Antony Holland

CM
Born(1920-03-28)28 March 1920
Tiverton, Devon, England
Died29 July 2015(2015-07-29) (aged 95)
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Occupation(s)actor, playwright, director

Antony Holland CM (28 March 1920 – 29 July 2015) was an English actor, playwright and theatre director who until his death in 2015 lived on Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada.[1][2]

History

Holland completed his drama training at the Labour Stage in London. Shortly after, he was called into His Majesty's Armed Forces as a signalman at the onset of the Second World War.[1] While training at the coastal town of South Shields, he put on a play in a local abandoned theatre. Holland continued to mount productions in his spare time throughout the course of the war. He was granted the officers' lounge for rehearsals and cast approximately 100 men in a wide variety of roles, including parts that required playing women. His plays continued through the North African Campaign, crossed the desert, and made it to Cairo where he would mount productions at the Khedivial Opera House.[1] So successful were his plays that the military requisitioned stage materials for more elaborate productions. Holland was transferred into military intelligence where he served out the remainder of the war.[1]

In 1946, Laurence Olivier founded the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where Holland was vice principal for nearly a decade. Holland moved to Vancouver in 1957 and remained in British Columbia until his death in July 2015. In 1965, he founded a theatre arts program at the King Edward Campus of Vancouver Community College. The school relocated to Langara College and formally took on the name of Studio 58. Holland retired as artistic director in 1985, and returned to professional acting, directing and writing. Shortly after moving to Gabriola Island, he established a new theatre company at the Gabriola Theatre Centre.[1][3]

Select credits

Year Title Role Notes
1971 McCabe & Mrs. Miller Hollander
1982 The Grey Fox Judge
1983 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Reverend Hopkins
1987 Housekeeping Mr. Wallace
1988 Backfire Judge Hardin
1988 The Accused Plea Bargain Lawyer
1989 Cousins Wedding Priest
1989 We're No Angels Doctor
1989 MacGyver Vincent Battaglia 1 episode
1989-1991 Captain N: The Game Master Doctor Light Voice, 33 episodes
1990 Narrow Margin Elderly Man
1990-1991 The New Adventures of He-Man Master Sebrian Voice, 65 episodes
1991 Bingo Circus Vet
1991 K2 Priest
1992 Impolite Jimmy
1995 Last of the Dogmen Doc Carvey
2004 Kingdom Hospital Lenny Stillmach 5 episodes
2004 12 days of christmas eve Hank Carter
2002 King Lear King Lear Studio 58
2006 Arts Club Theatre Company Morrie Tuesday with Morrie
2006 Eureka Irvin Horatio Thatcher 1 episode
2008 The Merchant of Venice Shylock Studio 58[4]
2009 Battlestar Galactica Julius Baltar 1 episode
2011 Supernatural Westborough 1 episode

Honours

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Antony Holland on acting". The Vancouver Province. 16 June 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  2. ^ "Local theatre legend Antony Holland dies at 95". The Straight. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  3. ^ Bruce Mason (28 May 2007). "Holland nominated for Jessie Award for Best Lead Actor". The Gabriola Sounder. Archived from the original on 14 December 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Studio 58/Langara College presents The Merchant of Venice". The Georgia Strait. November 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Our 2009-2010 Third Street Theatre Series". Presentation House Theatre. 2009. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  6. ^ "Antony Holland Presents Shakespeare". Eco Films. 2005. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Archived News". Studio 58 at Langara College. 2009. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Order of Canada Appointments". 30 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.

External links

Categories