William Needles facts for kids

George William Needles was a talented actor and teacher from Canada. He was born in the United States on January 2, 1919, and passed away on January 12, 2016.

One critic, Harry Lane, said that George Needles' acting looked easy and natural. He also mentioned that Needles showed great wisdom and a playful side, with a wonderful voice.

Growing Up and Starting Out

George Needles grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. His father, Ira Needles, was a very important person. He led a big company called B.F. Goodrich Canada. He also helped start the University of Waterloo and the famous Stratford Festival.

George chose acting because he really didn't want to go to business school. His father agreed, but only if George got the best acting training possible. So, George went to the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago.

Serving His Country

In 1943, George Needles joined the United States Army. He served in the Pacific during World War II. He was part of the 7th Infantry Division in the Aleutian Islands campaign in 1943. Later, he was with the New York 27th Infantry as a chaplain's assistant. He even took part in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. During that tough time, he remembered lines from Shakespeare's plays like Hamlet and Henry V to help him stay calm.

After the war, he came back to Canada. He started acting in Toronto, first on radio shows and then on television.

Acting at the Stratford Festival

George Needles was a key part of the Stratford Festival from the very beginning in 1953. He performed in more than 100 different plays there! He played many famous characters. These included Albany in King Lear and the Duke of Venice in The Merchant of Venice. He also played Merriman in The Importance of Being Earnest.

He learned a lot from listening to the skilled English actors at the Festival. He gave amazing performances in plays like Saint Joan and Mother Courage. He also acted in London, England, and across North America. This included stages in places like New York. In 1969, he was on Broadway in the play Hadrian VII.

Helping Other Actors

In the mid-1950s, George Needles helped start something very important. He, along with other actors like Jane Mallett and Barry Morse, created the Actors' Fund of Canada. They each put in a small amount of money to start it. This fund helps actors and other people in the theater who need financial support.

Inspiring Others

When the Stratford Festival season was over, George Needles also taught acting. He became a Master Teacher at the University of California, Irvine. He taught there for many years.

One of his students was the famous comedian Jon Lovitz. Jon Lovitz said that George Needles was "the nicest teacher, ever." Jon even based his Saturday Night Live character, Master Thespian, on George Needles!

Another actor, Colm Feore, remembered how kind George was to younger actors. In one play, The Winter's Tale, Colm had to throw George around the stage. When Colm apologized, George said, "No, no, dear boy, that's perfectly fine, you must do what you have to do to find the character." This showed how brave and kind George was.

Awards and Recognition

On November 15, 2000, George Needles received a very special honor. He was named a Member of the Order of Canada. This award is one of the highest honors a Canadian can receive. The award recognized his leadership and inspiration at the Stratford Festival for almost 50 years. You can find his star in front of the Knox Presbyterian Church in Stratford.

He also received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Waterloo. In 2002, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. In 2012, he was given the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

	Member of the Order of Canada	2000
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012

His Family

George Needles had five children. One of his children is the arts administrator Jane Needles. Another is the playwright Dan Needles. He also had fifteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.