Charmion King (July 25, 1925 – January 6, 2007) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

actress. Born in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, she was part of the country's burgeoning theatre and television industry in the decade of the 1950s. Fresh out of the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

's Hart House, she quickly became known for her fresh beauty and roles at the new Crest Theatre and their Straw Hat Players summer circuit in the Muskoka Lake district. She went on to the

Stratford Festival The Stratford Festival is a theatre festival which runs from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival ...

appearing in productions of ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...

'', '' Three Sisters'' and ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the direct ...

'', and appeared on Broadway in

Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at his ...

's production of ''Love and Libel''. She also acted in notable television films, including ''

Anne of Green Gables ''Anne of Green Gables'' is a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. Montgomery). Written for all ages, it has been considered a classic children's novel since the mid-20th century. Set in the late 19th century, t ...

'' (as Josephine Barry) and ''Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot'' (as

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy (July 22, 1890 – January 22, 1995) was an American philanthropist, socialite, and matriarch of the Kennedy family. She was deeply embedded in the "Lace curtain and shanty Irish, lace curtain" Irish Catholic, ...

). She also starred in the

television series ''

Wind at My Back ''Wind at My Back'' is a television series which aired in Canada on CBC Television between 1996 and 2001. It was created and produced by Kevin Sullivan, best known for his adaptation of ''Anne of Green Gables'' and ''Road to Avonlea''. The ser ...

'' and ''

House of Pride ''House of Pride'' was a Canadian television soap opera, which aired on CBC Television from 1974 to 1976. The series opened with the death of family patriarch Dan Pride (George Waite), and focused on the families of his five adult children."Hous ...

''. In 1988 she appeared in the film '' Shadow Dancing''.

Family

She was married to actor

Gordon Pinsent Gordon Edward Pinsent (born July 12, 1930) is a Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He is known for his roles in numerous productions, including ''Away from Her'', ''The Rowdyman'', ''John and the Missus'', ''A Gift to Last'', '' Due So ...

for 44 years. Their daughter,

Leah Pinsent Leah Pinsent (born September 20, 1968) is a Canadian television and film actress. Career Pinsent made her film debut in 1984's '' The Bay Boy'', best known as Kiefer Sutherland's first film. The role garnered her a Genie nomination for Best Supp ...

, is also a noted Canadian television actress.

Death

King died, aged 81, in Toronto, reportedly from complications of

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...

Filmography

Film

Television

External links

*
''Toronto Star'' obituary
1925 births 2007 deaths Actresses from Toronto Canadian film actresses Canadian stage actresses Canadian television actresses Canadian Shakespearean actresses {{Canada-film-actor-stub