On the Job - Entertainers


Entertainers

Actors - stage and movies back
Marguerite Martha Allan	Born Montreal, Quebec 1895. Died March 31, 1942. She organized the Montreal amateur dramatic group which would come to be known as the Montreal Repertory Theatre and would become one of the most successful amateur dramatic groups in Canada. In 1935 she received the Canadian Drama Award for outstanding service in the development of the Canadian theatre. At the annual Dominion Drama Festival the Martha Allan Trophy is awarded in her memory for the best visual performance. She also wrote three plays: What fools we mortals be; All of a summer's day; and Summer solstice.
Mae Ames	Born Manchester, England 1920. She was a shy child but family soon coaxed her to sing and dance and she even began to appear in local productions. A student in fashion design at the beginning of World War ll she worked in an aircraft factory and then became a Red Cross Nurse eventually meeting and marring a young Canadian forces man, Frank Ames. In 1946 she and her infant daughter were aboard the Queen Mary on their way to Canada with other war brides and 750 babies!!! The family moved to Prince Edward Island in 1961 and Mae became involved actively in the Charlottetown Little Theatre. When Frank was next posted to Halifax Mae retained her interest in Theatre in Halifax and also taught at the Ladies College. In 1979 with the death of her husband, Mae moved back to PEI to be close to her daughter and reunited with the Theatre. She eventually active with a seniors theatric group, The Venerable, touring group travelling across Canada to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, farther west to Victoria and even to New York City. She has also appeared on the TV Series Emilie of New Moon. Source: : Making History ::a Celebration of Prince Edward Island Women of the 20^th Century. Compiled by the Zonta Club of Charlottetown, 2000.
Margaret Anglin.	Born Ottawa, Ontario April 3, 1876. Died January 7, 1958. Margaret was actually born in the Speakers Chambers of the House of Commons in 1876. Her father was the Speaker of the house! She acted on stage in New York, toured Australia and toured in Canada. She had her own classical acting company in 1913.
Julia Arthur.	(née Ida Lewis) Born May 3, 1869. Died 1950. She chose her stage name for her acting career from her mother's family name. She had her stage debut at the age of 14 in the United States. In 1895 she went to act in London, England. She married Benjamin Pearce Cheney and took a few years reprieve from the stage. In 1914 she returned to the stage. In 1924 she had a very successful tour of Canada. She was the star of such movies as Napoleon, The Man of Destiny and Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Mabel Barrington	Died November 1, 1912.A prominent stage actor who debuted on stage in 1902 and achieved "star" quality by 1905. She had great success in 1908 in New York with he BLUE MOUSE. By 1911 she was forced to retire from the stage because of serious ill health.
Ester Evalyn Sera Owen Bowen.	Born June 18, 1911. Died 1999. She left her native Wales to go to theatre in London and later, while working in a touring theatre, she would be introduced to Canada. She immigrated to Canada in 1956 and found work in Montreal acting and writing. It would however be Nova Scotia that she chose to live. In 1967 she was appointed Artistic Advisor for the Nova Scotia Centennial celebration. She organized and directed the first all Negro drama group in Canada. She wrote plays, directed and taught drama to the youth of her chosen home province. To learn more about this talented woman read Great Dames, edited by Elspeth Cameron and Janice Dickin, [Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1997].
Doris Buckingham	Born 1910 (?) Died February 1, 1988. A stage and radio actress she created Vancouver’s Theatre Under the Stars. Through the 1940’s and 1950’s the group saw her in more than 50 productions. She also worked in CBC productions. Along with her husband William the pair were known as Mr. and Mrs Theatre. They had one son. The couple was honoured in the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame Starwalk at the Orpheum which honours BC residents who have made outstanding contributions to entertainment on the local, national and international scene.
Martha Henry	Born Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. February 17, 1938. She completed her studies at the Carnegie Mellon University and at the National Theatre School of Canada. Her stage presence has been acclaimed and she is equally as effective in a variety of roles. She has received the Theatre World Award of New York in 1979. Genie awards were earned in 1979, 1983,1986, 1993 and 1996 show a consistency of excellence. She won Gemini awards in 1988 and again in 1989. She has received the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada. Not bad for a little girl who lived with her grandparents in their attic and used to dream of performing on the stage.
Fifi D’Orsay.	Born Montreal, Quebec April 16, 1904. Died December 2, 1983. Could you guess that this is a stage name? Her real name is Marie-Rose Angelina Yvonne Lussier. After several successful acts in Vaudeville, she began her Hollywood movie career in 1929. She was in movies and television as well as live stage for 40 years and worked with famous male stars like Will Rogers. Billed as a French bombshell from Paris, she never even traveled outside of North America. Her life story was featured on the TV show This is your life.
Shirley Douglas	Born Weyburn, Saskatchewan. 1934. As a youth she had been involved in church dram and music activities. At 16 she began to take acting seriously and attended the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta. She also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London England prior to acting in British stage and television. Her second marriage to Donald Sutherland took her and her family of three children, including twins Kiefer and Rachael to California to live. It was here that she threw her energies into the American protest movement of the 1960's and 1970's. Returning to Toronto as a single mother in 1977 she resumed a successful stage, television and movie career. In 2000 she received a Gemini Award for Best Featured Actress followed in 2001 with a Diamond Award from the Variety Club. In October 2003 she was presented the Order of Canada and in 2004 she received her own star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto along with her son, actor Kiefer Sutherland who became a star on the Walk in 2005.
Marie Dressler.	(real name Leila Marie Koeber) Born Cobourg, Ontario. November 9, 1869(?) Died July 28, 1934) Marie made it to Broadway in 1892 and became a vaudeville star comedienne headliner shortly after 1900. She stared in films with such top actors as Charlie Chaplin . She easily made the move to ‘talkies’ .when many top silent film heroines did not survive. More homely than beautiful she was also an over-weight woman. This was an unlikely star material. However, she was talented and she won the Academy Award in 1930. She became the first woman to ever appear on the cover of Time magazine. For information try: http://mdle.com/ClassicFilms/FeaturedStar/dresslra.htm There is some dispute as to her true birth date with various sources using 1868, 1869 and her grave using 1871.
Maude Eburne.	Born Bronte-on-the-Lake, Ontario November 10, 1875. Died October 15, 1960. She began her acting career on stage and by 1914 she had made her Broadway debut. She switched to a movie career in 1930 appearing in the move ”The Bat Whispers”. She would in her career of the next 21 years appear in 92 movies. She retired from acting in 1951.
Margot Finlay	Born January 30, 1980. Born in London she moved to Vancouver in 1989 and studied with the Vancouver Youth Theatre. She has acted in numerous films including: Misery Harbor, Opposite Sex, In Cold Blood, and The Adventures of Yellow Dog.
Joanna Gleason	née Halprin. Born Winnipeg Manitoba June 2, 1950. As a daughter of TV game show host Monty Hall she was exposed to TV life. She first received a taste of TV work as a child in repeat appearances in the TV series Different Strokes. She took time to study at the University of Manitoba and then acted on Broadway where she received a Tony Award as best actress in a musical. Her main exposure is still TV with numerous appearances on programs such as Friends and West Wing most recently. Movies are also a form of work she enjoys. Check out www.imdb.com for a list of her works.
June Havoc	Born Vancouver, British Columbia November 8, 1916. Her mother wanted stardom for June and her older sister Louise ( who would become known professionally as Gypsy Rose Lee) June was featured on Vaudeville as Baby June and her Farmboys and the act continued into the 1920's when her name 'Dainty June" June resented Vaudeville and at 13 she married on of the boys in the chorus line to escape. June's mother simply regrouped her energies around her older daughter. Although her marriage did not last she gathered her talents and enjoyed life. June would remain on the edge of the industry and was nominated for her work as a director on Broadway in 1964.
Martha Henry.	Born Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. February 17, 1938. One of Canada’s leading actresses she has long been associated with the Stratford Festival. She has won Genie Awards for her work in films in 1980, 1984, 1994, and 1996. She has bee Gemini Awards for her work in TV. She has received the Order of Ontario in 1994 and is a companion in the Order of Canada since 1990.
May Irwin.	(Real name Georgina May Campbell) Born Whitby, Ontario June 27, 1862. Died October 22, 1938. As early as 1872 she and her sister Flora were singing on stage. Once the sister act split up, May would go on and become a well known Broadway performer. Her movie career was short but historically significant. Thomas Edison, the famous inventor, placed May in the staring role in his pioneering one minute moving picture called The Kiss. It was the first kiss of the movies!!! It was considered scandalous by early movie audiences and the clergy! It is considered to be the first moving picture to ever be shown in Canada! May would make only one other movie Mrs. Black is Back before she retired to live with her husband and two children. She is also credited with having named the famous Thousand Island Salad Dressing. She and her family owned a vacation home in the 1000 islands.
Ruby Keeler.	Born Halifax, Nova Scotia August 25, 1909. Died February 28, 1993. A former speakeasy dancer and Broadway lead, she married musical star Al Jolson in 1928. After several films she retired from the screen in 1941. She charmed audiences again in 1971 with a return to Broadway in the musical "No No Nanette". She always contended that she had a horrible singing voice, could not act, and that her dancing skills were not that good either. Even so she was popular on screen.
Florence Lawrence	Born Hamilton, Ontario January 1 1890. Died December 28, 1938. This petite Canadian born actress is universally acknowledged as the world’s first movie star. At age 4 she was performing as “Baby Flo, the Wonder Whistler” on vaudeville. In the pioneer days of filmmaking, credits with the names of actors were not important. She became known simply as the "Biograph Girl". In 1915 she tried to help someone in a studio fire and was badly burned. She never achieved her former active career. At the time of her death she had appeared in 250 films! For more information check out http://www.biographcompany.com. or read Florence Lawrence, the Biograph Girl : America's First Movie Star by Kelly R Brown (McFarland, 1999).
