Canadian actors who were born in 1953
Here are 18 famous actors from Canada were born in 1953:
Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson (August 27, 1953 Fernie-) a.k.a. Aлександар Живојиновић, Aleksandar Živojinović, Victor, Alexandar Zivojinovich, Lifeson, Alex Zivojinovich, Big Al, Lerxst or Alexander Zivojinovich is a Canadian guitarist, record producer, songwriter, musician, actor and film score composer. He has two children, Justin Lifeson and Adrian Lifeson.
Lifeson is best known as the guitarist and founding member of the progressive rock band Rush. Throughout his career with Rush, he has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. In addition to his work with Rush, Lifeson has also collaborated with other musicians on various projects, such as the Canadian supergroup, Envy of None. Lifeson is known for his innovative and technically proficient guitar playing, which has influenced countless musicians in the rock and metal genres. Outside of music, Lifeson has also dabbled in acting, appearing in several films and TV shows, as well as composing music for films such as the animated movie "Heavy Metal". He is also an avid golfer and has been known to play in charity tournaments.
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Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis (April 18, 1953 Toronto-) also known as Rick Cougar Moranis, Frederick Alan Moranis, Moranis, Rick, Richard Moranis, Frederick Allan Moranis, Frederick Allan "Rick" Moranis or Rick Allan is a Canadian musician, comedian, actor, magician, screenwriter, voice actor and television producer.
Moranis began his career as a radio DJ in the mid-1970s, and soon after he became a regular on the sketch comedy series Second City Television (SCTV). He later went on to star in numerous films, including Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and The Flintstones. Moranis took a hiatus from acting in the late 1990s in order to focus on being a single parent to his children after his wife's death. In recent years, he has made occasional appearances in films and television, and in 2020 he released a new album of comedic music titled "The Agoraphobic Cowboy".
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Gary Farmer
Gary Farmer (June 12, 1953 Ohsweken, Ontario-) also known as Gary Dale Farmer is a Canadian actor, film director, musician, singer and publisher.
Farmer is best known for his work in independent films, particularly his collaborations with director Jim Jarmusch, including the films Dead Man and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. Farmer has also appeared in numerous other films and television shows, such as Smoke Signals, Powwow Highway, and CSI: Miami.
In addition to his acting career, Farmer has directed several short films and documentaries, and is the co-founder of the Aboriginal Voices radio network. He is also a musician and has released several albums, performing as a blues singer and guitarist.
Farmer is of mixed heritage, with ancestry from the Cayuga Nation and the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, as well as English and Irish ancestry. He has been an advocate for Indigenous rights and has worked to promote Indigenous representation in the arts.
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Jim West
Jim West (December 18, 1953 Toronto-) also known as West, Jim, James "Jim" "Kimo" West or James West is a Canadian guitarist, record producer, film score composer and actor.
Jim West is best known for his work as the lead guitarist for "Weird Al" Yankovic since 1984, playing on all of Yankovic's albums and tours. He has also released several solo albums showcasing his Hawaiian slack key guitar playing, or "ki ho'alu," style. As a film score composer, West has worked on projects such as the Disney Channel's "Imagination Movers" and the independent film "The Control Group." In addition to his musical endeavors, West has also appeared in films and television shows, including "Family Ties," "The Golden Girls," and "How I Met Your Mother."
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Dany Laferrière
Dany Laferrière (April 13, 1953 Port-au-Prince-) otherwise known as Dany Laferriere, Windsor Kléber Laferrière or Dany Laferrière is a Canadian writer, novelist, actor, film director, author, journalist and screenwriter.
He was born in Haiti but moved to Canada in the 1970s, where he became a prominent figure in the literary scene. Laferrière is well-known for his award-winning novel "How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired," which was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film. He has also written several other novels, including "Heading South," "The Return," and "The Enigma of the Return." In addition to his writing, Laferrière has also appeared in numerous films as an actor, including "The Gospel of John" and "Maudite Poutine." He has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Governor General's Award for French-language fiction in 2009 and the Prix Medicis in 2013. Laferrière is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential voices in Canadian literature.
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Michael Donovan
Michael Donovan (June 12, 1953 Vancouver-) also known as Michael Donovan (III), Michael David Donovan or Mike Donovan is a Canadian actor, voice actor, casting director and voice director.
