James DeFelice (January 6, 1937 - October 5, 2024) was an American-Canadian actor, playwright and screenwriter based in Edmonton, Alberta, [1] most noted as writer of the theatrical films Why Shoot the Teacher? [2] and Angel Square . [3]
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he was educated at Northeastern University, Tufts University and the University of Indiana, [4] and was a sportswriter for the Boston Globe before moving to Edmonton in 1969 to become a theatre professor at the University of Alberta. [5] In Edmonton he regularly acted on stage and directed theatre productions, as well as writing stage plays. [1] His plays included The Bird Prince, The Elixir, Fools and Masters, Ladder to the Moon, The Merchants of Dazu, Take Me Where the Water's Warm and A Yard of Pucks. [1]
He also had occasional supporting acting roles in film, including in Harry Tracy, Desperado , Draw! , The Gunfighters , Cowboys Don't Cry , The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Passchendaele .
He retired from the University of Alberta in 2002, but remained an active participant in the city's theatre community until his death in 2024. [5]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Film Awards | 1977 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Why Shoot the Teacher? | Won | [6] |
| Genie Awards | 1991 | Angel Square with Anne Wheeler | Nominated | [7] | |
| Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards | 1995 | Outstanding Fringe Director | Letters in Wartime | Nominated | [8] |
| 1996 | Special Achievement | Overall contributions to theatre in Edmonton | Won | [9] | |
| 1998 | Outstanding Direction in a Play | The Baltimore Waltz | Won | [10] | |
| 2004 | Outstanding Direction in a Play | Underneath the Lintel | Won | [11] | |
| 2007 | Outstanding Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role | Closer and Closer Apart | Nominated | [12] |