Wendell Smith (actor)
Wendell Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970s—2010s |
| Family | Stephen McHattie (brother) |
| Awards | Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role (1996) |
Wendell Smith is a Canadian actor born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.[1]
History
Originally based in Nova Scotia, Wendell Smith co-founded the Mulgrave Road Theatre Co-op in Guysborough in 1977.[2][3] Smith has worked more frequently as a stage actor, although he has also appeared in several Canadian feature films, especially television films.[4][5][6]
In 1978, Smith played the role of Antonio in the Citadel Theatre's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.[7] In 1980, Smith played both the part of Dr. Patrick and the part of the defense lawyer in Sharon Pollack's play Blood Relations.[8][9] In 1983, Smith began workshopping plays with Theatre Calgary in Calgary, Alberta.[10] In 1985, Smith played the lead role in Lyle Victor Albert's play White on White.[11]
In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Wendell Smith became heavily involved in the theater scene in Edmonton, Alberta; by 1988 the Edmonton Journal had described Smith as one of the "mainstays of the local acting scene."[12] Smith was frequently involved, both as an actor and director, with Edmonton International Fringe Festival, North America's oldest and largest fringe theatre festival; for example, in 1987 Smith directed the play Ba Ba Ha at the Edmonton Fringe and in 1997 he acted in Gordon Pengilly's play Seeds at the Edmonton Fringe.[13][14] Wendell Smith also appeared in the Citadel Theatre's annual production of A Christmas Carol on multiple occasions; in 1987 he played Bob Cratchit and in 1993 he played Mr. Fezziwig.[15][16]
In 1999, Wendell Smith played False Arkansas Tom in the TV-movie You Know My Name.[17] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Smith was noted for the gravelly voice he employed as an actor.[18][19][20][21]
Recognition
In 1979, Keith Ashwell wrote that "Smith acts his part marvelously," and in 1985, journalist Liz Nicholls described Smith as "indisputably a gifted comedian."[22][23]
In 1996, Smith won the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his work in Jim Guedo's play Simpatico.[24]
Personal life
Wendell Smith is the older brother of Canadian actor Stephen McHattie.[25]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Kill Syndrome | Ricketts |
| 1999 | Question of Privilege | Tavern Owner |
| 1999 | You Know My Name | False Arkansas Tom |
| 1998 | Mentors | McSween |
| 1997 | Heart Full of Rain | Old Doyle |
| 1993 | Ordeal in the Arctic | Major Blair |
| 1988 | Cowboys Don't Cry | Matt Wiley |
| 1987 | The Gunfighters | Sheriff Burrows |
| 1987 | Prom Night 2 | Walt Carpenter |
| 1983 | Running Brave | Chris Mitchell |
References
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (October 18, 1985). "Smith Eyes New Horizons, New Challenges". The Edmonton Journal. p. 63.
- ^ Benson, Eugene; Conolly, L.W. (1989). "Mulgrave Road Co-op Theatre". The Oxford Companion to Canadian Theatre. Oxford University Press. pp. 352. ISBN 9780195406726.
- ^ Perkins, Don (November 21, 1981). "Saskatoon Attracts Nova Scotia Actor". Saskatchewan Star-Phoenix. p. 9.
- ^ Day, Moira Jean (2011). "Alberta Report vs. Prairie Report: The City of God vs. The City of Man on the Canadian Prairies, 1973-2003". West-words: Celebrating Western Canadian Theatre and Playwriting. University of Regina Press. pp. 214, 244. ISBN 9780889772359.
- ^ Burnett, Linda Avril (2010). Theatre in Atlantic Canada. Playwrights Canada Press. p. 61. ISBN 9780887548901.
- ^ Knowles, Richard Paul (1999). The Theatre of Form and the Production of Meaning: Contemporary Canadian Dramaturgies. ECW Press. p. 91. ISBN 9781550223996.
- ^ "Twelfth Night Opens at Citadel". The St. Albert Gazette. January 25, 1978. p. 15.
- ^ Cotton, Elise (2004). Mediation and Mediators in the History Plays of Sharon Pollock and Jovette Marchessault. Universite de Sherbrooke. pp. 43–47. ISBN 9780612948228.
- ^ "Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia - Blood Relations". www.canadiantheatre.com. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ Brennan, Brian (December 16, 1983). "Acting Duo Drop Out From ATP Play". The Calgary Herald. p. C9.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (April 15, 1985). "Play Makes Powerful Statement About Bigotry". The Edmonton Journal. p. B9.
- ^ Swanson, Doug (October 29, 1988). "Saturday Night Fever". The Edmonton Journal. p. H1.
- ^ Peterson, Karen (August 12, 1987). "Ba Ba Ha Debut at Fringe: Vic Albert's Architectural Comedy". The Edmonton Journal. p. 19.
- ^ Levesque, Roger (August 23, 1997). "At The Fringe". The Edmonton Journal. p. C2.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (December 7, 1987). "Please, Santa, Spare Us This Humbug. Luv, Liz". The Edmonton Journal. p. F1.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (December 19, 1993). "Clowning Aside, This Is A Well-Known Story Told Well". The Edmonton Journal. p. E5.
- ^ Marill, Alvin H (2005). Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999. Scarecrow Press. pp. 583. ISBN 9780810851740.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (August 18, 1983). "Furry Bedroom Slipper Captures Crowd". The Edmonton Journal. p. C7.
- ^ Brochu, Brenda (September 18, 1984). "Plenty of Skeletons in this Closet". The Gateway. p. 11.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (October 20, 1990). "Input from Actors Rates Highly With This Playwright". The Edmonton Journal. p. B4.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (December 12, 1993). "Clowning Aside, This is a Well-Known Story Told Well". The Edmonton Journal. p. E5.
- ^ Ashwell, Keith (November 16, 1979). "Intimate Sketch of Family Meeting Crisis is Endearing". The Edmonton Journal. p. H1.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (October 27, 1985). "Ham Outweighs Beef". The Edmonton Journal. p. 19.
- ^ Nicholls, Liz (June 25, 1996). "Stage Polaris Takes Home Bouquets for Secret Garden". The Edmonton Journal. p. C5.
- ^ Lucas, Ralph (2020-03-25). "Stephen McHattie". Northernstars.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-24.