Marti Maraden	Born El Centro, California, U.S.A. June 22, 1945. Marti came to Canada with her then husband in 1968 to avoid the draft for the military in the U.S.A. She took up the stage and from 1974—1979 she appeared at the famous Stratford Festival Theatre in Ontario. Her roles provided a Variety of experience and even played Reagan apposite the renouned Peter Ustinov. Taking on New York City in 1980 she did some off Broadway work and was encouraged to try directing. She liked it. Returning to Canada in the late 1980’s and 1990’s she acted and directed at the Shaw Festival Theatre at Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. She went all to productions in numerous Canadian stages with the Canadian Stage Co., the Grand Theatre, Montreal Theatre Centre, Children’s Theatre Co., and the National Arts Centre. From 1997 through 2005 she was the Artistic Director, English Theatre at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa. Source: Canadian Who’s Who (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2005)
Clara Morrison.	(née La Montagne) Born Toronto March 17, 1848. Died November 20, 1925. Her stage name was Clara Morris and she was known as the “Queen of the Melodrama”. She is said to have had the ability to bring a whole audience to tears with her acting. She would later write her life story in three volumes of memoirs.
Daphne Katherine "Kate" Reid.	Born London, England November 4, 1930. Died March 27, 1993. This warm and vulnerable performer thrived while working live theatre. She also appeared in some 50 movies and did numerous television productions. She was nominated for Tony and Emmy Awards and holds many Canadian awards including an A C T R A.
Eva Tanguay	Born Marbleton, Quebec August 1, 1879 * Died January 11, 1947. She began her career on stage at the age of 8. Her true medium was vaudeville and musical comedy. She would become known as the "I don't care girl" after a song "I don't care what happens to me" that she sang in a show called the Chaperons in 1904. In 1912 she was one of the most highly paid women actors in the United States. She made a couple of musical recordings and was the star of two movies Energetic Eva (1916) and The Wild Girl (1918). In 1929 she suffered from ill health and was losing her eyesight forcing her to retire from acting in 1930. In 1953 a movie The I don't care girl was loosely based on her life and career. Evidently her ghost spends time just off stage left in the centre of balcony row at Cohoes Theatre in Albany New York, U.S.A. * Her birth year is sometimes reported as 1878
Actors - TV *and Movies* back
Sharon Acker	Born Toronto, Ontario April 2, 1935. An actress in movies and television her career spans from the 1950"s through to the late 1980's. A supporting actress she has appeared in such TV shows as Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Cannon, McMillan and Wife, Barnaby Jones, The Rockford Files, Quincy and Murder She Wrote. She also played Della Street in the TV Movie the New Perry Mason.
Jean Adair.	Born Hamilton, Ontario June 13, 1873. Died May 11, 1953. This actress appeared in numerous films in the 1940’s but perhaps she is best remembered as one of the sweet, but murderous aunts in “Arsenic and Old Lace”.
Pamela Denise Anderson.	Born Ladysmith, British Columbia July 1, 1967. She has also been known as Pamela Lee and has been involved with movies and been a popular doing “guest appearances “ on popular TV programs.
Frances Bay	Born Dauphin, Manitoba January 1, 1918. It was not until she was 60 did Frances find herself immersed in the world of TV and movies. In 1978 she played a small part in the movie Foul Play and both she and the industry became ‘hooked’ on each other. She would go on to become “Hollywood’s Granny” in such movies as The Karate Kid, Twins, Little Red Riding Hood (Faerie Tale Theatre) and Happy Gilmore with Adam Sandler. Her TV Granny appearances were also numerous and included Happy Days, Hill Street Blues, Touched by an Angel and The Golden Girls. In total she has played in over 140 roles. She has also played roles both on and off Broadway stage and regional theatre. Her work has won her 2 Drama Lodge Awards and a Gemini Award for her role in Road to Avonlea. In 2002, as the result of an auto accident, she had to have part of a leg amputated. That same year she suffered the death of her husband Charles. Once recovered and walking with an artificial leg she is back at work and in 2008 she had a star placed on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto. Source: Online Canada’s Walk of Fame ( accessed July 2008)
Rachel Blanchard.	Born March 19, 1976 Toronto, Ontario, She started her career in a McDonald’s commercial! She appeared in “Are You Afraid of the Dark? ” before she landed her current role in the series “Clueless". Other movies she has appeared in are "Road Trip" , "Nailed" (2001) and "Wild Dogs" (2002).
Nanette Bordeaux.	Born St Georges, Quebec April 3, 1911. Died September 20, 1956. Her real name was Helene Olivine Veilleux. She was an actress who is perhaps best remembered for roles she played in a series of movies with the Three Stooges in the early 1950's.
Genevieve Bujold.	Born Montreal, Quebec July 1, 1942. She trained at the Quebec Conservatory of Dramatic Art and began her acting career in French Canadian theater. During a trip to Europe she was "noticed' by French director Alain Resnais who placed her in several of his films. She has received recognition for her dramatic talents with a Golden Globe award and Oscar nomination for the role in “Anne of a Thousand Days”. If you like historical movies give this production of one of King Henry VI's wives a try and enjoy the talent of this Canadian actress.
Neve Campbell.	Born Guelph, Ontario October 3, 1973. This Canadian starlet is making a name for herself in acting in television (Party of Five) and some 30 movies. She has even played a real princess, Elizabeth Windsor in Churchill: the Hollywood years.(2004) .She has also written scripts for movies and is a known producer of movies.
Sarah Chalke.	Born Ottawa, Ontario August 27, 1976. Beginning with children's television shows, Sarah got her break in 1996 when she became Becky # 2 on Roseanne, the popular television show about the Connor family . She has appeared in movies and television, including Ernest Goes to School; Beyond Obsession; Dead Man's Gun; and Neon Rider. When not acting Sarah can be found on the ski slopes where she is a qualified instructor.
Rae Dawn Chong	Born Edmonton, Alberta February 28. 1962. She began her movie career with a movie in which there was no dialogue! Quest for Fire (1981). Since then she has been busy with over 30 movie or television roles.
*Elisha Cuthbert*	Born Calgary, Alberta November 30, 1982 Raised in Vancouver the family moved to Montreal when she was 11. She had begun to model children’s cloths when she was seven and by 11 she knew she wanted to act. She became noticed on TV at 15 when she landed a globe trotting reporting role with Popular Mechanics for Kids. After high school she headed for Los Angeles and Hollywood. It was not long before she was cast as the daughter, Kim Bauer in the series 24. Her photos began to appear on the covers of magazines. In 2001 she earned a Gemini Award for her work in the movie Lucky Girl. In 2004 she landed her first staring role in the innocent comedy movie The Girl Next Door. In 2004 she filmed in Australia for the move House of Wax. 2005 found her at the Toronto Film Festival with the premier of The Quiet and 2007 found her in another horror film Captivity. 2008 brought her back to TV with the mini series Guns. Being brought up in Canada she loves hockey. In fact her mother and brother are active players. She prefers to stay off the ice and enjoys seasons tickets to Kings Games.
*Dorothy Davies*	Born Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. Died March 27, 2002. She worked as a radio actress, script writer and director on the CBC radio serial The Carson Family from 1947 through 1965. She was an original member of the Totem and Everyman Theatres which were early professional troupes. In 1955 she won the Dominion Drama Festival Award with a UBC Alumni production of The Crucible. She was the first recipient of the Jessie Richardson Award for lifetime achievement. She also won the Sam Payne Award for developing young talent. She was a charter member of the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame. ^{Source. The History of Metropolitan Vancouver – Hall of Fame http://www.vancouverhistory.ca (accessed June 19, 2009.)}
Yvonne De Carlo.	(Margaret "Peggy" Yvonne Middleton). Born Vancouver, British Columbia September 1, 1922. For this west coast Canadian the lure of Hollywood was very strong. 95 movie appearances she is well know to the movie screen. TV found her on westerns Bonanza and The Virginian, but she perhaps left her most distinctive mark as Lily on the TV hit show The Munsters..
*Laddie Dennis*	Born Adelaide Margaret Eleanor Marie Boissonearu, Winnipeg Manitoba May 7, 1920 Died February 22, 2009. The outgoing young Laddie took courses and performed at the Montreal Repertory Theatre. Moving to Toronto,. Adopting her mother’s maiden name. she took a fashion model position which lead her to fashion commentary. She became a writer and on-air-host for the Laura Secord Music Box show, CFRB Radio. She worked with Monty Hall (later a famous U.S. game show host of Let’s Make a Deal) and acted in CBC radio dramas along with doing hundreds of radio commercials. In 1946 Laddie wore dark pancake make-up, brown lipstick and green nail polish to provide the best image on demonstration Television sponsored by Eaton’s Department Stores. In 1951 she married novelist/editor James Burke The romance lasted 55 years. She became the first Canadian woman to appear on Canadian TV, September 8, 1952. Laddie was named Liberty Magazine’s 1955 TV Demonstrator of the Year. After a brush with cancer, Laddie found a job with regular hours from 1970-1985 as Director, Public Relations Scarborough Public Libraries. On vacation she travelled to Morocco. Upon return she sold her travel story. Thus began a journalistic career that would cover 80 countries. She was presented with the first Lifetime Achievement Award , 2001 by the Travel Media Association of Canada. Sources: Northern Stars.ca (accessed March 2009): Canadian Broadcast Museum Foundation Http://www.cbmf-fmcr.ca/Newsletter/march 2009/laddie.php (Accessed March 2009) ; Personal knowledge.
Susan Douglas	Born Vienna, Austria. March 13, 1928. As an actress she has enjoyed a highly successful Broadway career where she won the Donaldson Award for Best Supporting Performance in 1946. Breaking into American TV she played the character "Kathy" for ten years on the daytime drama Guiding Light. Moving to Canada with her husband Jan Rubes she continued her acting career while raising her family of three sons. She also returned time to her profession and founded the Young Peoples Theatre in 1965. In 1979 she became head of Radio Drams for CBC Drama Canada. She was aboard member of the St Lawrence Centre in Toronto and the Ontario Arts Council. She was awarded the Order of Canada in 1977 and was Woman of the Year of the Toronto B'nai Brith in 1979.
