Grand Falls-Windsor Arts and Culture Centre

GORDON PINSENT CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
Gordon Pinsent

One of Canada's most beloved and well-known actors, Gordon Pinsent was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, on July 12, 1930. He began his career at the Manitoba Theatre Centre, which led to roles at the famed Stratford Festival. In 1962, he made his TV debut with a guest appearance on the US series Hallmark Hall of Fame, as well as becoming a regular on the Canadian series Scarlett Hill. The following year, he played a recurring role as Mountie Sergeant Scott on the children's program The Forest Rangers. In 1966 he landed the lead role in the Canadian series Quentin Durgens, M.P. Just a short while later, Pinsent played Jamie McDonald in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), starring Steve McQueen. Guest appearances on popular U.S. series such as Dan August, Hogan's Heroes, Cannon and Marcus Welby followed.

Pinsent began writing screenplays and his debut effort, The Rowdyman (1972), in which he also starred, quickly became a Canadian classic, winning him a Canadian film award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor. He also wrote and starred in the CBC TV movie Win, Again! (1999), for which he received a Gemini for Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-series.

Pinsent also won an acting Gemini in 1996 for his humorous turn as RCMP officer Benton Fraser's dead father in the popular series Due South, along with two other Geminis for Street Legal (1989) and Power Play (1998). He received the John Drainie Award for Overall Contribution to Broadcasting in 1990 and the prestigious Earle Grey award in recognition of his body of work in 1997. On the feature film side, he has two Genies: for Klondike Fever (1980) and for John and the Missus (1987), which he also wrote.

Other TV credits include The Red Green Show, Wind at My Back, Road to Avonlea, Lonesome Dove and A Gift to Last. Pinsent was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1980 and a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998. In 2003, Pinsent received the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence and in 2004, he received an Award of Excellence at the Banff Television Festival. His autobiography, By the Way, was published in 1992.