Janet Wright

Janet Wright
Born March 8, 1945
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Occupation Actress
Years active 1969 – present

Janet Wright (born March 8, 1945) is a Canadian actress and theatre director. She is best known for her role as Emma Leroy on the hit Canadian sitcom Corner Gas. Wright won a 2006 Canadian Comedy Award for Pretty Funny TV Female for her role on Corner Gas. She also won a 2003 Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role in Betrayed (2003). She also won the 1992 Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Bordertown Café (1992).

Family

Wright is the eldest of four siblings (others being Susan, John, and Anne) who have all made their mark in Canadian theatre. Susan Wright was killed in a fire in 1991 in Stratford, Ontario, along with their parents, Jack and Ruth (Preston).[1]

In January 2004, Wright's daughter Rachel Davis, 23, was shot to death while intervening for a stranger who was being beaten in front of the Purple Onion bar in Vancouver, BC. In July 2006, the shooter was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated assault. His first degree murder conviction triggered an automatic sentence of life imprisonment with no chance of parole until 2029.[2]

Wright and her husband Bruce Davis, along with the rest of their family, have started the Rachel Davis Foundation. The foundation will present an award to a young person (17–23 years of age) who has demonstrated an outstanding act of kindness or compassion.[3]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1969 Obscene House
1971 McCabe & Mrs. Miller Eunice
1974 Wolfpen Principle, TheThe Wolfpen Principle Miss Mervin
1978 Wiz, TheThe Wiz The Wiz Singers (voice) Uncredited
1982 Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains Brenda
1987 Loyalties Audrey Sawchuk
1987 Home Is Where the Hart Is J.P.'s Wife
1988 American Gothic Fanny
1988 Cowboys Don't Cry Pearl
1991 Bingo Waitress
1992 Bordertown Café Maxine
2000 Perfect Storm, TheThe Perfect Storm Ethel Shatford
2001 Chasing Cain Sonia
2001 Lola Ma Keller
2002 Rollerball Coach Olga
2002 Blackwoods Ma Franklin
2003 Emile Alice
2003 Arbor Vitae Senior Nurse Short film
2003 Thoughtcrimes Zoya
2006 Love and Other Dilemmas Jojo Ladro
2010 Ramona and Beezus Grandma Kemp
2011 Tall Man, TheThe Tall Man Trish Post-production
2014 Corner Gas: The Movie Emma Leroy Reprise of role from 2004-2009 TV series
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1975 Peep Show Lucy Episode: "The Victim"
1978 Who'll Save Our Children? television film
1979 Huckleberry Finn and His Friends Mrs. Judith Loftus Episode: "The Rains Come"
1979 King of Kensington Evelyn Episode: "Big Brother"
1983 Best Christmas Pageant Ever, TheThe Best Christmas Pageant Ever Helen Armstrong television film
1984 The Three Wishes of Billy Grier Woman in Bar television film
1985 Brotherly Love Helen Neary television film
1986 Girl Who Spelled Freedom, TheThe Girl Who Spelled Freedom Woman Neighbor television film
1987 Deadly Deception Desk clerk television film
1987 After the Promise Waitress television film
1987 Beachcombers, TheThe Beachcombers Didee Episode: "Disposable People"
1987 Christmas Comes to Willow Creek Martha Jane television film
1988 Laura Lansing Slept Here television film
1988-1989 Wiseguy Millicent/Mabel Episodes: "Revenge of the Mud People" and "All or Nothing"
1993-1994 Street Legal Doris Banachowska/Jessica Grant Episodes: "The Price"
Episode: "Strange Bedfellows," "The Long and Winding Road," and "The Long and Winding Road"
1994 Neon Rider Michelle Pfeiffer Episode: "Where the Buffalo Roam"
1996 My Mother's Ghost television film
1996 Beyond the Call Fran television film
1996 We the Jury Gladys McKenzie television film
1997 Fast Track Charlotte Scannel Episode: "Triangle"
1998 Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension Mrs. Floyd Episode: "I'm Okay, You're Really Weird"
1998 Mr. Headmistress Naomi Bascombe television film
1998 Due South Sgt. Sam Thorn Episode: "Mountie on the Bounty: Part 2"
1998-1999 Emily of New Moon Aunt Thom Episodes: "A Shadow in His Dream," "When the Bough Breaks," and "Bred in the Bone"
1999 More Tales of the City Vita Keating TV miniseries
1999 Redwall Constance TV series
1999 Lexx Lorca Episode: "Love Grows"
2000 Redwall: The Movie Constance television film
2000 Mattimeo: A Tale of Redwall Constance / Ghost of Martin (voice) TV series
2001 Hostage Rescue Team Simone television film
2001 Lexx First Lady Priest Episode: "Texx Lexx"
Episode: "Stan Down"
2001 Dark Angel Annie Episode: "Proof of Purchase"
2002 Framed television film
2002 Chris Isaak Show, TheThe Chris Isaak Show Evie Episode: "Farm Boys"
2002 Monk Bonnie 3 episodes
2002 Taken Patty Episode: "God's Equation"
2003 Betrayed Dr. Fleming television film
2003 Jinnah: On Crime - White Knight, Black Widow Frosty television film
2003 Tale of Two Wives, AA Tale of Two Wives Phyllis television film
2003 Phenomenon II Jeri television film
2004 Kingdom Hospital Liz Hinton 10 episodes
2004-2009 Corner Gas Emma Leroy 107 episodes
2007 Whistler Episode: "The Rules of Attachment: Part II"
Episode: "Last Run"
2008 Wisegal Patty Montanari's Mother television film
2009 Memory Lanes Sarah Duggen television film

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Event Award Result
1992 Bordertown Café Genie Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Won
2003 Betrayed Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Won
2006 Herself Canadian Comedy Awards Pretty Funny TV Female Won

Videos

As Ma Joad in The grapes of wrath, Stratford Festival, 2011

References

  1. ↑ "The Death of Susan Wright". Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 2, No. 336. 1991-12-31. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  2. ↑ "Gastown gunman convicted of 1st-degree murder". CBC News. 2006-07-27. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  3. ↑ "Home page". Rachel Davis Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-25.

External links