Peter Spence (actor)

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Peter Spence is a Canadian film and television actor. He is most noted for his roles as the title character in the 1986 television film The Truth About Alex , one of the first television films ever to address the subject of gay youth, [1] and as Jessie in the 1984 film Unfinished Business , for which he received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 6th Genie Awards in 1985. [2]

Contents

Career

Spence's first role was in the CBC Television drama series Home Fires , as Sidney Lowe; [3] during this time, he also appeared in episodes of Hangin' In and The Littlest Hobo . After Home Fires wrapped production in 1983, Spence enrolled at York University, but quickly dropped out after being cast in the films Unfinished Business and The Bay Boy . After completing those films, he moved to New York City to complete his acting education at Circle in the Square Theatre School, sharing an apartment at that time with his Bay Boy castmates Kiefer Sutherland and Leah Pinsent; in 1985, Spence appeared in the film Crazy Moon , playing Sutherland's brother for the second time. [4]

Following The Truth About Alex, Spence moved back to Toronto. He has continued to act, primarily in television films and series guest roles. He appeared most recently in the 2016 film The History of Love . Spence was also a story consultant for the 2019 film Tito.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 Unfinished Business Jessie 'Fixit'
1984 The Bay Boy Joe Campbell
1985Blue LineMyles
1987 Crazy Moon Cleveland
1998 Clutch Larry
2008 One Week Doctor
2015 Crimson Peak Manager
2016 The History of Love Bernard Moritz
2017 Cardinals Jonah PastekhAlso story editor

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981, 1982 Hangin' In Jeff / Brian2 episodes
1983 The Littlest Hobo David LeonardEpisode: "Second Sight"
1984A Matter of SexYoung ManTelevision film
1985The UndergradsSteve Holmes
1986Loose EndsAdam
1986 The Magical World of Disney JeffEpisode: "Young Again"
1986 The Edison Twins Peter BridgesEpisode: "The Initiation"
1986 The Truth About Alex Alex PragerTelevision film
1987, 1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Jerry / Andrew / Duke2 episodes
1988 The Campbells Alf WhitakerEpisode: "Of Fathers and Sons"
1989 T. and T. DavidEpisode: "Family Honour"
1990 The Last Best Year JackTelevision film
1990 Street Legal Jeffrey ChernoffEpisode: "Softsell"
1990 Scales of Justice Charles JordanEpisode #1.12
1992 Secret Service Agent PhillipsEpisode: "The Banker and the Belle/Car Wars"
1993 Beyond Reality Robert WalliceEpisode: "Let's Play House"
1995 Choices of the Heart Driver at PortTelevision film
1995 TekWar PeterEpisode: "Zero Tolerance"
2000 Harlan County War Mike McKennaTelevision film
2001 Blue Murder Drew MilroyEpisode: "Homeless"
2003 Control Factor Trevor ConstantineTelevision film
2003 Odyssey 5 David HovicEpisode: "Rage"
2004Urban Myth ChillersMarkEpisode: "À malin, malin et demi"
2008 The Summit Phil2 episodes
2014 The Strain RichardEpisode: "The Box"
2015 Hannibal Mr. LombardEpisode: "The Great Red Dragon"
2015 The Expanse Mormon ElderEpisode: "CQB"

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References

  1. Stephen Tropiano, The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2002. ISBN   9781476847986. p. 169.
  2. "Bay Boy reels in 11 Genie nominations". The Globe and Mail , February 15, 1985.
  3. Peter Kenter and Martin Levin, TV North: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Canadian Television. Whitecap Books, 2001. ISBN   9781552851463. p. 77.
  4. "'Moon' Goes for the Heart--and Misses". Los Angeles Times , December 11, 1987.