Peter Donat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Donat
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| Born |
Pierre Collingwood Donat
January 20, 1928 Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Died | September 10, 2018 (aged 90) |
| Education | Acadia University (BA) Yale University |
| Occupation | Actor, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1953–2003 |
| Spouse(s) |
Marijke DeJong
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 3, including Lucas Donat |
Peter Donat (born Pierre Collingwood Donat; January 20, 1928 – September 10, 2018) was a talented Canadian-American actor. He was known for his many roles in TV shows and movies, often playing serious or important characters.
Contents
Early Life of Peter Donat
Peter Donat was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. His father, Philip Ernst Donat, was a landscape gardener. Peter had a younger brother named Richard Donat, who also became an actor. Their uncle was the famous British actor Robert Donat, who even won an Oscar.
Peter moved to the United States in 1950. He studied acting at Yale University. He first became well-known as a stage actor. One of his first big roles was playing the main character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac.
Peter Donat's Acting Career
Peter Donat had a long and busy career in acting, appearing in many TV shows and movies.
Early TV Roles
In 1965, he was part of the cast of Moment of Truth. This Canadian TV show was special because it was the only one from Canada ever shown on a major TV network in the United States.
Popular TV Shows
Peter Donat appeared in many popular TV series. Some of these include:
- Mission: Impossible
- Hawaii Five-O
- Charlie's Angels
- Dallas
- The Waltons
- Murder, She Wrote
He also had a regular role in the 1980s TV show Flamingo Road as Elmo Tyson. Later, he played Dr. Mordecai Sahmbi in Time Trax. Many people remember him as Bill Mulder, who was Agent Mulder's father, in the popular series The X-Files.
Movie Appearances
Donat also acted in many films. Some of his most notable movie roles include:
- The Godfather Part II (1974)
- The Hindenburg (1975)
- The China Syndrome (1979)
- The War of the Roses (1989)
- The Game (1997)
He was also an important member of the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco for many years. He even sang in a play for the first time in 1988, playing Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady.
Peter Donat's Personal Life
Peter Donat was married twice. He had three children: Caleb, Christopher, and Lucas Donat. He became a citizen of the United States.
Beyond acting, Peter Donat was involved in projects about mythology. He narrated a film called The Hero's Journey: A Biographical Portrait (1987). This film was about the life and work of the famous mythologist Joseph Campbell. Donat also hosted a video series called The World of Joseph Campbell: Transformation of Myths Through Time (1989). In this series, he shared his thoughts and celebrated Campbell's amazing work as a scholar and storyteller.
Peter Donat passed away at his home in Point Reyes Station, California, on September 10, 2018. He died due to health problems related to diabetes.
Filmography
- 1958 Lost Lagoon as David Burnham
- 1967 Der Revolver des Korporals as Hilario
- 1971 My Old Man's Place as Car Salesman
- 1973 The Waltons (TV Series, episode: The Prize) as Oscar Cockrell
- 1974 The Godfather Part II as Questadt
- 1974 The Missiles of October (TV movie) as David Ormsby-Gore
- 1975 Russian Roulette as McDermott
- 1975 The Hindenburg as Reed Channing
- 1977 Billy Jack Goes to Washington as Ralph Butler
- 1977 Delta County, U.S.A. (TV movie) as John McCain Jr.
- 1978 Mirrors as Dr. Philip Godard
- 1978 F.I.S.T. as Arthur St. Clair
- 1978 A Different Story as Sills
- 1979 The China Syndrome as Don Jacovich
- 1979 Hanging by a Thread (TV movie) as Mr. Durant
- 1979 Meteor as The Narrator
- 1982 Highpoint as Maronzella
- 1982 Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains as Harley Dennis
- 1982 Mazes and Monsters (TV movie) as Harold
- 1983 I Am Joe's Eye as Voice of Joe's Eye
- 1984 The Bay Boy as Will Campbell
- 1984 Massive Retaliation as Lee Briscoe
- 1985 Honeymoon as Novak
- 1987 Unfinished Business as Ferenzy
- 1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream as Otto Kerner
- 1989 Skin Deep as "Sparky"
- 1989 The War of the Roses as Jason Larrabee
- 1992 The Babe as Harry Frazee
- 1992 School Ties as Headmaster Dr. Bartram
- 1997 The Game as Samuel Sutherland
- 1997 Red Corner as David McAndrews
- 2001 The Deep End as Jack Hall
- 2001 Never Die Twice
- 2003 Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle as Eamon Byrne
See also
In Spanish: Peter Donat para niños