Deanna Durbin.	Born Winnipeg, Manitoba December 4, 1921. Known as 'Winnipeg’s Sweetheart', this glamour actress of the 1930’s and 1940’s had a real star status in Hollywood. She began her career in 1926 and had 23 credits behind her by 1948. Then she simply dropped out of the Hollywood life. She has not given an interview of any kind since she “dropped acting” To this day fan mail is still sent to the reclusive actress.
Denise Filiatrault.	Born May 16, 1932. An actress, director and writer, most of her work has been done in the French language. One of her TV series Moi et l'autre was considered the biggest comedy hit in the History of Quebec TV. Her stage productions earned her acclaim and awards. Her first film C't'a ton tour Laura Cadieux was so successful that it required a sequel, Laura is Back or Laura Cadieux...la suite!
Megan Follows.	Born Toronto, Ontario March 14, 1968. In December 1985 Megan became a household name in Canada as six million viewers tuned in to the CBC to watch her Gemini Award winning performance as Anne Shirley in “Anne of Green Gables” Since then she has appeared in numerous TV and screen movies, as well as live theatre and documentaries. In 2000 she returned to the role of Anne in a controversial adaptation of the life of the adult Anne in a CBC mini series. She married Christopher Porter in 1991 and is the mother of a son and a daughter.
Diane Foster	Born Edmonton, Alberta October 31, 1928. In the 1950's and 1960's she established herself as an actress in some 20 movies. In the 1960's she was in demand to appear in guest roles in television. She appeared in some 50 different roles in such main time shows as The Wild Wild West, Parry Mason, The Big Valley, My Three Sons, Ben Casey and The Fugitive. By the 1970's she became more interested in play the role of mother to her three children. She has also expressed her talents as an artist and an accomplished musician.
Rosemary Forsyth.	Born Montreal, Quebec July 6, 1945. This actress has appeared in numerous movies since she began her career in 1965. More recently she has been busy with day time drama in TV series such as “Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital”.
Luba Goy.	Born Germany November 8. This petite (she is only 1.5 meters tall) comedienne emigrated from Europe and graduated from Montreal's National Theatre School. Although she began working at the Stratford Theatre it was through her work on television that she became known to her fans. She worked on such shows as Bizarre and did some of the voices in Care Bear features. She became a welcome addition to Air Farce where she is known for her impersonations of Sheila Copps, Pamela Wallin, Hanna Gartner, and Queen Elizabeth. She does not like to publish the year of her birth.
Ocean Hellman	Born Victoria, British Columbia November 8, 1971. Her full name is actually Crystal Ocean Supri Heavenly Blue Sky Hellman! She began her career at 3 years of age when she appeared on a television commercial. She progressed to a brief child's role in a TV film with actress Jane Seymour that was filmed in Vancouver. Her first lasting and notable role would be as Nicole Roberts in the Canadian TV series Danger Bay in the 1980's. She continued her career, being in demand for numerous TV guest appearances in such successful shows as Northern Exposure, The Highlander, The Outer Limits and Crossing Jordan.
Jillian Hennessy.	Born Edmonton, Alberta November 25, 1969. An actress of several movies, such as "Robocop" and TV presence on in dramatic roles in "Law & Order" and "Crossing Jordan". Did you know that she has a twin sister by the name of Jacqueline?
Natasha Henstringe.	Born Springdale, Newfoundland August 15, 1974. To begin her career as a model in Paris, France she had to leave home at the age of 14. She burst onto the movie scene in 1995 in the film “Species”. She had 2 roles in 1992 and 5 roles, including “Species II” in 1998. “Caracara” is a 1999 release and in 2000 is the “The Whole Nine Yards”.
Julie Khaner.	Born Montreal, Quebec December 5, 1957. This accomplished actor played Alana on Street Legal (CBC series) and Emily on Jake and the Kid ( Global TV Series). She is also a regular on the CBC series Newsroom. Her TV guest roles have included Aderly, Night Heat, My Secret Identity and many more. She also enjoys live stage work and has played various roles at the famous Stratford Festival located in Ontario.
Margaret Ruth Kidder.	Born Yellowknife, Northwest Territories October 17, 1948. This youth from the Northwest Territories was to date Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau in real life and become the girl friend of Superman in the movies. She appeared in all IV of the Superman movies. She has over 80 movie and major TV productions to her credit. Did you know that the comic book characters of Superman and Lois Lane were the idea of a young Canadian artist? Look it up!
Carole Laure.	Born Montreal, Quebec August 5, 1951. This actress began her career in 1971. Since then she has appeared in 31 roles. She acts in both English and French language films and TV productions. She has also been a director and producer of films.
Ruta Lee.	Born May 30,1936. Also known as Ruta Kilmonis, this actress began her career in films in 1954 in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. She has mainly appeared in lesser-known films such as “Pterodactyl Women from Beverly Hills.”
Anne Marie Loder.	Born St John's, Newfoundland August 3, 1969. An accomplished TV and Movie actor, she always wanted to act. She took local classes in St John’s Newfoundland until she discovered theatre school. After university she attended the Ryerson Theatre School for Acting in Toronto.
Andrea Martin	Born Portland, Maine U.S.A. January 15,1947. This mother of two boys is well remembered for her work on Second City TV, Kate and Allie and Sesame Street. She has had guest appearances since the 1950’s in such series as Maverick, Carol Barnet Show, Superman and doing voices on The Simpson’s. She has won two Emmy awards for her program writing and she won a Tony award for My favorite year.
Lois Maxwell.	Born Kitchener, Ontario February 14, 1927. During her acting career she also used the name Lois Hooker. While she is credited with some 68 roles in movies and TV she will perhaps be best remembered for her portrayal in the Ian Fleming James Bond films as Miss Moneypenny.
Allyn Ann McLerie.	Born Grand Mere, Quebec December 1, 1926. Allyn become an actress having made films from the 1940's through to the 1980's. A listing of her TV appearances is like a listing of the classics, Bonanza, The Waltons and Dynasty to name a few of the shows in which she appeared. She retired from acting in 1993.
Monique Mercure.	Born Montreal, Quebec November 14, 1930. This actress who now heads up the national Theatre School has acted the classics but also retained an active interest in new works of our writers and directors. She has won the Palm d’Or for best actress at the world famous Cannes film festival. In 1992 she won a Genie for best supporting actress in “Naked Lunch”. She is an Officer in the Order of Canada.
Ramona Milano.	Born Nobelton, Ontario November 9, 1969. Before entering the Drama program at Humber College she worked on stage at Canada’s Wonderland theme park located just outside of Toronto. She has appeared mainly on Television. Maybe you know her as Francesca on the TV series Due South.
Gabrielle Miller	Birth name Gabrielle Sunshine Miller. Born Vancouver, British Columbia November 9, 1973. As a teen she worked at many odd jobs including being a gas station attendant. She gave up working at her mother’s hose cleaning business and attended the Breck Academy of the Performing arts in B.C. By 2008 she has had over 50 different TV and movie credits, won 3 Leo awards and had maintained key roles in Robinson Arms and the Award winning Corner Gas, the highest rated television program in Canadian history. She shares her time between Los Angeles and Vancouver for her work and yet finds time to do charity time as well. In 2007 she travelled to Mali with World Vision and handed out trees, piglets and clean water to villages. She is also the spokes person for the VELA Association, a non-profit organization helping people with disabilities. She enjoys time with her dog Duncan and regularly works out with a boxing coach. Definitely a rising Canadian star to watch. Source: Official Gabrielle Miller web site www>gabriellemiller.ca (accessed June 2008)
Ilana Miller	Born Toronto, Ontario January 21, 1979. This Toronto actress began her career in the 1989 revitalization of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club. She has also appeared as Cindy "Mac" MacNamera in the TV series Emerald Cove. Watch for this up and coming talent.
Carrie-Anne Moss.	Born Vancouver, British Columbia August 21, 1970. While modeling in Europe she obtained a movie role in a film being done in Spain. This actress is just beginning her career with appearances in TV and movies since 1991. She was in the TV series “Dark Justice” (19910, “Matrix” (1993). “Models Inc.” (1994) and F/X the Series (1996).
Kate (Patricia Colleen) Nelligan.	Born March 16, 1950. She was born in London, Ontario, and studied at York University and in London, England. As an actress, she has appeared in films for over 30 years. She is at home in both cinema and TV. In the movie “Up Close and Personal” she worked along side of leading actor Robert Redford. A count shows 29 movies and TV productions since 1990 alone! She has also worked on several TV specials including the mini series "A Wrinkle in Time A" in 2002.
Sandra Oh	Born Nepean (Ottawa) Ontario November 30, 1970. She began her career as a ballet dancer and eventually studied drama at the National Theatre School in Montreal. She then starred in a London Ontario stage production before moving to television in 1993. She has been recognized with several awards including the FIPA d'Or for Best Actress in 1994 Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels at Cannes, France, two Genie awards, a Cable Ace Award, A theatre World Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2003 she married writer-director Alexander Payne and in 2004 there were in their first film together, the Oscar-winning Sideways. In 2005 she began a TV series called Gray's Anatomy.
Catherine O’Hara.	Born March 4, 1954. She was a waitress at the Firehall Theatre in Toronto when she convinced actor John Candy to listen to her comedy routine. She joined the Second City TV troupe in 1973. She began her film career in 1980 and has appeared in such films as Beetlejuice, Dick Tracey, Home Alone, and such TV series as “Tales From the Crypt”.
Anna Paquin.	Born Winnipeg, Manitoba July 24, 1982. She lived in New Zealand when her family moved there in 1986. This young actress won her 1^st Academy Award in her 1^st film “The Piano” in 1993. She has appeared in 17 movies since her debut. She graduated from Windward School in West Los Angeles, California in June 2000. She completed the school's community service requirement by working in an LA soup kitchen and at a special education center. Anna enjoys music and she plays both the piano and the cello.
