Louis Del Grande

Last updated
Louis Del Grande
Born (1943-03-23) March 23, 1943 (age 81)
Union City, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, producer
Years active1964–2016
Spouse Martha Gibson

Louis Del Grande (born March 23, 1943) is a retired American-Canadian actor, comedian, and television writer. He is best known as the co-creator and star of the mystery-comedy CBC Television series Seeing Things (1981-87). He won four Gemini Awards for his work on the series, two for Best Actor in a Comedy Series and two for Best Comedy Series.

Contents

Early life

Del Grande was born and raised in Union City, New Jersey. His father and brother were both institutionalized, while his sister underwent intensive psychiatric treatment. At age 16, Del Grande began acting in New York City, eventually landing a part in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. [1] [2]

Career

Del Grande moved to Toronto in 1964, drawn to Canada by the Stratford Festival, [1] and soon found work as a stand-up comedian and comedy writer. In 1975, he was hired as head writer for a new sitcom, The King of Kensington , which became a hit in Canada until the end of the decade. He also appeared in the show a handful of times as Fred, a friend of Al Waxman's lead character Larry King. Del Grande later became (with Jack Humphries) the show's co-producer (a Fifth Estate documentary said the two producers ran Kensington "with an iron hand").

After a brief stint in Hollywood, Del Grande returned to Toronto where he created, wrote and produced Seeing Things , [1] which aired from 1981 to 1987. Del Grande played a crime-solving clairvoyant tabloid reporter who was separated from his wife Marge (played by Del Grande's real-life wife, actress Martha Gibson). The series was popular and won Del Grande four Gemini Awards, two for best actor in a comedy and two for the show itself.[ citation needed ]

Outside Canada, Del Grande is probably best known as the ConSec scanner in the infamous "head explosion" scene in the David Cronenberg movie Scanners . [3] He has also appeared in numerous theatrical and television movies and series, including Monkeys in the Attic , Due South , The Outer Limits and Goosebumps .

Personal life

Del Grande is married to Canadian actress Martha Gibson. For many years, the couple resided on Cape Breton Island. [2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Second Wind Howie
1980 Atlantic City Mr. Shapiro
1981 Scanners First Scanner
1981 Happy Birthday to Me Surgeon
1983 Of Unknown Origin Clete
1989 Speed Zone Mr. Benson
1992 Buried on Sunday Prime Minister
1993 Cadillac Girls Adam
1997Hostile IntentSoames
2016 The Second Time Around Charlie

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973–75 Dr. Simon Locke Man / Al Kutner / Boulder3 episodes
1975-79 King of Kensington FredActor; 2 episodes
Writer; 4 episodes
1978 Home to Stay RichardTelevision film
1978Tom and JoannNorman
1980, 1981 The Littlest Hobo Kent / Detective Woods2 episodes
1981 A Far Cry from Home LawyerTelevision film
1981–87 Seeing Things Louis CicconeActor; 43 episodes
Writer; 2 episodes
Co-creator
1988 The Elephant Show Willy BookemEpisode: "The Early Years"
1990Sanity ClauseLeoTelevision film
1990 Clarence Brimmer
1991 Tropical Heat Glenn LawsonEpisode: "Big Brother Is Watching"
1995 Sugartime Chuckie EnglishTelevision film
1996 Due South Lyndon BuxleyEpisode: "We Are the Eggmen"
1997 F/X: The Series DirectorEpisode: "Medea"
1997North Shore FishMarkieTelevision film
1997Let Me Call You SweetheartJoe
1997Galileo: On the Shoulders of GiantsColombe
1998 The Outer Limits Detective RenfroEpisode: "Criminal Nature"
1998 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Frank StonehouseTelevision film
1998 Goosebumps Mr. SaurEpisode: "Say Cheese and Die... Again"
1998The Dumb BunniesMr. GrudgeEpisode: "Stressed to Impress"
1998 Traders Sonny PalinEpisode: "Independence Days"
1999 Family of Cops 3 Sean the BartenderTelevision film
1999 Ned's Newt Dump Hermit / Big Criminal2 episodes
1999, 2002 Lexx Louie / Roada
2000 Big Wolf on Campus Dr. Frank SteinEpisode: "Frank Stein"

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Kaufman, Michael T. (1984-05-21). "AMERICAN MYSTERY SERIES FOR CANADIAN TV A HIT". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  2. 1 2 https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.3234681 [ bare URL ]
  3. ↑ Meyers, Ric (2011). For One Week Only: The World of Exploitation Films. Eirini Press. ISBN   978-0-9799989-3-5.
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