Eric Neal PetersonCM (born October 2, 1946)^[1] is a Canadian stage, television, and film actor, known for his roles in three major Canadian television series –Street Legal (1987–1994),Corner Gas (live-action 2004–2009 andfilm 2014,animated 2018–2021), andThis is Wonderland (2004–2006).^[2]

In 1971, Peterson began his acting career when he helped found thecollective theatre companyTamahnous Theatre inVancouver, British Columbia.^[3] There he received major roles in versions ofThe Bacchae andNijinsky, both directed by John Gray.^[4]

In 1974, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, and joinedTheatre Passe Muraille, a leading collective ensemble in Canada. He had main roles in productions ofThe Farm Show,The West Show,Them Donnelly’s, and1837: The Farmers' Revolt. It was in this latterRick Salutin production that he gained the greatest recognition, playingWilliam Lyon Mackenzie and Lady Backwash.^[4]

In 1976, Peterson began to collaborate with John Gray again, writingBilly Bishop Goes to War. The play, which premiered in Vancouver in 1978, went on tour internationally, garnering positive reviews on Broadway, where Peterson won theClarence Derwent Award for most promising performer,^[4] inLondon's West End. He was also nominated for Best Actor^[4] at theEdinburgh Festival Mainstage. In 1998, Peterson acted in the play once more at theCanadian Stage in Toronto.^[3]

Peterson's later stage appearances includeLove and Anger at theFactory Theatre,Health (another collaboration with John Gray) at theVancouver Playhouse and the lead role inRichard Ill at theYoung People’s Theatre.^[4] In October 2000, he performed inHysteria at the Canadian Stage and in January 2001, he appeared inClout at theNational Arts Centre inOttawa.^[3]

Between November 20 and December 13, 2008, Peterson starred as family patriarch and business man Helge Klingenfeldt in The Company Theatre's production ofFesten at the Berkeley Street Theatre inToronto, Ontario, Canada.

Between August 8 and 29, 2009, Peterson reprised the lead role inBilly Bishop Goes to War at theSoulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto. The company announced that the production was planned to return in 2010.^[5] In the same year, he played Wiff Roach in Soulpepper's revival ofDavid French's 1973 playOf the Fields, Lately.^[6]

In the early to mid 2010s he played the role ofPercy Schmeiser in the docu-drama playSeeds.^[7][8][9]

UntilCorner Gas, his best known role on television was his award-winning turn as Leon Robinovitch, a left-wing lawyer, onStreet Legal.^[3] His more notable television work includes 1998'sNothing Sacred (a movie for which he also co-produced and appeared in the stage version),Night Heat andThis Is Wonderland. He also appeared as Hank Stewart in theHippocratic Oath episode ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents for AHF Film Productions.^[4]

In total, Peterson has appeared in fifty-two movie and television productions.^[2] He also appeared in aninfomercial forAmnesty International.^[10] He also appeared in the Goosebumps episode "Shocker on Shock Street" as Mr. Wright

Peterson's most famous television role was that of Oscar Leroy on theCanadian television programCorner Gas. Peterson played the father of Brent Leroy (played byBrent Butt), who inherited thegas station after his father decided to retire. Much to the dismay of his son and his wife Emma (played byJanet Wright), he uses his new-found free time to unwittingly annoy his family and the town at large.^[11] Following the end of that show's run, Peterson made a guest appearance on the showDan for Mayor, a show starring his formerCorner Gas co-starFred Ewanuick.^[12] As of 2014 he appears inThe Best Laid Plans as Jerry Stockton.

Since January 2007, he has been performing inHalf Life, a play byJohn Mighton, at the Canadian Stage.^[11] According toThe Canadian Encyclopedia, "his fresh, energetic, natural acting style has made him popular with Canadian audiences, and he continues to be a mainstay of Canadian television."^[3]

Peterson was born inIndian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is married to fellow actor andPeople for Education executive director Annie Kidder, who is the sister ofMargot Kidder.^[13] Peterson and his wife live inToronto,Ontario, with their two daughters, although he still frequents his homeprovince ofSaskatchewan, where he owns a cottage onKatepwa Lake in theQu'Appelle Valley near his hometown.

Peterson has won numerous awards over his career. For his portrayal of Leon Robinovitch onStreet Legal, he was nominated for theGemini Award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role six times: in 1987, 1989, and every year from 1992 through 1995. He tied for the win withWinston Rekert (forAdderly) the first year, and won the next two outright. He has also been nominated twice under Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series withCorner Gas at the Gemini Awards, and once for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series for Episode 4 ofThis is Wonderland for his portrayal of Judge Malone.^[14] His fourth Gemini Award came in 2001 for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program.^[11]

He has also been nominated four times forCanadian Comedy Awards for his role onCorner Gas. In 2004, he was nominated (alongside fellowCorner Gas actorBrent Butt) in the "Pretty Funny Television Performance – Male" category.^[15] In 2007, he was nominated for "Best Male Performance."^[16]

In 1996, Peterson received an honoraryDoctor of Letters in drama from the University of Saskatchewan; the head of the drama department,Henry Woolf,^[4] made the presentation. In 1999, the 20th anniversary edition of his playBilly Bishop Goes To War won himDora Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance.^[11] He had previously received a Dora Award nomination for his role inEscape from Happiness.^[4] A 1982CBC television adaptation garnered him anACTRA award nomination.^[3] In May 2013 he received aGovernor General's Performing Arts Award for his work for his lifetime contributions to Canadian theatre.^[17] For his lifelong contributions to the arts he received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the University of Regina (2019).^[18]

• Eric Peterson atIMDb
• Eric Peterson at Northern Stars

• 1946 births
• Living people
• Male actors from Saskatchewan
• Canadian male film actors
• Canadian male stage actors
• Canadian male television actors
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• Clarence Derwent Award winners
• Dora Mavor Moore Award winners
• Best Actor in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners
• Members of the Order of Canada
• University of British Columbia alumni
• Canadian Comedy Award winners
• Male actors from Toronto
• Governor General's Award winners

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