Michael Kane (March 21, 1922 – December 14, 2007) was a Canadian film and television actor, who worked in both Canadian and American film and television.Paul King, "Actor Michael Kane always steers his own course". Montreal Gazette, July 10, 1974. He was most noted as a two-time ACTRA Award nominee for Best Television Performance, receiving nods at the 2nd ACTRA Awards in 1973 for the television film The Disposable Man,Ron Base, "Words of love". Windsor Star, April 28, 1973. and at the 4th ACTRA Awards in 1975 for the drama series The Collaborators.Blaik Kirby, "Can ACTRA awards end Canada's inferiority complex?". The Globe and Mail, April 22, 1975.
Background and family A native of Montreal, Quebec, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, and decided to pursue acting after participating in variety shows."Michael Kane Stars With MRT". Montreal Gazette, September 12, 1959.
He was the uncle of actor Art Hindle."Art Hindle is up to his ears in deadly intrigue". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1987.
Career He began his acting career in New York City, appearing in dramatic anthology television series such as Lights Out, The Web, Omnibus and Camera Three. He also played Angus in the 1954 television production of Macbeth, and had a role for several months in the soap opera Guiding Light.
In 1957 he won an award for his performance in an Off-Broadway production of James Joyce's play Exiles. In the same year he was cast as Laertes in the Stratford Festival production of Hamlet,"Michael Kane signs with Stratford". Toronto Star, May 11, 1957. but was dropped from the production and subsequently sued for wrongful dismissal."Being Sued by Actor". Calgary Albertan, June 5, 1958. The following year he staged his own one-man show in Stratford, without festival participation, receiving acclaim for his selection of monologues by various playwrights.Bill Boss, "Michael Kane opens show at Stratford". Montreal Star, June 25, 1958.
In 1959 he starred as Jamie in a production of Long Day's Journey into Night for Montreal's Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, alongside Ian Keith as James, Mildred Dunnock as Mary, Eileen Clifford as Cathleen and Roland Hewgill as Edmund."Broadway Stars in Local Production of O'Neill Play". Montreal Star, February 7, 1959.
In the early 1960s he moved to England,"Michael Kane Takes Family To England". Hamilton Spectator, April 16, 1963. where he had some success in stage roles until his career was disrupted by the rise to fame of the similarly-named Michael Caine.
In 1965 he appeared in the film The Bedford Incident."Montreal Actor Kane Stars In Richard Widmark Movie". Red Deer Advocate, March 5, 1965.
In 1967, he returned to Montreal to perform the one-man show Michael Kane on Stage.Francean Campbell, "His Readings Really Actor's Showcase". Montreal Star, April 8, 1967. He returned to living in Canada permanently soon afterward, and was again regularly featured in Canadian television and stage productions, including a 1968 guest appearance in Quentin Durgens, M.P.,"CBOT Highlights". Ottawa Journal, November 9, 1968. the theatrical film Love in a Four Letter World,Marilyn Beker, "Montreal-made film a little too Hollywoodish". Montreal Gazette, August 15, 1970. and the television films Fringe Benefits,Les Wedman, "Tax Changes Plus Football". Vancouver Sun, November 8, 1969. The Day They Killed the Snowman,"Weekend's Top Shows". Victoria Times-Colonist, February 21, 1970. The Disposable Man,"Spy comes home — to forget". Calgary Albertan, October 6, 1972. and The Sloane Affair.Sheila McCook, "Sloane Affair: Trials of a taxman". Ottawa Citizen, February 14, 1973.
Beginning in 1973 he starred as Jim Brewer in the first season of the police drama series The Collaborators.Frank Penn, "Just another slick series — this time from CBC". Ottawa Citizen, September 6, 1973. After shooting three episodes of the show's second season he left the series, with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation stating that he left for health reasons,"CBC police series loses second star". Waterloo Region Record, May 16, 1974. but Kane disputed that, claiming that he had been fired for demanding a pay increase due to excessive overtime work.
Throughout his career, he was also a frequent narrator of documentary films for the National Film Board of Canada and other documentary producers.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1962 Lonely Are the Brave Paul Bondi 1965 The Bedford Incident Cmdr. Allison 1965 Promise Her Anything Staff doctor 1970 Love in a Four Letter World Harry Haven 1975 Three Days of the Condor S.W. Wicks 1980 Middle Age Crazy Abe Titus 1980 The Kidnapping of the President Herb Morris 1981 Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid Steinhart 1983 Cross Country Harry Burns
Television Year Title Role Notes 1950 Lights Out One episode 1950 The Web One episode 1954 Macbeth Angus 1955 Omnibus Homer 1955-58 Camera Three Various roles 1956 Guiding Light Paul Fletcher 1957 The Seven Lively Arts Narrator One episode 1959-60 R.C.M.P. Various characters Three episodes 1960 The Romance of Science Charles Darwin 1968 Quentin Durgens, M.P. Damon Kingsley Branch One episode 1969 Fringe Benefits 1970 The Day They Killed the Snowman Eli Sommer Television film 1972 The Disposable Man George Harris Television film 1973 The Sloane Affair Alan Sloane 1973-74 The Collaborators Det. Sgt. Jim Brewer 1987 The Gunfighters Governor Hornbeck
Documentary narration Year Title Notes 1958 The Face of the High Arctic 1965 Buster Keaton Rides Again 1966 Never a Backward Step 1973 Grierson 1978 Harness the Wind 1979 Going the Distance
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