Heath Lamberts, (December 15, 1941 – February 22, 2005) was a Canadian dramatic and comedic actor of stage, film, and television.Robert Crew, "Lamberts, 63, stage's mirth master". Toronto Star, February 23, 2005.
Early life and education Lamberts was born James Lancaster in Toronto, Ontario, the eldest son of Cyril and Patricia Langcaster, a factor worker and retail clerk (respectively).
As a boy, he and his brothers John and Raymond performed pantomime shows for senior citizens and Kiwanis groups. Heath won singing contests at school, allowing him to perform with Toronto's Opera Festival Association. In high school, he took a two-year course in art before leaving to study acting.
Lamberts took an apprenticeship at Vineyard Theatre near Niagara Falls, learning his craft from stars such as Tallulah Bankhead and Jack Carter. In 1960 he was admitted into the National Theatre School of Canada (NTS) in Montreal and graduated in 1963. At the NTS, Lamberts came under the tutelage of George Bloomfield, who cast Lamberts in the play The Red Eye of Love in Toronto in 1962, although still studying acting.
He also studied mime in Paris, France, at Le Coq d'Or.
He pursued the arts as a career, changing his name to Heath Lamberts.
Career
Lamberts worked extensively in theaters across Canada, especially at the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Festival, where he grew into a great comedic actor, starring in popular farces such as Rookery Nook and One for the Pot. From 1982 to 1983 he played the demanding title role of Cyrano de Bergerac. On Broadway his longest role was in the original cast of Beauty and the Beast as Cogsworth. In later years, he performed numerous roles in Pittsburgh theatre.
Although most prominently a stage actor, he also had more than twenty roles in theatrical and made-for-television films including A Great Big Thing (1968), Where's Pete (1986), and Sam & Me (1991), as well as appearances on television series such as Counterstrike (1991), Law & Order (1996), and Remember WENN (1998).
Awards and honors Lamberts was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada in 1987 by Queen Elizabeth II and the Governor General of Canada to recognize his distinction as an actor."Hansen, Bouey named to Order of Canada". The Globe and Mail, July 7, 1987.
He won a Dora Mavor Moore Award (the "Toronto Tony") for his role in the 1996 Toronto rivival of One for the Pot.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette named Lamberts, "Performer of the Year" (2000) for his central role in Quills at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.
Personal life Lamberts was married to Carole Macomber, stage manager for the Shaw Festival, for a brief period in the 1980s. He later had an eight year relationship with Louise Silk, a Pittsburgh artist. Lamberts was a recovering alcoholic with a twenty-three year membership in Alcoholics Anonymous, in which he was an inspiration to his friends.
Death
Lamberts died at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, on February 22, 2005, from cancer. He was cremated. His ashes were sprinkled into the Allegheny River afterwards.
Theatre Some of Lamberts' many stage roles include the following.
1982–1983: Cyrano de Bergerac as Cyrano de Bergerac – Shaw Festival, Niagra-on-the-Lake 1994–: Beauty and the Beast as Cogsworth 1996: One for the Pot – Toronto revival 1997: Once Upon a Mattress as King Sextimus – Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre 1998: A Midsummer Night's Dream as Bottom – Pittsburgh Public Theater 1999: Gross Indecency as Marquis of Queensbury – City Theatre 2000: Quills – Pittsburgh Playhouse 2000: La Bête – Pittsburgh Playhouse 2001: By Jeeves as Sir Watkyn Basset – Pittsburgh Public Theater 2002: La Bête as Title role – Playhouse Rep 2003: Hamlet as Gravedigger – Pittsburgh Playhouse 2003: Macbeth as Porter 2003: Uncle Vanya as Telegin – Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre 2004: e-lectricity – Pittsburgh Playhouse
Filmography
+ Heath Lamberts film and television credits Year Title Role Notes 1968 A Great Big Thing Bill Theatrical film 1972 To Kill a Clown Timothy Frischer Theatrical film 1980 Nothing Personal Mr. Farkus Theatrical film 1986 Where's Pete Dad Short film 1991 Sam & Me Morris Cohen Theatrical film 1991 Street Legal Steve Parker 1 episode 1991 Counterstrike Sheldon Blake Episode: "Hidden Assets"1992Alligator PieMr. HoobodyTelevision Film 1993 Ordinary Magic Mayor Theatrical film 1994 TekWar: TekLords Gordon Chesterton Television film 1995 Tom and Huck Schoolmaster Dobbins Theatrical film 1996 Law & Order Forensic Handwriting Expert Episode: "Trophy" 1998 More Tales of the City Arnold Littlefield TV miniseries 1998 Remember WENN Brian Wilburforce 1 episode 2001 By Jeeves Sir Watkyn Bassett Television film (Video of the stage performance)
References
External links