Mary Pickford	Born Toronto, Ontario April 8, 1892 . Died May 29, 1979. She began her screen career in the silent films in 1909.. As an actress she stands above the rest of her era and earned herself a Best Actress Academy Award (1929) at the second annual event.. Her sweet girlish looks and her long ringlets endeared her to the the fans who knew her as "America's Sweetheart". Her dedication to realism in her work sometimes meant getting down into real mud! Her talents went beyond her sincerity and heart melting appearance. She entered the film industry and became Hollywood's first female businesswoman "movie mogul" creating with her colleagues United Artists Studios. She was the first woman to make $1,000,000.00 a year!!! She remained to the end of her life, proud of her Canadian heritage.
Amanda Plummer.	Born New York, New York, U.S.A. March 23, 1957. This daughter of actor Christopher Plummer was born in New Your City. Following her fathers love for acting she won a Tony in 1982 in Agnes of God. She has starred in such films as The Fisher King, The World According to Garp, Pulp Fiction, Dallmake, The Last Angel, and Triggerman. With movies and TV she has had some 9 appearances in 2002 alone!
Sarah Polly	Born Toronto, Ontario January 8,1979. This actress became best known in Canada for her role in “Road to Avonlea”. She had however been working with Disney Studios since she was 4 years old. She is currently making the rare successful change from a child actor to adult actor. She is pursuing her education and has strong pacifist political views
Louise Portal .	Born May 6, 1951. This actress has be recognized with nominations for Best Actress Genie Award (1980) and won the Best Supporting Actress Genie Award in 1987. In the film Sous-sol (1996) she won the Guy-L'ecuyer Award for Best Actress. She has also won two Gemini Awards in 1994 and 1996 for her work on TV. As if this was not enough she has written an novel, Jeanne Janvier and has written plays. Composing some 40 songs she has released 4 successful albums. She is a real woman on the go!
Camilla Scott.	Born Toronto, Ontario June 12, 1962. A childhood dream of becoming a dancer helped propel this native Torontonian to fame as an actress, singer and noted talk show host. She worked on soap operas in Los Angeles, then returned home and kept busy acting in a variety of guest spots on television shows and a couple of movies. However, it is her own talk show. Her role in Due South has all of her career attention now.
Edith Norma Shearer	Born Montreal, Quebec August 10, 1900 or 1902. Died June 12, 1983. The parents of Edith Norma and Athole (pronounce Ethel) registered the birth of both daughters but did not include their first names. Norma would go on to become an actress of great repute and would always claim to be the youngest of the sisters. The family moved from Montreal to New York working as performers and models. It was tough times but eventually Norma would make it to Hollywood where she would become one of the great stars at MGM. She would marry the famous studio executive Irving Thalberg. She was the presented with the third top Actress Academy Award for her work in the film The Divorcee. She was the second Canadian woman to receive this award. A good biography is located at: http://mdle.com/ClassicFilms/guest/shearerb.htm.
Joanna Shimkus.	Born Halifax, Nova Scotia October 30, 1943. Joanna began he film career in the mid 1960's with some 14 movies to her credit by the mid 1970's. In 1976 she married actor Sidney Poitier and abandoned her career to devote herself to her family of two daughters. Currently she is immersed in a successful career in Interior decor.
Nell Shipman.	(née Helen Foster-Barham) Born Victoria, British Columbia 1892. Died January 23, 1970. This actress was a pioneer of the silent film era. She was one of the first women in the world to direct her own films and she even established her own production company. She was the first actress to do a nude scene in a film. It was a silent film entitled God's Country which was filmed on location in the Canadian north, snow and all!
Jessica Steen.	Born Toronto, Ontario December 11, 1965. There was a lot of time to practice acting in Jessica's house. There was always an annual Christmas skit, and trips to the theater with her director father. She had her first TV role at the age of 8. In the mid 1960's she appeared in a TV movie with Lindsay Wagner and schoolmate Keanu Reeves. Lately she has had roles in Touched by an Angel; The Outer Limits; ER; and Due South. If her busy schedule between TV and movies allows it, she enjoys kayaking and rock climbing. She is also a volunteer with environmentalist David Suzuki. Check out her web page: http://www.jessicasteen.com
Cree Summer.	Born Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. July 7, 1970. Her father wanted to raise his children away from the hustle and bustle of American society and he moved his young family to rural Saskatchewan where Cree would live for eight years. This actress is more known for her voice than her face. She has been doing voices for animated movies since 1985. She began with the “Care Bears Movie” and can also be heard in the cartoon shows of “Inspector Gadget”, “Rugrats”, and “Tiny Toons” among others.
Cardinal Tantoo.	Born Fort McMurray, Alberta July 20, 1950. One of North America’s most widely recognized Native actresses she has won a Grammy award for her work as a guest appearance on the TV program “North of 60”. She has also won the American Indian Festival, best actress, and the 1^st Rudy Martin Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Native American in film (“Legends of the Fall”) In 1991 Maclean’s Magazine declared her Actress of the Year.
Jennifer Tilly.	née Chan) Born Harbour City, California U.S.A. September 16, 1959. Jennifer grew up in British Columbia with her mother and her sister Meg. Both sisters chose to have their life careers in acting. Jennifer has appeared in many TV and movie hits including Hill Street Blues (TV 1981); The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989); and Liar Liar (1998) along with fellow countryman Jim Carey. In 2003-2004 alone she has worked on some 13 films!!!
Meg Tilly.	Born Texada, British Columbia February 14,1960. This actress has been in movies and television since 1980 when she appeared in “FAME”
Shannon Lee Tweed.	Born March 10, 1957. This native Newfoundlander has been busy with appearing in 49 movies and TV productions since 1978. She made her debut in “Of Unknown Origin” and she has been on the TV series “Falcon Crest” (1978-1983), daytime drama with “Days of Our Lives” as well as “Pacific Blue” in 1996 and more recently "Diaries of Darkness" and "My Guide to Becoming a Rockstar".
Mary Walsh	Born St John’s Newfoundland May 13, 1952. Mary caught pneumonia as an infant and was taken to live with two aunts and an uncle with whom she remained. A bit of a rebel as a teen she became engaged to an American service man and took off to the U.S.A. When things did not work out she returned to Newfoundland and was in the right place when a Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) had a local opening. Her natural quick wit and vivacity meant she would never look back. She joined a the Newfoundland Travelling Theatre Company and ended up moving to Toronto to study theatre. However, another opportunity opened up and she left school to join a young group that would become well known as CODCO from 1987-1992. There followed in 1993 This Hour Has 22 Minutes. In 2003 she hosted May Walsh’s: Open Book and went on to create Hatching Matching and Departing for the CBC which won a Gemini Award. On a personal front she was fighting alcoholism which had began in her early teens. By 2005 she was awarded the Courage to Come Back Award by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She also wanted to participate in helping others and became the spokesperson for Oxfam Canada (an international aid agency). She became a member of the Order of Canada in 2000. Source Mary Walsh: an inferno of wit by Peter Feneck Good Times February 2007 pg 8-14 : Library and Archives Canada. Canadian Women in Theatre and Dance. www.collectionscanada.gc.ca (accessed March 2008)
Tonya Lee Williams	Born London, England July 12, 1967. As a child she lived in Jamaica and England ( where she was a Brownie) before settling with her mother in Canada. At 14 she won a pageant and loved the feeling of being on stage. At 16 she was taking modeling classes and joined the model agency after her classes. She appeared in several TV commercials and even "wore a moustache" for milk. She studied theatre at Ryerson University and had several spots on Canadian TV including the children's show Poka Dot Door. In 1987 she headed for Los Angeles in California trying hundreds of auditions to find one or two small parts. In 1990 she was chosen for a part on the daytime show the Young and the Restless as Dr. Olivia Barber Hastings Winter. She won the NAACP Image Award in 200 for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series.
Fay Wray.	Born Cardston, Alberta September 15, 1907 Died August 8, 2004. An actress who played opposite such leading men as Gary Cooper, Ronald Coleman, Frederic March, and William Power. She is perhaps best remembered for playing opposite an ape by the name of King Kong.
Dancers back
Louise Bédard	Born Montréal May 26, 1955. She turned to dance later in live with the Group Nouvelle Aire in Montréal in 1979. She studies various forms of dense, including modern dance, butch, ballet and she also studied voice. In 1981 she performed in Linda Robin’s O’Parade and the intensity of her dancing did not go unnoticed. In 1983 she began work as a choreographer with Pulsions et Dérisions. In 1987 she helped found Circuit-Est a co-op which assured a consistent rehearsal venue. She formed her own Louise Bédard Dance in 1990. She has also worked beyond the live stage in numerous film and video productions for Television, the National Film Board as well as dozens of productions where she dances for others in the story lines of movies. Source: Louise Bédard by Linda Howe-Beck The Canadian and World Encyclopedia [Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1997]
Helen Birdsall	Born Toronto, Ontario 1906. Died November 19, 1988 She and her sister Fanny had a lifelong interest in dance and teaching young performers in their art. . From 1923-1983 the sisters operated a ‘legendary’ dance studio in Toronto. In the 1920’s and 1930’s she was choreographer for the grandstand show at a the Canadian National exhibition. The 1931 CNE production featured a cast of 1,500! She was also well known for the annual spring dance review that were held each year at Massey Hall and the CNE.
Menaka Thakkar.	Born Bombay, India March 3, 1942. She came to Canada in 1972 to visit her brother and to perform classical dance of India. Her acceptance was so warm that she made Canada her home. She has founded a dance company and been a major influence in the development and appreciation for Indian classical dance in Canada. She has been the recipient of numerous awards for her work both in Canada and in India.
Dancers - Ballet back
Annette av Paul	Born Stockholm, Sweden February 11,1944. She was born and began her ballet career in Sweden. In 1973 she danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and she joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in 1976. She brought beauty, vast experience and artistic maturity to the many roles that were created for her. She retired from the stage in 1984.
