Canadian actor, writer Mavor Moore dies, 87

Posted:
Dec 21, 2006

Actor, playwright, director, producer and educator Mavor Moore, an arts icon who founded a number of Canadian artistic institutions, died Monday in Victoria, British Columbia at 87.

Described by many as a major influence in the development of the arts in Canada, Moore died after several years of failing health, Alexandra Browning, his wife of 26 years, told the Victoria Times-Colonist.

Moore was the voice of the Elder in Ivan Reitman's 1981 animated feature film Heavy Metal. He also narrated The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones, a 1983 National Film Board of Canada cartoon based on a short story by humorist Stephen Leacock.

The author of more than 100 plays and musicals for stage, radio and TV, Moore was founding chairman of the Canadian Theatre Centre and the Guild of Canadian Playwrights, as well as the founding artistic director of the Charlottetown Festival and the founding general director of the Toronto's St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. He later taught theater history at York University and wrote a weekly culture column for the Toronto Globe and Mail.

In addition to his long and prolific career in Canadian theatre, Moore was the first professional artist to chair the Canada Council, a position that he held from 1979 to 1983. He later served as chair of the British Columbia Arts Council.

Born in Toronto on March 8, 1919, Moore moved to Victoria to retire. Recently, he had lived at the Lodge at Broadmead.

His mother, Dora Mavor Moore, was a major figure in establishing Canadian theater.

According to the Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, he produced his first play at 10, began playwriting at 11 and made his acting debut on radio at 14. The following year, he started acting regularly on the radio, including performances with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. At age 16, he had the title role in Macbeth.

Graduating from the University of Toronto, Moore later served in the Second World War. He returned to CBC Radio as producer for the International Service in Montreal.

Simultaneously, he wrote and directed radio documentaries for the United Nations. Three of these were given Peabody Awards.

Later, Moore became the first chief producer for CBC Television.

His works included Sunshine Town, a musical setting of Leacock's work, as well as the librettos for the operas Louis Riel (1967) and Erewhon (2000).

He contributed lyrics to Anne of Green Gables, the most popular musical in Canadian history. He also helped write the 1968 musical Johnny Belinda. And he helped create the famed Spring Thaw satirical review, which he began in 1948 and contributed to until 1966.

"Mavor Moore was not only a pioneer in the development of a truly Canadian theater scene; he also devoted his time and energy to serving all Canadian artists through his leadership of the Canada Council and the B.C. Arts Council," said Canada Council chair Karen Kain. "As the Canada Council prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, we will remember a man who played a pivotal role in making the Council what it is today."

Named to the Order of Canada in 1973, Moore won a Governor General's Award in 1999.

"He was full of encouragement; he would always see the positive side to anything," said Vancouver critic Max Wyman, a longtime friend. "He recognized that people matter. A simple thing to say, but everyone who came into his orbit mattered to him."

"No matter how much was on his plate, he did it," said Toronto actor and writer Don Harron (aka "Charlie Farquharson"), who had known Moore since 1945.

A tribute and reception is planned at 2 p.m. January 6, at the University of Victoria's University Club. A celebration of Mavor Moore's life will be held in Toronto at a date to be announced.