Sandra Faire ( Allard; died February 27, 2019) was a Canadian television producer and philanthropist. She created music specials for Canadian entertainers such as Anne Murray, and was executive producer of '' So You Think You Can Dance Canada''. Her career lasted over four decades.

Early life

The daughter of Alice Tonstad and broadcaster Jim Allard, Sandra Allard was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She attended Carleton University before beginning work at television station CJOH in Ottawa, Ontario.Langan, Fred (March 4, 2019).
Canadian TV producer Sandra Faire created top-rated shows, from Anne Murray specials to So You Think You Can Dance Canada
", ''The Globe and Mail''. Retrieved March 6, 2019.

Career

In 1972, Faire began her television-producing career as associate producer for ''

Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour George Kirby (June 8, 1923 – September 30, 1995) was an American comedian, singer, and actor. Career Born in Chicago, Kirby broke into show business in the 1940s at the Club DeLisa, a South Side establishment that employed a variety-show ...

'', which was taped in Toronto. From the 1970s into the 1990s, Faire was a producer with

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...

, where she created and produced variety entertainment programs such as '' The Joyce Davidson Show'', '' Video Hits'', and '' Comics!''. In 1997, she founded and operated her own private production firm, Sandra Faire & Associates, which produced programming primarily for

CTV CTV may refer to: Television * Connected TV, or Smart TV, a TV set with integrated internet North America and South America * CTV Television Network, a Canadian television network owned by Bell Media ** CTV 2, a secondary Canadian televisio ...

and The Comedy Network. The company's productions include '' Comedy Now!'', '' Comedy Inc.'', ''

The Holmes Show ''The Holmes Show'' is a Canadian television sketch comedy series that premiered on CTV on September 24, 2002. The 22-episode series stars Jessica Holmes, Roman Danylo and Kurt Smeaton. Filming took place at the CTV studios in June and August 2 ...

'' and '' So You Think You Can Dance Canada'', as well as television specials for musicians such as k.d. lang,

Rita MacNeil Rita MacNeil (May 28, 1944 – April 16, 2013) was a Canadian singer from the community of Big Pond on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. Her biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own", was a crossover Top 40 hit in 1987 and was covered by Anne Murray t ...

, Bryan Adams, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Corey Hart, The Rankin Family,

Amanda Marshall Amanda Meta Marshall (born August 29, 1972) is a Canadian pop-rock singer. She has released three studio albums; the first was certified Diamond in Canada, with the latter two certified 3× Platinum and Platinum respectively. She is best known f ...

and Anne Murray. The company also produced the feature film ''

My Own Private Oshawa ''My Own Private Oshawa'' is a theatrical play written and performed by Jonathan Wilson, which premiered in 1996.Vit Wagner, "Growing up gay in Oshawa". ''Toronto Star'', July 10, 1996. A one-man show taking place aboard a GO Train in which Wilson ...

''. In 2008, she received an honorary doctor of laws from York University. In 2012, she was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for culture and the arts.

Personal life

She took the name ''Faire'' when she first married; the couple had one daughter, and the marriage ended in divorce. She later married Ivan Fecan, an executive with

. The marriage lasted 37 years, ending with her death. The couple were involved in philanthropy, acting as patrons or sponsors of institutions such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Ballet of Canada, Soulpepper Theatre Company, the Hospital for Sick Children and York University,"Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan urge graduates to give to society"
. '' YFile'', June 18, 2008. as well as creating the Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Dance Fund, a scholarship fund for dance students which has also provided prize money to non-winning finalists on ''So You Think You Can Dance Canada''.'So You Think You Can Dance Canada' winner crowned
", Canadian Press via CTV News. September 12, 2011. Faire died on February 27, 2019, at her home in Toronto.Vlessing, Etan (March 1, 2019).
Sandra Faire, Pioneering Canadian TV Producer, Dies
", ''The Hollywood Reporter''. Retrieved March 2, 2019.

References

External links

Sandra Faire & Associates
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Faire, Sandra 2019 deaths Canadian television producers Canadian women television producers Canadian women philanthropists Canadian philanthropists People from Edmonton Year of birth missing