Margaret Ruth Pringle Carse.	Born Edmonton, Alberta December 7, 1916. Died November 14, 1999. This ballet dancer was a true pioneer of her profession in Western Canada. She founded the Alberta Ballet Company and it's associated school of dance. She studied with several leading institutions including the National Ballet of Canada and in New York City. An injury in 1954 forced her to retire from the stage. She turned her talents to teaching the youth of Western Canada. She was winner of the Dance Canada Award in 1989 and she holds the Order of Canada.
Ludmulla Chiriaeff	(née Otzoup-Goeny). Born Riga, Latvia January 10,1924. Died September 22, 1996. Founder of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens she was a strong force in the development of dance in Quebec and Canada.
Celia Franca	(real name Celia Franks). Born London, England June 25, 1921. Died February 19, 2007. This founding artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada is a strong willed and determined ballet dancer. These are traits needed over the 23 years she helped the young ballet company to succeed. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1967.
Margie Gillis.	Born Montreal, Quebec July 9, 1953. She is a solo artist who has presented modern ballet around the world. She has hip-length chestnut hair and wears remarkable costumes. She introduced modern dance to contemporary China. She was named Canadian Cultural Ambassador in 1981 and in 1986 Quebec Cultural Ambassador. In 1988 she was appointed to the Order of Canada.
Evelyn Hart.	Born Toronto, Ontario April 4, 1956. An award-winning ballerina, Evelyn Hart is an international renowned dancer and one of Canada’s most treasured artists. She was in 1980, the first Canadian to be awarded a Gold Medal at the international Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria as well as the rarely awarded Certificate of Exceptional Artistic Achievement.
Melissa Hayden.	(real name Mildred Herman). Born Toronto, Ontario April 25, 1923. This ballerina who trained as a young girl in Toronto, became an internationally known dancer. She danced with the New York City Ballet. Upon retiring as a dancer she opened her own teaching studio in New York City.
Karen Kain.	Born Hamilton, Ontario March 28, 1951. A prima ballerina, Karen has won international recognition for her dancing. At 19 years of age she was the principal dancer of the National Ballet of Canada. In 1991 she was elevate to the level of Companion of the Order of Canada. She is the founding president and president for life of the Dancer Transition Centre which is dedicated to helping retrain retiring professional dancers. Her Biography “Movement Never Lies” can be found at your library.
Judith Rose Marcuse	(née Margolick). Born March 13, 1947. A versatile dancer who has danced with les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Bat-Dor of Israel, and the Ballet Rambert of England. She now prefers choreography.
Betty Oliphant.	Born London, England August 5, 1918. Died July 11, 2004. She is a founder of the National Ballet School of Canada and founding director 1959-1979. She has also worked for ballet schools in Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. She is an Officer of the order of Canada as well as many additional awards from the City of Toronto, France and the 125 Anniversary of Confederation Medal. She has also published her autobiography.
Paula Ross.	Born Vancouver, British Columbia April 29, 1941. Her real name is Pauline Cecilia Isobel Teresa Campbell. She began to study ballet at 5 years of age. . At 15 she left home to join a traveling performing group from Montreal. By the early 1960's she had returned to western Canada and had become a principal dancer in a Vancouver company. In 1965 she opened her own Paula Ross Dance Company. The Company, although well presented in western Canada and the United States, dissolved due to financial problems in 1987. Paula was known for her dance creativity and continues to work in Canada, Japan, and France.
Geneviève Salbaing	Born Paris, France. Born February 2, 1924. She was brought up in Casablanca Morocco and this is where she received her early ballet training. She went on to study with great Russian dancers in Paris where she studied philosophy at the famous Sorbonne University. She and her husband emigrated to the US before settling in Montreal in 1946. She became co-founder of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. Her style blends classical ballet with the free form of jazz. She was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 1987.
Berta Lynn Seymour	née Springbett. Born Wainwright, Alberta March 8, 1929. She studied ballet in Vancouver and England. In 2959 she was a principle dancer with England's Royal Ballet. Between 1966-1969 she was with the Deutsche Opera Ballet of Berlin, Germany. In 1978-9 she was director of the Bavarian State Opera Ballet in Munich, Germany. In Canada she has danced with the Royal Ballet, the Western Dance theatre and the National Ballet of Canada. In 1984 she published her autobiography.
Victoria Tennant	Born London, England January 15,1947. This prima ballerina of the National Ballet of Canada won international acclaim for her extraordinary versatility and dramatic power as she danced herself around the world for 25 years. Retired from dance she turned her talents to writing and producing for television and theatre. She has written books for children and is doing freelance writing for notable Canadian magazines. She volunteers for charity and has bee chairperson for UNICEF. She belongs to the Order of Canada.
Eva Von Gencsy	Born Budapest, Hungary March 11, 1924. As a young girl she loved to dance and took her early training in ballet in Hungary. She immigrated to Canada in 1948. She would earn the title of Principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1948through 1953 and would go on to be Principal dancer with Les Ballets Chiriaeff in Montreal from 1953 through 1957. Her interests turned to jazz dance and in 1972 she founded Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal where was artistic director and choreographer until 1979.
Dancers - contemporary - modern back
Maud Allan	(real name Ulla Maude Durant) Born Toronto, Ontario August 27, 1873. Died October 7, 1956. A true pioneer of modern dance. She was educated in the U.S.A., Germany and England but her career would take her around the world. Her autobiography was published in 1908, "My life and dancing."
Patricia Beatty.	Born May 13, 1936. Born in Canada, her early dance training was in the United States. She soon brought her talents back to Canada and founded the New Dance Group of Canada.
Rachel Browne.	Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. November 16,1934. Although trained in classical ballet, Rachel became one of the most important figures in Canadian modern dance. She created Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers.
Nancy Lima Dent	Born Toronto, Ontario 1919. She had her introduction to ballet in Toronto as a child and studied modern dance in New York City. In the 1940’s and 1950’s she worked with the Toronto New Dance Theatre establishing the Nancy Lima Dent Dance Theatre in the 1960’s. She created a body of over 30 dance works, many of which were a commentary on social issues of the day. She also performed, choreographed and organized modern dance festivals in 1960’s Toronto. Her last original choreographic work was presented in May 1974. In 1986 there was a production of her work Heroes of Our Time originally performed in 1952.
Saida Gerrard	Born Toronto, Ontario April 9, 1913. Died May 4, 2005. Her Russian immigrant parents passed on to her the love of music as a child and she studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music., and then on to New York City. In the 1930’s she would make significant contributions to the early establishment of modern dance in Canada. In 1951 she and her pianist husband, Aube Tzerko moved to work in Los Angeles where she formed her own dance company.
Ginette Laurin	Born Montreal, Quebec January 3, 1955. She began her choreographic career in 1979. She founded her own company in 1984. The company appeared at Expo 86 and won the Jean A. Chalmers Award. Since 1986 the company has returned to appear in Europe, the United States of America, Denmark, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
Musicians
Eleanor Reed Townsend	Born Dungannon (near Stratford) Ontario January 8, 1944 Died December 31, 1988. Eleanor studied classical violin as a youth before choosing fiddle music as her preferred art form. She won the women's Class Canadian Open Old Time Fiddler's Competition four times from 1967 through 1974. In 1979 she became the first woman to win the Open Class Competition (competition open to both men and women). When she was not touring with her music she taught fiddling at the boards of education in Scarborough and Simcoe Ontario. She cut four albums of music and published the Townsend Old-Time Fiddle method (1996) She is a member of the Fiddler's Hall of fame (1984) in Oceola, New York and also the Canadian National Fiddling Hall of Fame.
Producers and directors of movies and films back
Judith Crawley.	Born Ottawa April 21, 1914 Died September 15, 1986. A film producer, director, and scriptwriter, she and her husband Frank “Budge” Crawley formed Crawley Films, which became one of Canada’s foremost independent production companies. She was also president of the Canadian Film Institute.
Sarindar Dhaliwal	Born Punjab, India 1955. A feminist of Sikh descent s he came to Canada with her family as an infant. She has earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Falmouth School of Art at Cornwall, England in 1978. She returned to school at York University in Toronto for her masters in 2002. Her paintings combine fragments from the past such as photographs and mementos with paper made from organic plants in geometrically arrangements. She has also tried her talents as an author of short stories. Since 1983 she has participated in solo and group exhibitions throughout Canada. Her works resides in major public collections across Canada as well.
Madeline Hombert	Born Shoal Lake, Manitoba. October 4, 1944. She attended school in Rivers, Manitoba before heading off to Ryerson University in Toronto. Her education also included hands on training through cable television, commercial video, television and film productions. She has applied herself as a newspaper columnist, book editor, and a writer of screenplays. She has worked in most areas of film and television productions, from setting up equipment through budgeting and production management to songwriting. Through this experience she had gained insight to cost control and financial accountability while still appreciating the artistic demands of production. In 1989 she received a CTV Fellowship Award. She has always taken an active interest in her community and expressed herself in politics by running as a federal Liberal Candidate in the elections in 1979 and 1980 in Calgary. Her work in her community, her volunteer efforts and her political involvement earned her the nomination as a Woman of Distinction in Calgary 1981. The award encouraged her and she continues her volunteering with such organizations as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Variety Club and the Canadian Fund for the Support and Assistance of Lung Transportations.
*Annette Mangaard*	Born March 26, 1955. After studies at the Ontario College of Art she began her career as a filmmaker. She has earned recognition as a strong independent filmmaker. She has also returned her time to her profession by participating in various associations for Canadian filmmakers and has served as a board member for the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto. She earned the Award of Merit at the Charleston International Film Festival in 1994.
Anne-Claire Poirier.	Born St-Hyacinthe, Quebec June 6, 1932. A film director and producer, she joined the National Film Board in 1960. Her efforts allowed female film producers their first organized platform for expression.
