John Stephen Hill
| John Stephen Hill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
January 16, 1953 Montreal, Quebec |
| Years active | 1977-1983 |
John Stephen Hill, born in Montreal, (16 January 1953), the third of five children, Hill attended Earl Haig Secondary School in North York. After a theatre arts class he won an honourable mention at the Sears Ontario High School One Act Drama Festival. In 1977, he began working as a Canadian actor as 'Stephen Hill' in television commercials. Hill got his break on stage from four notable pioneers of 'Canadian' theatre: two productions with Susan Douglas Rubes' Young People's Theatre in Toronto; two seasons with William Hutt's Theatre London Young Company; three seasons with Dennis Sweeting at Kawartha Summer Theatre in Lindsay, Ontario; and Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary, with Douglas Riske.
From 1980-1983, in the West End in London, England, Hill worked as John Stephen Hill because another 'Stephen Hill' was already a member of British Actors' Equity. Hill's West End work include his leading role debut in Deathtrap (Garrick Theatre), Ladies in Retirement (Fortune Theatre), and a tap-dancing Aggie footballer choreographed by Tommy Tune in the original UK production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane). He stood by for Elizabeth Taylor's Broadway revival of The Little Foxes at the Victoria Palace Theatre. In the London fringe, Hill produced two plays, and was directed by Tom Conti in Beyond Therapy. He did play readings at Canada House, and on the Lyttleton stage at the Royal National Theatre. Hill is a LAMDA alumnus where he was directed by Ian Judge.
In 1981, Hill began playing roles in films, such as The Sender,[1] as Catherine Deneuve's first victim in The Hunger directed by Tony Scott(1983); with Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again (1983),[2] with Vincent Price in Bloodbath at the House of Death.
After seven years and thirty-six professional credits, Hill's acting career suddenly ended in 1983. He volunteered for three years at a L'Arche home for adults with developmental disabilities founded by Canadian humanitarian Jean Vanier. Hill was then educated in theology by Jesuits at Regis College, University of Toronto, and was mentored as an Ignatian retreat and spiritual director at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Spirituality in Guelph, Ontario. For the remainder of his life, Hill served in ministry with the sick and dying.
He married in 1990. They have one son.
Selected filmography
- The Sender (1982)
- The Hunger (1983)
- Never Say Never Again (1983)
- Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984)