Canadian actors who were born in 1931
Here are 13 famous actors from Canada were born in 1931:
William Shatner
William Shatner (March 22, 1931 Côte Saint-Luc-) also known as William Shanter, William Alan Shatner, Billy, The Shat, Bill Shatner, Bill, William Schattner or Fear of Pop is a Canadian actor, spokesperson, novelist, film director, musician, television producer, voice actor, screenwriter, television director, singer, comedian, writer and film producer. He has four children, Melanie Shatner, Lisabeth Shatner, Leslie Carol Shatner and Daniel Shatner.
William Shatner is best known for his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek television series and subsequent films. He has also appeared in numerous other television shows and movies, including Boston Legal, T.J. Hooker, and Miss Congeniality.
In addition to his acting career, Shatner has written several books, including a series of Star Trek novels and his autobiography, Up Till Now. He has also released several albums, including the spoken word album Has Been and the Christmas album Shatner Claus.
Shatner is also an accomplished equestrian and has competed in several horse shows. He is a vocal advocate for equine therapy programs for veterans with PTSD and other mental health issues.
Throughout his career, Shatner has won multiple awards, including two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2000 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983.
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Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil (January 19, 1931 Montreal-) is a Canadian writer, journalist, author, actor and newscaster. He has one child, Ian MacNeil.
Robert MacNeil started his journalism career in the 1950s, working as a correspondent and editor for Reuters News Agency. In 1963, he joined NBC News and covered major events such as the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
MacNeil is best known for co-anchoring the MacNeil-Lehrer Report, later renamed the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, from 1975 to 1995. During his tenure, the program earned numerous awards for its in-depth and unbiased coverage of national and international news.
In addition to his journalism work, MacNeil has written several books, including "Breaking News: How the Wheels Came off at Reuters" and "Looking for My Country: Finding Myself in America." He has also acted in various plays and movies, including his own one-man show, "Word of Mouth."
MacNeil's contributions to journalism have been recognized with numerous awards, including the George Polk Career Award, the Peabody Award, and induction into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
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Ted Kotcheff
Ted Kotcheff (April 7, 1931 Toronto-) otherwise known as William Theodore Kotcheff, William Kotcheff, William T. Kotcheff or Kotcheff is a Canadian film director, television producer, television director, film producer and actor. His children are called Katrina Kotcheff, Aaron Kotcheff, Joshua Kotcheff, Thomas Kotcheff and Alexandra Kotcheff.
Kotcheff gained international recognition for directing the classic film "First Blood" (1982), which introduced the character of John Rambo to audiences around the world. He has also directed other notable films such as "North Dallas Forty" (1979), "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" (1974), and "Uncommon Valor" (1983). In addition to his work in film, Kotcheff has also directed several episodes of popular TV shows like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "The Streets of San Francisco". He has been honored with numerous awards throughout his career, including an Emmy for his work on the TV series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". In 2015, he was awarded the Order of Canada for his contributions to the Canadian film industry.
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Lionel Blair
Lionel Blair (December 12, 1931 Montreal-) also known as Lionel Ogus or Henry Lionel Blair Ogus is a Canadian presenter and actor.
Lionel Blair began his career in entertainment as a dancer and choreographer and became a familiar face on British television in the 1960s and 70s. He appeared on popular game shows such as "Give Us a Clue" and "Celebrity Squares" and starred in the West End stage production of "Fiddler on the Roof" in 1967. Blair has also acted in TV dramas such as "Dalziel and Pascoe" and "The Bill." In addition to his entertainment career, Blair is a dedicated philanthropist and has raised millions of pounds for various charities over the years. He was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2008 for his contributions to entertainment and charity.
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Morley Safer
Morley Safer (November 8, 1931 Toronto-) is a Canadian writer, tv journalist, journalist and actor. He has one child, Sarah Safer.
Morley Safer is best known for his work as a correspondent on the CBS news magazine show "60 Minutes". He was with the show from 1970 until his retirement in 2016. Safer was known for his hard-hitting investigative reporting and his ability to ask tough questions of his subjects. He won numerous awards for his journalism, including 12 Emmys and three Peabody Awards.
Before joining "60 Minutes", Safer worked for CBS News as a foreign correspondent, covering stories in Vietnam, Russia, and the Middle East, among other places. He was one of the first journalists to report on the My Lai massacre in Vietnam in 1968, which helped to shift public opinion against the war.
In addition to his work as a journalist, Safer was also an actor and writer. He appeared in several films, including "The China Syndrome" and "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot". He also authored several books, including "Flashbacks: On Returning to Vietnam" and "Morley Safer: A Reporter's Life".
Safer passed away on May 19, 2016 at the age of 84. He is remembered as one of the most esteemed journalists of his time.