Linda Marie Gillingwater Rainsberry	Died January 10, 2009. She was a writer, editor, educator, TV and film producer, philanthropist and a businesswoman. She studied at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia for her Bachelor of Education and earned her masters frat the University of Toronto. She won a Gemini Award for best shot dramatic program: Saying goodbye: the first snowfall, which was a ten part drama/documentary series on grief and bereavement. She was the director of the Ambassador program which is an educational program for 16-24 year old youth who lived on Toronto’s streets. She was the mother of two sons. Source: Toronto Star, January 17, 2009 pg. CL9
Kathleen Shannon.	Born November 11, 1935. She joined the National Film Board in 1956 as an editor and by 1962 had 115 films to her credit. She became a film editor and executive producer for the National Film Board of Canada using film to examine the role of women in society.
*Mina Suingai Shum.*	Born Hong Kong December 12, 1965. Mina studied for a degree in Theatre and then Film and TV Production at the University of British Columbia. She is a writer and producer of films and is perhaps best known for her work in short films. In 1993 her work Me, Mom and Mona, won a special Jury Citation for Best Canadian Short Film. She has won a Genie Award for Best Actress and Best Editing and she has been nominated for seven Genies in the categories of Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Screenplay.
Anne Wheeler.	Born Edmonton, Alberta September 23, 1946. Actress, filmmaker, producer, director and writer are her professions. She worked for the National Film Board of Canada in the 1970’s working on numerous documentaries. Her film “Bye Bye Blues” (1990) won 3 Genie Awards.
Puppeteers back
Noreen Young	She studied drawing and painting at the Ontario college of art but it was something more along the line of sculpting that would capture her attention and career. She began to hone her skills as a puppet builder and puppeteer. In 1979 she formed Noreen Young Productions. While she has been involved in several productions for the younger audiences it was her Under the Umbrella Tree television show that is perhaps the best remembered. It was aired on CBC, YTV, Canal Famille and the Disney Channel. In 1995 she received the Order of Canada for her achievements in children's television. Her political character puppets have been a constant source of entertainment for Canadian adults.
Vocalists - singers - folk music and country music back
Angèle Arsenault.	Born Abrams, Prince Edward Island October 1, 1943. With a sincere love of Acadian folk music as incentive she writes and sings her own songs in both of Canada’s official languages. Her albums have earned her many awards. She uses her music to express her own special brand of humor.
Carroll Baker.	Born Bridgewater, Nova Scotia March 4, 1949. Born in Bridgewater Nova Scotia she is a songwriter and singer of country music. She was performing first at the age of 4. She dominated the country music scene in the 1970's winning several Juno awards for her music.
Heather Bishop	Born Regina, Saskatchewan April 25, 1949. She went to university for her BA at the University of Saskatchewan in 1969. She had studied piano as a child but decided she enjoyed guitar more when she was a teen. She also studied voice in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1976 she began her solo career at the Regina Folk Festival. By the 1980's she was one of Canada's leading performers in both feminist and children's music and was touring throughout North America. She has some 5 albums of music as well as a recordings of songs for children.
Marie Bottrell	Born London, Ontario January 16, 1961. To her it seems she has always written and sang. When she was a teen, her brothers sent he son tapes to various country and western groups and she was soon hired as a writer and then she began recording and singing herself. Her first album, Just reach out came out when she was 17 years old. She has toured all over North America doing public and TV appearances. After a tour of Germany in 1980 she has maintained a loyal fan base there. She received the Best Country Awards for outstanding performance, country female singer in 1979 and best single recording for the Star in 1980. She was the Canadian Country Music Awards best female vocalist of the year in 1983 and 1984. She was nominated annually from 1979 through 1986 for Juno Awards. In 1991 she made a comeback with the hit Lasso your Love recorded in Nashville, U.S.A.
Edith Butler	Paquetville, New Brunswick July 27, 1942. Learning music in her home town of Caroquet, New Brunswick, she applauds the Acadian culture wherever she entertains. She has a strong singing voice and is a well rounded entertainer combining humour with her own music. She has toured Europe and Japan. She won the award of the Académie Charles-Cros, in Paris. She was made a member of the Order du Mérite de la culture française by the Canadian Senate and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. She has recorded some 20 albums of Acadian music.
Emma (Enid Maude) Caslor	née Carmichael Born Chilliwack, British Columbia December 18, 1913. Died December 25, 1977. She enjoyed piano lessons as a child and as a youth too voice in San Francisco, U.S.A., Vancouver and Halifax. She was introduced to the joy of folk music in 1930 while living on Canada's east coast. Until 1948 she used the professional name of Nina Finn when singing and playing public and radio performances. In the 1940's she worked for the National Film board in Ottawa. After 1948 she took the professional name of Emma Caslor and began her own career as a singer. Her music embraced at first the Celtic roots but soon took on the folk cultures of Canada's full diversity from aboriginal music to Elizabethan songs.
Terri Clark.	(real name Terri Lynn Sauson) Born Montreal, Quebec August 5, 1968. At age 9 she began playing guitar. She has always been obsessed with Country Music. She headed to Nashville in the U.S.A. to follow her dream. She worked and sang anywhere she could, "paying her dues" as a new singer for seven years. Her first album went triple platinum in Canada and platinum in the U.S.A. The Canadian Music Association declared her Top New Female Artist in 1995 and she won album and song of the year in 1996. She loves to rollerblade and collects guitars.
k. d. Lang	(Kathryn Dawn) Born Consort, Alberta November 2, 1961. This country singer has real country roots. She grew up in Consort, Alberta, which has a population of 700. In 1981 she became a vegetarian. She has been very outspoken against cattlemen . Her natural joy of country music is evident in the songs she sings. This multiple Grammy winner is considered an innovator in her field, she performs from the heart and is an inspiration to all.
Beverly Mahood.	Born Northern Ireland November 2, 1974. She began performing in 1980, at the age of 6, when her family moved to the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario. The child performer really took to the stage and has loved it ever since. Her song “Girl Out of the Ordinary” was #1 in Country Music by a Country Artist.
Anna McGarrigle.	Born Montreal, Quebec December 4, 1944. Along with her sister and partner, Kate, she began singing in coffee houses in Montreal in the 1960's. In 1976 they produced a record album together. Other albums followed including an all French album in 1982. The McGarrigles were named to the Order of Canada in 1994.
Buffy Sainte-Marie.	Born Piapot Reserve, Craven, Saskatchewan February 20,1941. (Sometimes recorded as 1942) This orphaned aboriginal child was to become a moving force in the international emergence of folk music. Her song “The Universal Soldier” was one of her most popular works. She also sings songs of concern for the native people’s experiences in North America.
Sylvia Tyson.	(née Fricker). Born CHATHAM, Ontario September 19, 1940. At age 15 Sylvia knew she would be a folk singer. She moved to Toronto where she met Ian Tyson. The duo became full time singers with their 1^st recording in 1961. They were among the leaders of the 1960’s North American fold music boom. Sylvia wrote songs such as “You Were On My Mind”. In 1970 they had the their own TV show “Nashville North”. In the 1970’s Sylvia headed out on a solo career. She hosed a CBC Radio show, recorded albums, and formed her own company “Salt Records”. She still enjoys performing today. She has teamed up only three times with Ian to do special performances, preferring to concentrate on her solo efforts.
Patricia Lorraine Tutty.	Born April 12, 1953. Known as Paddy, she and her sister began performing folk music in the late 1960's. She developed a serious interest in English and Celtic traditional music. She traveled to England to perform and collect fold music. She is and active member of the Canadian Fold Music Society and has produced albums of this popular and growing form of music.
Vocalists - singers - classical music back
Frances Adaskin	Born Saint John, New Brunswick February 3, 1903. Died August 22, 1988. She studied music and voice in Montreal, Toronto, and New York City. She made her debut in the 1920’s and appeared on CBC. From 1931-1941 she was a recitalist for the Canadian Pacific Railroads Hotels. She was a pioneer in supporting Canadian composers. For her efforts she received the Canadian Music Council Medal for “outstanding contribution to the life of Music in Canada”. She would become a teacher of music at the University of Saskatchewan from 1952 through to 1967.
Eva Gauthier.	Born Ottawa, Ontario September 20, 1885 Died December 26,1958. As a mezzo-soprano she made her Ottawa debut in 1901. She returned to Europe and worked with contemporaries Sarah Bernhardt and Enrico Caruso. She would help introduce more than 700 new songs in concerts or recitals after she left the stage in 1910.
Doreen Hume.	Born Sault Ste Marie, Ontario July 14, 1926. An operatic soprano, she started performing on CBC radio in the late 1940’s and in 1954 she moved to England to become principal soprano soloist in the BBC’s light Music Department for 15 years. She made 12 albums of light classical music and musical comedy before returning to Toronto in 1970.
Catherine Robbin.	Born Toronto, Ontario September 28, 1950. This mezzo-soprano studied in Toronto, Vancouver, London, Paris and New York City. Her rich voice is in demand throughout North America and Europe. She has made several classical recordings that have brought her acclaim.
Portia May White.	Born Truro, Nova Scotia June 24, 1911. Died February 13, 1968. As a child she sang in her Baptist church choir. Her professional career began its assent i1941 with an appearance at the Eaton Auditorium in Toronto. In 1944 she became the first black Canadian woman to appear in the New York Town Hall, where she was touted as the “Canadian Marion Anderson”. She toured in Canada, the U.S.A. and Latin America before returning for further studies in Toronto. She would teach at the all girls school of Branksome Hall and eventually open her own studio. She was very proud to perform before Queen Elizabeth II in a Command Performance in 1964. Even though she was an extraordinary contralto, her career was hampered by racial prejudice shown against black artists at the time. In 1999, some 30 years after her death, her family released a private CD “First You Dream”. Canada Post released a special stamp in her honour as part of it millennium celebration series.
*Vocalists - singers - jazz* back
Holly Cole.	Born Halifax, Nova Scotia November 25, 1963. A jazz singer who has produced several music albums that have made her one of the best-selling jazz artists ever to emerge from Canada. She is also very well liked in Japan.
