Al Waxman

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Al Waxman

Al Waxman
Born March 2, 1935
Toronto, Ontario
Died January 18, 2001
Notable roles King of Kensington

Albert Samuel Waxman, C.M., O.Ont (March 2, 1935 – January 18, 2001) was a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles on the television series King of Kensington (CBC) and Cagney & Lacey (CBS).

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Waxman was born in Toronto to Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents operated and owned Melinda Lunch, a small restaurant, and his father, Aaron Waxman, died when Al was nine.[1]

[edit] Career

Waxman was a founding member of the Canadian Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. In 1997, he was awarded a Gemini Award for his performance in the television film Net Worth. Waxman also appeared at the Stratford Festival, beginning with Death of a Salesman in 1997. Later in 2001, he would have returned to Stratford to portray Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. This was a potentially controversial performance given that Waxman was of the Jewish faith while the Shylock character is often associated with Anti-Semitism. Paul Soles accepted the part of Shylock in the wake of Waxman's death and the play was performed in honour of Waxman.[2]

In 1996, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was awarded the Order of Ontario. In 1998, he was given the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in Canadian television.

[edit] Death

He died in Toronto during heart surgery at the age of 65. The Toronto neighbourhood that his starring role in King of Kensington made famous, Kensington Market, erected a memorial to Waxman following his death.

[edit] Fan club

Musician Jaymz Bee of the Bee People, (prior to his work with The Look People, The Royal Jelly Orchestra and various projects) was a founder of the Al Waxman Fan Club. The Fan Club began in the 1980s following the heyday of the King of Kensington television show. Bee, his associates Clay Tyson (son of Ian and Sylvia), Bazl Salazar, Bruce J. Scott and artist Max MacDonald would host parites and write songs in honour of Waxman. While the Fan Club initially appeared to be a publicity stunt, this led to a long and successful association between Jaymz Bee and Al Waxman. Waxman attended some of the Fan Club events as organised by Bee, most of which raised money for charities such as The Canadian Cancer Foundation and Big Brother. Bee attended Waxman's funeral, and joined with his Fan Club to hold a wake in Toronto on 25 January 2001. They had a New Orleans-style funeral march with a jazz band and paraded from The Cameron House to Kensington Market where they recorded his hit TV theme song with Vezi Tayeb at Kensington Sound. The AWFC boasted over 1,000 card carrying members and while the bulk of members were from Toronto, some were as far away as Japan and Africa. President Bee received a terse reply from Buckingham Palace however, notifying him that The Queen of England does not "join a fan club". Al Waxman realized over the years that this organization, while appearing tongue in cheek, was a group of bonafide fans who enjoyed celebrating "the King of Canada".

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Movies

[edit] Television series

[edit] Television specials

  • 1971: When Michael Calls
  • 1979: Please Don't Eat the Planet (voice only)
  • 1981: Cagney & Lacey (pilot TV movie)
  • 1988: The Return of Ben Casey
  • 1991: I Still Dream of Jeannie
  • 1992: Quiet Killer
  • 1992: Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story
  • 1992: The Trial of Red Riding Hood
  • 1994: Cagney & Lacey: The Return
  • 1994: Web of Deceit
  • 1995: Net Worth
  • 1995: The Shamrock Conspiracy
  • 1996: Gotti
  • 1997: Rescuers: Stories of Courage
  • 1998: Naked City: A Killer at Christmas
  • 1999: In the Company of Spies (TV-1999)
  • 1999: A Saintly Switch
  • 2000: The Ride
  • 2000: The Thin Blue Lie
  • 2001: Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (released posthumously)

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ AL WAXMAN. Northern Stars (2006). Retrieved on January 12, 2007.
  2. ^ "The importance of being Shylock", Canadian Jewish News, 2 August 2001

[edit] External links

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