Tom Jackson (actor)
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Tom Jackson, OC, (b. 1948, on the One Arrow Reserve near Batoche, Saskatchewan) is a popular Canadian Métis actor and musician.
Jackson was born to a Cree mother and an English father. He voluntarily left his home and school at age 15, and lived on the streets of Winnipeg, Manitoba for several years.
As an actor he has starred in TV shows such as North of 60 and Shining Time Station, and made a guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation. His films include The Diviners. He has also released several albums of country and folk music.
A well-known philanthropist, Jackson created an annual series of Christmas concerts called the Huron Carole. Featuring Jackson and numerous other Canadian singers and performers, the Huron Carole troupe travels across the country each year, raising money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. An album of Christmas songs recorded to tie-in with the tour is an annual best seller in Canada. After 17 years, Jackson retired the Huron Carole and in its place launched Singing for Supper, a cross-Canada tour that plays smaller community venues raising money and gifts of food, during the 2005 Christmas season.
In the spring of 1997 Jackson's home town was bracing for "the flood of the century" that had already put towns south of the US/Canada border under water. Jackson was instrumental in organizing flood relief concerts across the nation (Calgary, Winnipeg)
He also starred in Grizzly Falls, in 1999.
Jackson has been honoured several times for his life's work. Most notably in 2000 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and now sits on the Order of Canada Advisory Council. He has been nominated for Juno Awards and Gemini Awards. He has also received honours from several Canadian universities, including honorary degrees from the University of Calgary, Trent University and the University of Lethbridge. He will also appear in the horror/thriller, Skinwalkers, in December of 2006.
[edit] External links
[[Category:People from Winnipeg|Jacksonbballs
Categories: 1948 births | Canadian film actors | Canadian television actors | Canadian folk singers | Canadian male singers | First Nations actors | First Nations musicians | Living people | Officers of the Order of Canada | Métis people | Cree people | People from Saskatchewan | Star Trek: The Next Generation actors
