <ref name="TVG"/>
2010–2012 Republic of Doyle Maurice Becker Recurring cast <ref name="TVG"/>
2010–2015 Babar and the Adventures of Badou King Babar (voice) Regular cast <ref name="TVG"/><ref name="CFE"/>
2012 Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town Elder Stephen Leacock TV movie <ref name="TVG"/>
2013 Satisfaction Dr Faskin 1 episode <ref name="TVG"/>
2019 Private Eyes Nevin Ainslie 1 episode <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Discography

Discography of Pinsent:

References

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