Vocalists - singers - Opera back
Pierrette Alaire.	Born Montreal, Quebec November 9, 1921. A famous soprano singer born in Montreal she was Winner of the Prix de Musique Calixa-Lavallée among many awards. Sang at the Metropolitan Opera and help found the Victoria Opera Company.
Dame Emma Albani.	(Marie-Louise-Cecile-Emma Lajeunesse). Born Chambly, Canada East (Quebec) November 1, 1847. Died April 3, 1930. World famous soprano opera singer. She became the first Canadian born artist to distinguish herself in the international world of opera and concert singing.
Nancy Argenta	née Herbison. Born Nelson, British Columbia January 17, 1957 . She spent her early years in the settlement of Argenta, near Nelson, which she would later take as her professional name. Raised in a musical family where her mother taught piano, she soon found herself studying voice in Vancouver. Canada Council Grants allowed her to continue her studies in Europe. In 1983 she had her first major international performance at Aix-en-Provence, France. In 1989 she was performing farther afield in the Middle East and Japan. In 1992 she recorded with Tafelmusic in Toronto and won a Juno Award. Her strong soprano voice and her hard work have allowed her to work with most of the leading Early Music conductors on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Donna Brown	Born Renfrew, Ontario February 15, 1955. She studied near home in Ottawa and then at McGill University in Montreal before heading for in depth voice study in France, Austria and Italy. She made her European debut on the professional opera stage in 1982 and toured extensively in Europe. She moved back to Canada in 1997. She is in international demand, performing an extensive repertoire of opera, recital and oratorio works covering music from the baroque to 20th century works. She has graced the opera and concert stages of London. Paris, Tokyo, Geneva, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Sao Paulo, Caracas, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles!! Many of her opera and concert performances have been recorded for television broadcast in North America, Europe and Asia.
Fernande Chiocchio	Born Montréal, Québec May 29, 1929. A talented mezzo-soprano she studied music with Canada's top teachers such as Pauline Donalda and made her debut with the Opera Guild in 1952. After a dozen major roles in opera she joined a vocal quartet and made a 50 concert tour in France in 1958. In 1960 she was performing on radio and television and was featured at EXPO 67. She has the reputation as one of Canada's top musical interpreters of her generation ( Montreal, La Presse, December 11, 1963) She enjoys teaching voice privately to select talented students.
Tracy Elizabeth Dahl.	Born Winnipeg, Manitoba November 13, 1961. She enjoyed music as a child and studied music and theatre at the Banff School of Fine Art and after making her opera debut in 1982 transferred to the schools opera program. She launched her career at the San Francisco Opera, made her European debut in 1987and appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in 1991. She has made several recordings.
Pauline Donalda.	(Real name Pauline Lightstone) Born Montreal, Quebec March 5, 1882. Died October 22, 1970. A teacher and administrator she was also a well-known soprano who had sung with the world famous singer Caruso! She performed all over Europe, the United States, and even Russia as well as Canada. She founded the Montreal Opera Guild in 1942.
Sarah Eugéne (Nini) Fischer.	Born Paris, France February 23, 1896. Died May 3, 1975. Her family came to Canada when she was 12 and it was not until after World War I that she would train her soprano singing voice in London. She was made an honorary member of the Royal College of Music in London. In 1941 she opened a studio in Montreal helping many young Canadian artists to make their debuts.
Maureen Forrester.	Born Montreal, Quebec July 25, 1930. An internationally famous soprano, Maureen has sung all over the world in such sites as the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Whenever she was performing a series of songs she would always include a song by a Canadian artist. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Gillian Keith	Boron Toronto, Ontario. A talented soprano, her first training was in piano at McGill University in Montreal. She did her post graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. As a chamber music musician she has performed throughout the United Kingdom. She is also in demand as an opera, recitalist and oratorio concert singer. She is particularly know for her interpretations of Baroque music for which she has received several awards. She has performed in the United Kingdom and across Europe, North America, Turkey and Israel.
Beatrice LaPalme	Born Montreal, Quebec 1881. Died January 1921. She studied music at the Royal College of Music, London, England and made her debut in Montreal in 1900. Her London, England debut was made at Convent Garden in 1903. A well known prima Donna she would sing at the Opera Houses of Europe. She would be the first Prima Dona from Canada to be recognized after the famous Dame Emma Albani. In 1908 she married Salvator Issaury of the Opéra Comique, Paris. She spent the last years of her life as a music teacher in Montreal.
Nora McLellan.	Born October 29, 1954. This actor and singer made her stage debut at age 9 in La Boheme produced by the Vancouver Opera Association. She has appeared in more than 50 roles on stages in Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, London, Victoria, Saskatoon and Seattle. Her TV appearances have included such hit shows as X-Files. In 1987 she was co-founder, with Michael Dobbin, of the Aids-Relief Fundraising for the Actors' Fund of Canada.
Lois Catherine Marshall.	Born Toronto, Ontario January 29,1924. Died February 17, 1997. Though she suffered from Polio as a child it did not stop this opera singer. Her career too her all over the world to sing in the world’s greatest operatic productions and for solo appearances. She received many acknowledgements for her contributions to Canadian society including the Molson Prize and being a companion in the Order of Canada.
Mary Louise Morrison	Born Winnipeg, Manitoba November 9, 1926. She studied voice in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto. In the mid 1940's she was acclaimed the talented sweetheart of Winnipeg. She appeared at festivals and on radio. By the end of the 1940's she was appearing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. She moved to perform for C B C Opera and the Canadian Opera Company. Her personal Canadian Centennial project in 1967 was the role of Sara Riel in the opera Louis Riel. She has toured throughout North America and Europe as an advocate of 20th century music. Married to composer Harry Freedman, her voice as graced his works in several movies. She has held positions on numerous boards and committees for the Canada Council, the Sir Ernest Macmillan memorial Foundation, the Toronto Arts Council and has taught at McMaster University in Hamilton and the University of Toronto. She became an Officer in the Order of Canada in 1983.
*Henriette Schellenberg*	Born Backnang, Germany August 9, 1947. She immigrated to Canada as a child with her family. She studied voice and music first in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then in Europe. This young soprano made her debut in 1979 in Canada and in 1988 she made her debut in the U.S.A. Since then she as performed with leading orchestras across North America , Europe and Israel.
Teresa Stratas.	(née Anastasia Stratakis) Born May 26.Teresa began her singing career by singing Greek pop songs. By 1958 she had made her debut in Opera. Her beautiful soprano voice has been heard all over the world. The Canadian Music Council named her artist of the year in 1980.
Vocalists - singers - Popular and contemporary music back
Jann Arden.	Born Calgary, Alberta March 27, 1962. Her full name is Jann Arden Richards. As a youth she wanted to be a teacher but preferred life as a musician. She would fight off alcoholism at age 26 and use her talents to release her first album in 1993. She has been recognized with Juno Awards. and continues to produce hit singles and albums.
Susan Aglukark	Born Churchill, Manitoba January 27, 1967. Her Inuit name is Uuliniq. She is one of six children. She actually worked as a civil servant at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa for awhile but gave it up to be able to sing. She had produced three albums and two hit singles by 1999. The music video for Searching won best cinematography honors at the 1991 Canadian Music Video Awards. She is a committed family person and does motivational talks to youth advising that "staying in school is cool ." She Received the order of Canada in 2005.
Edith Butler	Born Paquetville, New Brunswick July 27, 1942. Learning music in her home town of Caroquet, New Brunswick, she applauds the Acadian culture wherever she entertains. She has a strong singing voice and is a well rounded entertainer combining humor with her own music. She has toured Europe and Japan. She won the award of the Académie Charles-Cros, in Paris. She was made a member of the Order du Mérite de la culture française by the Canadian Senate and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. She has recorded some 20 albums of Acadian music.
Renée Claude.	Born Montreal, Quebec July 3, 1939. A well known French-Canadian singer her real name is Renée Bélanger. She has performed in the US, France, Belgium, Poland, USSR, Japan to name some countries. In 1990 she also began acting.
Dorothy Collins.	(née Marjorie Chandler) Born Windsor, Ontario November 18, 1926. Died July 21, 1994. This singer had the nick name of "Lucky Strike Girl" after the cigarette sponsor of a TV show on which she sang. She appeared on the Canadian television show Your Hit Parade (1950-1957). She also had her own record label in the 1950's.She worked on setting up gags on the show Candid Camera. In 1971 she appeared in a Broadway musical and continued her singing by presenting jazz in nightclubs.
Céline Dion.	Born March 30, 1968. She is an internationally known recording artist and superstar. She began performing with her family when she was only five years old! Her first song composed when she was 12 caught the eye of manager René Angelil who financed the recording. Her career advanced with the Gold Medal at the Yamaha World Song Festival in 1982. There was no looking back. She became the first Canadian singer to receive a Gold Record in France. She recorded the sound track for Disney's Beauty and the Beast which would win and Academy Award and a Grammy. Other movie hit songs have been in Sleepless in Seattle and Titanic. She married her manager and has chosen to slow her career to have private time devoted to her family. . She is a member of the Order of Canada.
Susan Jacks.	(née Pesklevits) Born Saskatoon, Saskatchewan August 19, 1948. Susan and her husband Terry formed a popular 1970’s singing group called “The Poppy Family”. Together they produced several albums of music. She would go on to have a single performer career in the 1980's. She moved to Nashville to continue her career in music but ended up turning to a career in publishing. She is currently executive Vice President of a successful telecommunications firm in Nashville.
Pauline Julien.	Born May 23, 1928. This actress, singer, and songwriter studied drama in Paris. She recorded her first album in 1962. In 1968 she began to write words for her songs. In 1970 she won the Grand Prix du Disque from France and in 1974 she received the Prix de Musique Callixa-Lavallée.
