Louis Del Grande | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 23, 1943 Union City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1964–2016 |
| 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.
Del Grande was born and raised in [[Union City, New Jersey. At age 16, Del Grande began acting in New York City, eventually landing a part in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. [1] [2]
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 .
Del Grande is married to actress Martha Gibson.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Monkeys in the Attic | Frederick | |
| 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 | |
| 1997 | Hostile Intent | Soames | |
| 2016 | The Second Time Around | Charlie |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–75 | Dr. Simon Locke | Man / Al Kutner / Boulder | 3 episodes |
| 1975-79 | King of Kensington | Fred | Actor; 2 episodes Writer; 4 episodes |
| 1978 | Home to Stay | Richard | Television film |
| 1978 | Tom and Joann | Norman | |
| 1980, 1981 | The Littlest Hobo | Kent / Detective Woods | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | A Far Cry from Home | Lawyer | Television film |
| 1981–87 | Seeing Things | Louis Ciccone | Actor; 43 episodes Writer; 2 episodes Co-creator |
| 1988 | The Elephant Show | Willy Bookem | Episode: "The Early Years" |
| 1990 | Sanity Clause | Leo | Television film |
| 1990 | Clarence | Brimmer | |
| 1991 | Tropical Heat | Glenn Lawson | Episode: "Big Brother Is Watching" |
| 1995 | Sugartime | Chuckie English | Television film |
| 1996 | Due South | Lyndon Buxley | Episode: "We Are the Eggmen" |
| 1997 | F/X: The Series | Director | Episode: "Medea" |
| 1997 | North Shore Fish | Markie | Television film |
| 1997 | Let Me Call You Sweetheart | Joe | |
| 1997 | Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants | Colombe | |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Detective Renfro | Episode: "Criminal Nature" |
| 1998 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Frank Stonehouse | Television film |
| 1998 | Goosebumps | Mr. Saur | Episode: "Say Cheese and Die... Again" |
| 1998 | The Dumb Bunnies | Mr. Grudge | Episode: "Stressed to Impress" |
| 1998 | Traders | Sonny Palin | Episode: "Independence Days" |
| 1999 | Family of Cops 3 | Sean the Bartender | Television film |
| 1999 | Ned's Newt | Dump Hermit / Big Criminal | 2 episodes |
| 1999, 2002 | Lexx | Louie / Roada | |
| 2000 | Big Wolf on Campus | Dr. Frank Stein | Episode: "Frank Stein" |