Al Waxman | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Al Waxman inKensington Market | |
| Born | Albert Samuel Waxman (1935-03-02)March 2, 1935 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | January 18, 2001(2001-01-18) (aged 65) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Resting place | Pardes Shalom Cemetery,Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1959–2001 |
Albert Samuel Waxman,CM OOnt (March 2, 1935 – January 18, 2001) was a Canadian actor and director of over 1,000 productions on radio, television, film, and stage. He is best known for his starring roles in the television seriesKing of Kensington (CBC),Cagney & Lacey (CBS) andTwice in a Lifetime (CTV).
Waxman was born inToronto, Ontario toJewish immigrants fromPoland. His parents operated and owned Melinda Lunch, a small restaurant. His father, Aaron Waxman, died when Al was nine.[1]
Waxman's career began at the age of twelve onCBC Radio, but it was not until 1975, when he began playing the role of Larry King on CBC'sKing of Kensington, that he became aCanadian icon.
In the 1980 award-winning filmAtlantic City starringBurt Lancaster, Waxman appeared as a richcocaine buyer with a seemingly endless amount of cash.
During the 1980s, Waxman starred as the gruff but endearingLt. Bert Samuels in the highly successfulCBS television dramaCagney & Lacey.
During the 1990s, Waxman appeared in a variety of films and television shows, but began spending more time acting and directing in the theatre. In 1991, Al hostedMissing Treasures: The Search for Our Lost Children, a TV show which profiled missing children in Canada.[2] He was also a founding member of theAcademy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
In 1997, he was awarded the best actorGemini Award for his performance in the television filmNet Worth.
Waxman also appeared at theStratford Festival, beginning with his critically acclaimed performance asWilly Loman inDeath of a Salesman in 1997. He also directedThe Diary of Anne Frank at the Stratford Festival in 2000. He was to return to Stratford for his highly anticipated portrayal ofShylock inThe Merchant of Venice in 2001. In the wake of Waxman's death, one month before rehearsals were to begin,Paul Soles accepted the part of Shylock and the play was performed in honour of Waxman.[3]
In 1999, he published a memoirThat's What I Am[4] which received aCanadian Jewish Book Award.[5]
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Al Waxman" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Waxman was a spokesperson for organizations such asUnited Appeal,United Jewish Appeal,Israel Bonds,Variety Club,Children's Miracle Network, andBig Brothers (also becoming an honorary member).[6][7][8][9] From June 1979 to August 1981, he was the National Campaign Chairman for theCanadian Cancer Society,[10][citation needed] and from 1988 to 1989, he was an official spokesperson for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario.[citation needed] Together with his wife, Sara, he created the Sara and Al Waxman Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine at theShaare Zedek Medical Center inJerusalem.[11]
Al Waxman was accorded many tributes for his volunteer and philanthropic work. In 1978, he was honoured with theQueen's Silver Jubilee Medal.[12][citation needed] In 1989, he was the recipient of theB'nai B'rith of Canada Humanitarian Award.[13] In 1996, Waxman was inducted into theOrder of Ontario and, in 1997, into theOrder of Canada.[12] In 1998, he was given theEarle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in Canadian television.[14]
Waxman died in Toronto duringheart surgery on January 18, 2001, at the age of 65.[15] He was buried at Pardes Shalom Cemetery inMaple, Ontario.
In 2016, Al Waxman was posthumously inducted intoCanada's Walk of Fame as a Cineplex Legends Inductee for his enormous contribution to Canadian arts and culture as an actor, director, producer, and consummate and integral supporter of the Canadian film industry and young aspiring artists emerging within it.
Following his death, a statue of him, created byRuth Abernethy, was erected inKensington Market,[16] the Toronto neighbourhood whereKing of Kensington takes place. The inscription in front of the statue reads "There's lots to do down the road, there's always more. Trust your gut instincts. In small matters trust your mind, but in the important decisions of life – trust your heart."
MusicianJaymz Bee started the Al Waxman Fan Club while in high school,[17] and started a punk band with his pals Bazl Salazar, Clay Tyson and Graham Leethat performed only songs about Waxman and his life: "'We ended up with an hour-long show, just about Al Waxman.'"[18] What began as a publicity stunt became a long association between Bee and Waxman. Waxman attended some of the fan club events as organized by Bee, most of which raised money for charities such as the Canadian Cancer Foundation[citation needed] and Big Brother.[17] Bee attended Waxman's funeral and, with his fan club, held awake in Toronto on January 25, 2001.[17]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