Avril Lavigne	Born September 27, 1984 Belleville, Ontario. At the age of two she showed that she could sing when she began to sing church songs with her mother. In 1998 she won a competition to sing with fellow Canadian Shania Twain on tour. At 16 she signed with Artista Records. She was tagged the Best New Artist in 2002 and 2003 she won 4 Juno Awards and was nominated for 8 Grammy Awards. Her first album Let go, releases June 4, 2002 sold 18 million copies and was 6 x Platinum in the U.S.A. She has at least ½ dozen number 1 songs worldwide. Her music has been described as modern rock, pop punk, pop rock, power pop, alternative rock or pos grunge. She married Deryck Whibley July 15, 2006 and continued to rise in her career. In December 2007 she ranked #7 in the Forbes Top 20 Earners under 25 years of age, earning 12,000,000.00. Also in December 2007 her third album, The Best Darn Thing had sold 6.1 million copies. Her movie debut came with the DreamWorks animated feature Over The Hedge and she recorded the Theme song or the Sponge Bob Squarepants Movie. She works with various charities on health issues such as AIDS/HIV, UNICEF and is involved with environmental concerns. (Avril R suggested that Avril Lavigne be included on this site. Thanks. Don’t know how she was overlooked for so long!! ed.)
Monique Leyrac.	(real name Monique Tremblay) Born Montreal, Quebec February 26, 1928. She was the first great international star from French Canada. Using her natural gifts of music and drama she started her acting career on radio in 1943. In 1965 she won the grand prizes at the international festival of Song in Sopot, Poland and at the Festival de la Chanson at Ostende, Belgium. In the 1980's she began to write and stage one-woman shows where she sang and acted. She was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1967 and received the 1979 Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée.
Beatrice Gladys Lillie.	Born Ottawa, Ontario May 27,1919. She is known as an energetic and courageous editor working as head of the editorial department at the University of Toronto Press. (1957-1969) She was general editor to the mammoth project of the “Dictionary of Canadian Biography” and at the same time Dean of the Faculty of Library Science, University of Toronto. Her hobbies were acting and writing. She was awarded the Molson Prize in 1983 and became a companion of the Order of Canada in 1984.
Gisele Mackenzie	Born Winnipeg, Manitoba 1927. Died September 5, 2003. Marie Marguerite Louise Gisele La Fleche began showing her musical talent by playing the piano at age 2!. As she grew into her music she preferred the violin and she performed her first public appearance at 12. During World War ll she entertained the troops where she met he future husband. After her violin was stolen she began to concentrate on her singing career where she would earn the informal title of Canada's first lady of song. She had her own radio show on CBC and was 'discovered' in the early 1950's and was on her way to Hollywood where she changed her name to Mackenzie. She appeared on numerous TV shows and toured with comedian and violinist Jack Benny. She also recorded for Capital Records. Her song Hard to Get was on the 1955 hit parade for 16 weeks! She starred in musicals, TV shows and the movies. She is a member of the Canadian Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Kate McGarrigle	Born St-Sauveur-des-Monts, Quebec February 6, 1946. Along with her sister and partner, Anna, she began singing in coffee houses in Montreal in the 1960’s. In 1976 they produced a record album together. After a brief solo experience in New York, Kate rejoined her sister and more albums followed including a French language collection in 1982. The McGarrigles were named to the Order of Canada in 1994.
Catherine McKinnon.	Born May 14,1944. This singer and actress began her career on radio at age 8. By age 12 she had appeared on TV. After studies at college she appeared on the CBC TV series Sing-along Jubilee, Don Messer's Jubilee, and Music Hop. She would also have her own radio show on the CBC called That McKinnon Girl. On stage she excelled in musical productions and often appeared with her actor/comedian husband, Don Herron.
Sarah McLachlan	Born Halifax, Nova Scotia January 28, 1968. She studied classical guitar, piano and voice as a child. As a teen she was a member of a new wave band. Since releasing TOUCH in 1988 she has explored her own unique musical interests being indifferent to current trends and fads. Her songs convey a passionate honesty rarely found in today’s music.
Amanda Meta Marshall.	Born Toronto, Ontario August 29, 1972. Amanda began performing when she was just 16 years old. Her powerful voice landed her a contract with Columbia Records in New York City but it was Sony Music Canada that released her first album in 1995. Her song “This could take all night” was part of the sound track of the movie Tin Cup. She has also had a strong endorsement from Elton John.
Alannah Myles	Born December 25, 1958. This rock singer began playing the guitar at age 11. By 15 she was writing songs. She was unable to gain the attention of Canadian companies so she released her records through a New York company. She won a Grammy for her first album. An album in 1995 was simply called Alannah.
Joni Mitchell.	(real name Roberta Joan Anderson). Born Fort Macleod, Alberta November 7, 1943. A pop singer who is famous for her folk songs of the 1960’s. “The Circle Game” Both Sides Now” She switched to jazz and in 1969 her album “Clouds” won a Grammy Award. She is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Alanis Morissette.	Born Ottawa, Ontario June 1, 1974. As a child in Ottawa she liked to sing, dance, and act. She took dance lessons at 7, began writing songs at 9, and played in a TV series on Canadian TV (“You Can’t Do That on Television”) at 11. Her first album is “Alanis” released in 1991. She has won awards and produced “Jagged Little Pill” before moving to Brentwood California.
Anne Murray.	Born Springhill, Nova Scotia June 20, 1945. She has sung her way into the hearts of fans all over the world. She has record sale of over 25,000,000, 4 Grammies, 32 Juno Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All of these things make her the most successful female recording artist in the history of Canadian entertainment. She has been inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame, and is a Companion of the Order of Canada. She is the mother of 3 children. I wonder if their mother sang them to sleep when they were little?
Ginette Reno	née Raynault Born Montreal, Quebec April 28, 1946. She loved to sing even as a child. This chanteuse puts warmth and passion into her renditions of sentimental ballads that have won her an adoring fan base not only in her home province of Quebec, but from across Canada and abroad. Her first recording appeared in 1961. She has earned several Juno Awards in 1969 and the 1970's and was presented with the ADISQ lifetime achievement award in 1995. She was invested as an officer of the Order of Canada October 20, 1982.
Jane Siberry.	Born Toronto, Ontario August 12, 1955. During her college years, studying microbiology, she began performing at local coffee houses. She used her tip money to fund her 1^st album. She has not looked back. She has now formed her own record label “Sheeba” to produce her records.
Amy Sky	Born September 24, 1960. She is a graduate in music theory from the University of Toronto. She expanded her skills while living in Nashville and Los Angeles, where she wrote for artists such as Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Sheena Easton and Canadian performers such as Anne Murray and Roch Voisine. She has returned to Toronto where she now centers her own performing artist career. She is a wife and mother of two who has found a working balance suited to her. Her first CD was Cool Rain which was followed closely by Burnt in the Sun (1998), Phenomenal Woman (2001) and With a Kiss (2003). Her music is a mainstay on Canadian radio and has earned Juno nominations, SOCAN Awards and Canadian Independent Music Award nominations. She is also known for her numerous contributions and support for charitable causes. This mini profile was nominated by Nikki Harris.
Juliette Augustina Sysak.	Born St Vital, Manitoba August 27, 1927. Known as Juliette, this singer and entertainer used only her first name on stage. She debuted on CBC radio at 15 years of age. From 1956 to 1975 she had her on TV program where she was known as “Our pet, Juliette”.
Margo Timmins	Born Montreal, Quebec January 27, 1961. In 1977 the family relocated to Etobicoke on the edge of Toronto. Margo remembers music as always being part of her life. She even sang as a child when washing dishes! (Source: Paolo Car(?) ‘Ultimo Buscadero, no. 207 November 1999) She studied social work at university and then she joined her two brother and some friends helping to form a rock group that produced their first album in their garage. In 1985 her brother Michael convinced his shy but talented sister to sing to the group. Margo became a welcome working member of the group. The Cowboy Junkies have not looked back and have since produced many more million selling albums such as Pale Sun, Crescent Moon (1993), 200 more miles (1995) and Lay it down (1996) as well as In the time before llamas (2003) and One soul now (2004) , At the end of paths taken. They have a very active tour schedule playing across the country. Margo married Graham Henderson, an entertainment lawyer in 1988 and they have one son. When not on the road with the group she enjoys being home with her family and their pets, doing whatever she wants to relax like reading a good book and some slithery. The town of Timmins Ontario was founded by her Grandfather.
Marie (Mary)-Rose-Anne Travers.	Born Newport, Gaspèsie, Quebec June 4, 1894. Died February 20, 1941. She is best known as LA BULDUC. She would become Canada's premier chansonère (singer), composing and singing songs of ordinary daily life of Quebec. She is a legend in her home province. Canada Post issued a stamp in her honour in 1994. There is a museum exhibit in her home town of Newport.
Shania Twain	née Eileen Regina Edwards. Born Windsor, Ontario August 28, 1965. She took the name of her step father and went through school as Eileen Twain in Timmons, Ontario. She enjoyed music and her family recognized her talent when she was young. So did the CBC who had her appear at 13 on the popular Tommy Hunter Show. When she was 21 her parents were killed in an auto accident and she took on the responsibility for her brothers and sisters by working in a lodge in Huntsville, Ontario where she had a chance to perform as part of her work. In 1990 when she signed her first recording contract with Mercury Nashville Records she changed her first name to Shania, which is from the aboriginal Ojibwa language , meaning 'I'm on my way'. She was indeed! Her 1995 album, The Woman in me sold 12 million copies and her 1998 release Come on over produced 8 world wide single hits. Her singing and her original writings of songs have won Grammy Awards, Juno Awards, Canadian and American Country Music Awards and World Music Awards. In 2001 she took time from her busy career to give birth to a son and in 2003 returned to touring and performing to her adoring fans. In 2004 she and her husband purchased a ranch in New Zealand as a get away from their home in Europe. . She has been honoured in her home town of Timmins with museum dedicated to her life and career.
Pauline Vaillancourt	Born Arvida [Jonquière] Quebec February 2, 1945. A singer with a beautiful soprano voice , Pauline is active in classical as well as contemporary music. She has performed in Europe as well as in her home province of Quebec. She founded and is artistic director of the lyric company “Chants Libres”.

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