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Kenneth Gilbert
Kenneth Gilbert (December 16, 1931 Montreal-) a.k.a. Gilbert, Kenneth is a Canadian harpsichordist and actor.
He is widely regarded as one of the most prominent interpreters of Baroque music of his time. Kenneth Gilbert received his initial training from the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montreal and later studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 1953, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris, where he studied with the renowned harpsichordist Wanda Landowska. Gilbert went on to have an international career as a performer, recording artist, and teacher. He founded the harpsichord program at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland and was later appointed to the faculty of the Mozarteum University Salzburg in Austria. In addition to his musical career, Kenneth Gilbert also pursued acting, appearing in several films and TV shows.
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Chris Wiggins
Chris Wiggins (January 13, 1931 Blackpool-) is a Canadian actor, voice actor, banker, writer, screenwriter and playwright.
Chris Wiggins is best known for his voice work on animated series including "The Care Bears" and "Babar". He has also appeared in several TV shows and films, such as "The Avengers", "Friday the 13th: The Series" and "The Red Green Show". In addition to his work in entertainment, Wiggins worked as a banker before pursuing a career in acting. He has also written several plays and screenplays, including "The Stephen Leacock Story". Throughout his career, Wiggins has received numerous awards for his contributions to the Canadian arts community.
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Dave Madden
Dave Madden (December 17, 1931 Sarnia-January 16, 2014 Jacksonville) also known as David Madden was a Canadian actor and voice actor.
Dave Madden became best known for his role as the harried band manager Reuben Kincaid in the popular American television sitcom "The Partridge Family". During his career, he also appeared on numerous other television shows such as "Bewitched", "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", and "Alice". In addition to acting, Madden was a prolific voice actor and provided voices for many animated series, including "The Jetsons", "Scooby-Doo", and "The Rescuers". He was also noted for his work as a television producer and writer. Outside of his career, Dave Madden was a devoted husband and father of two children. After battling myelodysplastic syndrome, he passed away at the age of 82 in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Robert Ito
Robert Ito (July 2, 1931 Vancouver-) a.k.a. Bob Ito, Roberto Ito or Robert Ho is a Canadian actor, voice actor and ballet dancer.
He is best known for his role as Sam Fujiyama in the television series "Quincy, M.E." and as the voice of Katsu the Wanderer in the animated series "The New Adventures of Gigantor." Ito began his career in ballet, studying at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and later performing with the National Ballet of Canada. He transitioned to acting in the 1970s, appearing in various television shows and films such as "The Streets of San Francisco" and "Midway." Outside of acting, Ito is a passionate advocate for the arts and serves as a board member for several organizations, including the Vancouver International Dance Festival.
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Pepper Rodgers
Pepper Rodgers (October 8, 1931 Atlanta-) also known as Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a Canadian american football player, american football coach and actor.
He played college football at Georgia Tech and then went on to play professionally in the Canadian Football League. After his playing career, Rodgers transitioned into coaching and had stints at several colleges and in the NFL. He is perhaps best known for his time coaching at UCLA and leading the team to a Rose Bowl victory in 1976. Rodgers also had a brief career as an actor, appearing in movies such as "The Longest Yard" and "Smokey and the Bandit II".
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Philip Gilbert
Philip Gilbert (March 29, 1931 Vancouver-January 6, 2004) was a Canadian actor.
He started his career on stage and then eventually moved to television and film. Gilbert was best known for his role as Chief Superintendent Cullen in the popular TV series, "The Sweeney". He also appeared in several other popular TV shows such as "The Avengers", "Doctor Who", and "Z Cars". In addition to his work in TV, he also appeared in several notable films, including "The Day of the Jackal" and "A Bridge Too Far". Gilbert was a talented and versatile actor, admired by his fellow actors and fans alike.
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Stephen Young
Stephen Young (May 19, 1931 Toronto-) also known as Stephen Levy or Steve Young is a Canadian actor and screenwriter.
He began his acting career in the 1960s and appeared in numerous films and TV shows throughout his career. Some of his notable roles include the films "Barney's Version" and "The Hurricane" and the TV shows "The X-Files", "The West Wing", and "Suits". In addition to his acting work, Young has also written screenplays for films such as "Lies My Father Told Me" and "The Climb". He has been nominated for several awards for his work in both acting and writing. Young continues to work in the entertainment industry and is considered a respected veteran of Canadian film and television.
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Jacques Languirand
Jacques Languirand (May 1, 1931 Montreal-) is a Canadian actor and writer.
He is best known for his work as a radio host and for co-founding the influential countercultural magazine "Parti Pris" in the 1960s. Languirand began his career as an actor, working in the Canadian film and television industry in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to his work as a writer and radio host, he has also published several books on various topics including spirituality and ecology. Languirand has received numerous awards and honours for his contributions to Canadian culture and media, including the Order of Canada in 1996.
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