Gordon Pinsent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gordon Pinsent CC FRSC
Pinsent in 2008
Born	Gordon Edward Pinsent (1930-07-12)July 12, 1930 Grand Falls, Newfoundland, Canada
Died	February 25, 2023(2023-02-25) (aged 92) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actor writer director singer
Years active	1957–2021
Spouse(s)	Charmion King ​ ​ (m. 1962; died 2007)​
Children	4, including Leah

Gordon Edward Pinsent was a famous Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He was born on July 12, 1930, and passed away on February 25, 2023. Gordon Pinsent was well-known for his many roles in movies and TV shows. Some of his most famous works include Away from Her, The Rowdyman, and Due South. He was also the voice of Babar the Elephant in TV shows and movies for many years, from 1989 to 2015.

Early Life and Beginnings

Gordon Pinsent was the youngest of six children. He was born in Grand Falls, which was then part of Newfoundland. Today, this area is known as Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. His mother, Florence, was a quiet and religious person. His father, Stephen, worked at a paper mill and was also a cobbler (someone who makes or fixes shoes).

When he was a child, Gordon Pinsent described himself as "awkward." He also had a condition called rickets, which affects bone development.

Pinsent started acting on stage when he was 17 years old, in the 1940s. Soon after, he began performing in radio plays for the CBC. Later, he moved into acting for television and movies. In the early 1950s, he took a break from acting. He joined the Canadian Army and served for about four years.

A Long and Successful Career

Gordon Pinsent's professional acting career officially began in 1957. He started at Theatre 77 in Winnipeg, which is now called the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. After that, he performed in many plays in Winnipeg, Toronto, and at the famous Stratford Festival.

In the early 1960s, he appeared in TV shows like Scarlett Hill and The Forest Rangers. He became a very familiar face on Canadian television. He had important roles in series such as Quentin Durgens, M.P., A Gift to Last (which he also created), The Red Green Show, Due South, and Wind at My Back.

Film Roles and Writing

Pinsent also had many memorable roles in movies. These include The Rowdyman, Who Has Seen the Wind, John and the Missus, and Away from Her. He was not just an actor; he also wrote the screenplays (the scripts for movies) for The Rowdyman and John and the Missus. One of his earliest and most famous movie roles was playing the President of the United States in the 1970 science fiction film Colossus: The Forbin Project.

Honors and Recognition

Gordon Pinsent received many important honors for his work. In 1979, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honors. He was promoted to Companion of the Order in 1998. In 2006, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. In 2007, he was given a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, which celebrates famous Canadians.

In 2007, Pinsent became the honorary chairman for a fundraising campaign for The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum. This shows his continued connection to the Canadian Army.

From 2008 to 2011, Pinsent hosted a radio show on CBC Radio One called The Late Show. In this show, he shared stories about notable Canadians who had passed away.

Pinsent also appeared in a short film called Life Doesn't Frighten Me. This film won several awards, including the CBC Short Film Face-Off and awards at the Toronto Student Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013.

He had a guest role on the TV series Republic of Doyle in 2010. He also became very popular when a funny video of him reading dramatically from Justin Bieber's autobiography went viral (became very popular online) in 2010. This happened on the TV show This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Writing Career

Gordon Pinsent was also a talented writer. He wrote two memoirs, which are books about his own life. His first memoir, By the Way, was published in 1992. His second, Next, was published in 2012.

Besides his memoirs, he wrote several screenplays for movies, including The Rowdyman and John and the Missus. He also wrote plays for the stage, such as Easy Down Easy (1987) and Brass Rubbings (1989).

Personal Life and Passing

Gordon Pinsent married actress Charmion King in 1962. They were married until her death in 2007. Their daughter, Leah Pinsent, also became an actress. Gordon Pinsent had four children in total.

Gordon Pinsent passed away on February 25, 2023, in a hospital in Toronto. He was 92 years old. He died from problems caused by a cerebral hemorrhage, which is bleeding in the brain.

Awards and Tributes

Gordon Pinsent received many awards for his acting and writing. He was a Companion of The Order of Canada and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada.

In 1997, he won the Earle Grey Award for his lifetime achievements in television. He also received several honorary doctorates from universities, including the University of Prince Edward Island and Queen's University.

In 2004, Pinsent received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award. This is the highest honor for performing arts in Canada.

To honor him, the Arts & Culture Centre in his hometown of Grand Falls-Windsor was renamed The Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts on his 75th birthday, July 12, 2005.

In 2008, he received the first-ever Gordon Pinsent Award of Excellence from The Company Theatre in Toronto. In 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Throughout his career, Pinsent won many acting and writing awards. These included five Gemini Awards, three Genie Awards, two ACTRA Awards, and a Dora Award.

Selected Movies

Selected Television Series

Selected Television Specials and Movies

• 1973: Incident on a Dark Street as Joe – Mayor
• 1981: Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper as Ambassador Ken Taylor
• 2003: Hemingway vs Callaghan as Morley Callaghan
• 2012: Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town as Elder Stephen Leacock

Music Albums

Gordon Pinsent also released music albums:

• 2002: At the Rim of the Carol-Singing Sea (with The Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir)
• 2010: Down and Out in Upalong (with Travis Good and Greg Keelor)

Images for kids

• 

  Pinsent in 2008

See also

In Spanish: Gordon Pinsent para niños