He is best known for his voice acting work in cartoons, including characters such as Rattrap in "Beast Wars: Transformers," Sabretooth in "X-Men: Evolution," and many more. Donovan began his career as an actor in Vancouver in the 1970s and transitioned to voice acting in the 1980s. In addition to his voice acting work, he has also worked as a casting director and voice director for numerous animated shows and video games, including "Dragon Ball Z" and "Dead Rising." Donovan has won several awards for his voice acting work, including the Behind the Voice Actors Awards for Best Male Vocal Performance in 2012 and 2013.
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Adrian Truss
Adrian Truss (October 18, 1953 London-) also known as Illustrated Men is a Canadian actor, voice actor, film director and playwright.
Truss has acted in a wide range of television shows, films, and theater productions. He is perhaps best known for his voice acting work, which includes providing the voice for characters in animated series such as "The Berenstain Bears", "Atomic Betty", and "Sailor Moon". Truss has also lent his voice to several popular video games, including "Assassin's Creed II" and "Far Cry 2".
In addition to his acting and voice acting work, Truss has directed several short films and stage productions. He has also written plays and screenplays, including the award-winning play "The Big Red Button".
Truss has been active in the entertainment industry since the early 1980s and continues to work in film, television, and theater to this day.
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Alf Humphreys
Alf Humphreys (April 3, 1953 Toronto-) also known as Alfred E. Humphreys, Alf Humphreys, Alf Hymphries, Alfred Humphreys, Alfred E. Humphries, Afred E. Humphreys or Alf Humphries is a Canadian actor.
He began his acting career at the age of 17 in a production of "The Taming of the Shrew" at the Stratford Festival in Ontario. Humphreys has since appeared in numerous stage productions, films, and television series. Some of his notable film credits include "First Blood", "The Green Mile", and "My Bloody Valentine". On television, he has appeared in shows such as "The X-Files", "The Outer Limits", and "Supernatural". Humphreys is also a voice actor, and has lent his voice to several animated series including "The Littlest Pet Shop" and "Slugterra". In addition to his acting career, he is also an avid photographer and has published a collection of his work.
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Phillip Borsos
Phillip Borsos (May 5, 1953 Hobart-February 2, 1995 Vancouver) was a Canadian film director, actor and film producer.
Borsos was known for his work in the Canadian film industry in the 1980s and 1990s, earning multiple Genie nominations and awards for his films. He made his directorial debut in 1982 with the film "The Grey Fox", which starred Richard Farnsworth and received critical acclaim for its portrayal of a stagecoach robber in the 19th century.
Borsos also directed the films "One Magic Christmas" and "Bethune: The Making of a Hero" and worked on a number of TV shows, including "The Campbells" and "Danger Bay". He was recognized for his contributions to Canadian cinema with a posthumous induction into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2012.
In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Borsos was also an accomplished photographer and musician. He passed away at the age of 41 due to leukemia.
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Rick Green
Rick Green (November 4, 1953 Toronto-) also known as The Frantics, Bill or Richard Green is a Canadian comedian, television producer, actor, television director, film director and screenwriter. His children are called Marta Green and Nick Green.
Rick Green started his career in the entertainment industry as a member of the comedy troupe, The Frantics, in the 1980s. The Frantics were known for their radio show and TV sketch comedy series, "Four on the Floor." Green was also the co-creator and writer of the educational comedy show, "The Red Green Show," which aired from 1991 to 2006.
Apart from his work in the entertainment industry, Green is a well-known advocate and speaker on mental health issues. He was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in life and has since become an outspoken advocate, using his personal experiences to help others. He created the TV series, "ADD & Loving It?!" and co-authored the book, "The ADD & ADHD Answer Book."
Green has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series, and the Writers Guild of Canada award for Scriptwriting in Children's Television.
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Jay Brazeau
Jay Brazeau (December 22, 1953 Winnipeg-) is a Canadian actor, voice actor, film score composer and screenwriter.
He grew up in a family of performers and began his own career in the entertainment industry in the late 1970s. Brazeau is known for his comedic roles in films like "Best in Show" and "Fathers' Day," as well as his voice work in animated series such as "Beetlejuice" and "Sabrina: The Animated Series." In addition to his acting, Brazeau has also written screenplays and composed music for films. He has won several awards for his work in Canadian film and television, including a Gemini Award for his performance in the series "Insomnia."
