Eric House

Eric House (November 22, 1921 - March 21, 2004) was a Canadian actor.[1] Although he appeared in film, television and stage roles throughout his career, he was most famously associated with stage roles at the Stratford Festival, particularly its productions of musical comedies by Gilbert and Sullivan,[2] and as Dean Drone in Sunshine Sketches, the first Canadian television drama series.[2]

House was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.[2] After serving in the Canadian military during World War II, he enrolled as a geography student at the University of Toronto, and began acting with the Hart House Theatre.[2] He joined the Canadian Repertory Theatre in 1951, and subsequently acted at Stratford and with the Toronto-based Crest Theatre.[2] He was a founding member of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association.[2] He also worked in theatre across Canada, both as an actor and a director,[2] and had a number of roles on Broadway in New York City, appearing in productions of Tamburlaine, The Makropulos Affair, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Soldiers and H.M.S. Pinafore,[3] and at least one role in London's West End, in a production of Mrs. Gibbons' Boys.[1] In 1962, he appeared alongside Corinne Conley, Dave Broadfoot, Jack Creley and Eric Christmas in the musical revue Clap Hands at London's Hammersmith Theatre.[4]

His film roles included Anne of Green Gables (1956), and Oedipus Rex (1957),[2] while his television roles included frequent appearances in the CBC Television drama anthology series Playdate, Folio and Festival,[5] A Gift to Last[5] and the shortlived comedy series Delilah. He received a Canadian Film Award nomination for Best Actor in 1969 for his performance in "The Night Nothing Happened", an episode of the drama series Quentin Durgens, M.P..[6] In a 1974 IMAX movie "Snow Job" he played a school principal; this movie was featured at Toronto's Ontario Place Cinesphere

In later years he returned to Stratford, appearing in productions of Hamlet and Troilus and Cressida.[1] His final television role was a small appearance as a judge in two episodes of Street Legal.[5]

He died of emphysema on March 21, 2004.[5]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1957Oedipus RexShepherd / Old Priest
1970The Act of the HeartChoirmaster
1974A Star Is Lost!Alfred E. Sydney
1978High-Ballin'Slater
1982HighpointRico
1983Strange BrewJohn Elsinore
1987Candy MountainDoctor

References
  1. "Eric House, veteran stage actor and director, dies of emphysema at 82". Canadian Press, April 8, 2004.
  2. "Eric House". The Canadian Encyclopedia, August 14, 2013.
  3. Eric House. Internet Broadway Database.
  4. "Clap Hands Finds London Home". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1962.
  5. "'Are you getting enough?'" The Globe and Mail, April 15, 2004.
  6. "'Best Damn Fiddler' Wins Film of the Year Award". Ottawa Journal, October 6, 1969.
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