Jonathan Welsh
{{Short description|Canadian actor}}
{{about||the American football player|Jonathan Welsh (American football)|others with similar names|John Welsh (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jonathan Welsh
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|4|7}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|1|7|1947|3|7}}
| death_place = Belleville, Ontario, Canada
| spouse = Heather Welsh
| years_active = 1972–2002
}}
Jonathan Welsh (April 3, 1947 – January 27, 2005) was a Canadian actor of stage, television and film, best known for his principal roles in Canadian television series, notably the 1986–1989 adventure comedy Adderly and the 1989–1994 journalism drama E.N.G..{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.567933 |title=CBC.ca Arts - Jonathan Welsh, veteran Canadian actor, dead at 57 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070312050731/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2005/01/28/welshobit050127.html |archive-date=12 March 2007 |url-status=live}}
Career
On E.N.G., Welsh portrayed Eric "Mac" MacFarlane, one of the first openly gay characters in North American series television, a source of considerable pride for the actor.
He also appeared in the 1979 movie City on Fire which was Canada's attempt to enter the disaster movie era. The movie was a critical and box office failure. His other film credits included roles in Agency (1980), Nothing Personal (1980), All in Good Taste (1983) and The Surrogate (1984).
His acting career began in theatre in the 1960s, with roles at the Shaw and Stratford festivals and in the 1969 Canadian debut of Hair at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.
In 1990, Welsh founded Performers for Literacy, an acclaimed national charity that encourages children to read with interactive shows and readings, and with Second Story Reading Centres in Toronto and Edmonton.
Personal life
Toward the end of his life, he moved from Toronto to Belleville, Ontario, where he died in his sleep after a short illness. He was survived by his wife Heather and three children, Hilary, Owen and Julia.
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1976
|Simon | |
| 1977
|Missile Officer | |
| 1979
|Herman Stover | |
| 1980
|Detective Ross | |
| 1980
|Critchett Jr. | |
| 1983
|Timothy | |
| 1984
|data-sort-value="Surrogate, The" | The Surrogate |Brenner | |
| 1988
|Chaplain | |
| 1990
|Thick as Thieves |John Sphincter | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1972
|Sam Dawes |Episode: "The Assassin" |
| 1974
|data-sort-value="National Dream, The" | The National Dream |Episode: "The Sea of Mountains" |
| 1975
|Technician |Episode: "Hot Line Host" |
| 1976
|Donald |Episode: "The Victim" |
| 1976, 1977
|Glen Olsen |3 episodes |
| 1980
|data-sort-value="Great Detective, The" | The Great Detective |Henry Mason |Episode: "Spirit Guide" |
| 1980
|data-sort-value="Population of One, A" | A Population of One |Harry |Television film |
| 1980–1982
|data-sort-value="Littlest Hobo, The" | The Littlest Hobo |Various roles |4 episodes |
| 1981
|Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper |Michael Howland |Television film |
| 1985
|data-sort-value="Edison Twins, The" | The Edison Twins |Coach Neilson |Episode: "Mind and Body" |
| 1986
|Kelly |Episode: "Brotherhood" |
| 1986
|Mafia Princess |Dr. Towers |Television film |
| 1986
|Chunky |Episode: "I Can't Help You But My Sister Can" |
| 1986
|data-sort-value="Magical World of Disney, The" | The Magical World of Disney |Jerry |Episode: "Young Again" |
| 1986
|Ned Kane |Episode: "Deep Peril" |
| 1986
|Dr. Lester |Television film |
| 1986–1988
|Melville Greenspan |44 episodes |
| 1987
|Immerman |Episode: "A Little Knowledge" |
| 1988
|Sloan |Episode: "Mickey's Choice" |
| 1989
|Jack Sawyer |Episode: "So Shall Ye Reap" |
| 1989
|Starting from Scratch |Jack Grady |Episode: "Me, the Jury" |
| 1989–1994
| | |
| 1990
|Hitler's Daughter |Zimmerman |Television film |
| 1990
|Arthur Bauer |Episode: "The Vampire Solution" |
| 1990
|In Defense of a Married Man |D.A. Papernow |Television film |
| 1990
|Agent Bower |Episode: "National Security Risk" |
| 1992
|data-sort-value="Great Diamond Robbery, The" | The Great Diamond Robbery |Littlefield |Television film |
| 1993
|Hart |Episode: "Lone-Star Sting/The White Guard" |
| 1993
|Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |Bob Chandler |Episode: "Straitjacket" |
| 1993
|data-sort-value="Hidden Room, The" | The Hidden Room |Professor |Episode: "Transfigured Night" |
| 1994
|Spenser: The Judas Goat |Felix | rowspan="2" |Television film |
| 1994
|Janek: The Silent Betrayal |Garrett |
| 1996
|Tasker |Episode: "Eye of the Dragon" |
| 1998
|Mr. Lantz |Episode: "Awesome Ants" |
| 1998
|data-sort-value="Father for Brittany, A" | A Father for Brittany |Robert Lussier |Television film |
| 1999
|Harry |2 episodes |
| 1999
|Gavin Richter |Episode: "The Observer Effect" |
| 1999
|Calvin Tallis | rowspan="2" |Television film |
| 1999
|Dylan Lewis |
| 2000
|data-sort-value="Wonderful World of Disney, The" | The Wonderful World of Disney |Park Policeman |Episode: "Santa Who?" |
| 2002
|Prof. Simon Ruttledge |Episode: "Legacy" |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0920558}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050224230122/http://www.nald.ca/pfl.htm Performers for Literacy]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welsh, Jonathan}}
Category:Canadian male stage actors
Category:Canadian male television actors
Category:Canadian male film actors
Category:Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners
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