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Serge Houde
Serge Houde (February 16, 1953 Québec-) also known as Steve Makaj is a Canadian actor and voice actor.
Houde was born in Quebec City, Quebec, and began his acting career in the early 1980s. He worked in theatre before transitioning to film and television. Houde has appeared in over 100 film and television productions, including X-Men: Apocalypse, 50/50, 2012, 21 Jump Street, Arrow, The Flash, and Supernatural. He has also provided voice acting for several video games, including Assassin's Creed: Unity and Mass Effect: Andromeda. Aside from acting, Houde is also a musician and has released several albums.
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Peter Donaldson
Peter Donaldson (October 29, 1953 Midland-January 8, 2011 Toronto) a.k.a. Peter Thomas Donaldson was a Canadian actor.
He was best known for his work in the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada where he acted in over 75 productions for 25 years. He also appeared in various radio dramas on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), most notably as the voice of CBC Radio's news program "The World at Six." In addition to his acting career, Donaldson was a dedicated teacher and taught at Ryerson Theatre School and the National Theatre School of Canada. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2009 for his contributions to Canadian theatre and broadcasting.
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Paul Perri
Paul Perri (November 6, 1953 New Haven-) also known as Paul John Perri or Paul J. Perri is a Canadian actor. He has two children, Giacomo Perri and Justine Perri.
Perri began his acting career in the 1980s and has appeared in numerous films and television shows including "Porky's," "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.," and "CSI: Miami." He is perhaps best known for his role as Leon Kellman in the classic 90s film "The Last of the Mohicans." In addition to his acting career, Perri has worked as a voice actor for video games and has also directed and produced several short films. He is a proud supporter of various charitable organizations, including the Alzheimer's Association and Autism Speaks.
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John Stephen Hill
John Stephen Hill (January 16, 1953 Montreal-) is a Canadian actor.
Hill began his acting career in the late 1970s and appeared in numerous television shows and films. He is best known for his role as Eckhart in the 1989 film "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III". Hill has also had recurring roles in popular television series such as "Friday the 13th: The Series" and "War of the Worlds". In addition to his acting career, Hill has also worked as a voice actor in several animated series including "Babar" and "Arthur". Outside of his work in the entertainment industry, Hill is an advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken openly about his own struggles with depression.
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Jean Rosario Tetreault
Jean Rosario Tetreault (January 22, 1953 Sainte-Thérèse-) also known as J.R. or Jean Tétreault is a Canadian ice hockey player and actor.
Tetreault played professional ice hockey as a defenceman in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1973 to 1983. He played for teams such as the Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, and Edmonton Oilers. After retiring from hockey, Tetreault pursued a career in acting and appeared in films such as "The Score" and "The Aviator." He has also worked as a stunt coordinator and actor on television shows and movies.
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Jamie James
Jamie James (August 4, 1953 Toronto-) is a Canadian songwriter, guitarist, singer, actor and film score composer.
He is best known for his work as a founding member of the Canadian rock band The Kings, who achieved international success in the 1980s with their hit song "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide".
Aside from his work with The Kings, James has also released several solo albums and collaborated with other artists. He has composed music for film and television, including the theme song for the popular Canadian TV series "Due South".
James has also acted in several films and television shows, including a recurring role on the Canadian TV series "Traders". In addition, he has published several books, including a memoir entitled "You Don't Have to Go Home, But You Can't Stay Here: The Story of the Kings".
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Ross Smith
Ross Smith (November 20, 1953-) is a Canadian actor and ice hockey player.
He was born in Ottawa, Ontario and began his professional ice hockey career in 1974 as a defenseman for the St. Louis Blues. He played for various teams throughout his career including the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New Jersey Devils.
After retiring from hockey, Smith pursued acting and landed roles in several movies and TV shows including X-Men, The Day After Tomorrow, and Law & Order. He also appeared in a number of commercials and voice-over work.
Smith is known for his physical presence both on the ice and on screen, standing at 6'5" and weighing over 200 pounds. He is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame and continues to be involved in charity events and fundraising for hockey-related causes.
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