Brent Carver (November 17, 1951 – August 4, 2020) was a Canadian actor best known internationally for performances in both London's West End and on Broadway in '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' as Molina, for which he won the

Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did n ...

in 1993 and was nominated for an Olivier Award. A subsequent Broadway appearance in 1999 in '' Parade'' as

Leo Frank Leo Max Frank (April 17, 1884August 17, 1915) was an American factory superintendent who was convicted in 1913 of the murder of a 13-year-old employee, Mary Phagan, in Atlanta, Georgia. His trial, conviction, and appeals attracted national at ...

, led to a second nomination for the

Early life

Carver was born of Welsh and Irish heritage in Cranbrook, British Columbia, the son of Lois (Wills), a clerk, and Kenneth Carver, who was in the lumber business. He was the third of seven children, none of whom went into show business, apart from himself. He almost became a teacher, but continued participating in theatre. He attended the University of British Columbia from 1969 to 1972. He sang from an early age, with his father who played guitar. Carver's favourite actors were Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis.

Career

Carver was known for a variety of stage and film roles, including ''

The Wars ''The Wars'' is a 1977 novel by Timothy Findley that follows Robert Ross, a nineteen-year-old Canadian who enlists in World War I after the death of his beloved older sister in an attempt to escape both his grief and the social norms of oppressiv ...

'', '' Kronborg: 1582'', ''

Lilies ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

'', ''

Larry's Party ''Larry's Party'' is a 1997 novel by Carol Shields. There is an underlying theme of people retracing their steps, both literally and figuratively, and going down different routes to try to achieve fulfilment. The novel examines the life of Larry ...

'', '' Elizabeth Rex'', ''

Millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...

'', '' Shadow Dancing'', and ''

Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love ''Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love'' is a 1989 stage play written by Canadian playwright Brad Fraser. Set in Edmonton, Alberta, the comedy-drama follows the lives of several sexually frustrated "thirty-somethings" who try ...

''. Carver originated the role of Gandalf in the Toronto stage production of ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's b ...

'' and appeared in several

Soulpepper Theatre Company Soulpepper is a theater company based in Toronto, Ontario. It is the largest non-profit theater in the city. History Soulpepper was founded in 1998 by twelve Toronto artists aiming to produce lesser-known theatrical classics. Soulpepper has sinc ...

productions such as ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often ...

'', ''

Don Carlos ''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Fried ...

'' and as the Pirate King in the 1985 production of ''The Pirates of Penzance''. Carver played the character Leo on the series ''

Leo and Me ''Leo and Me'' is a Canadian television sitcom that was produced in 1977 and aired in 1978. It starred a 15-year-old Michael J. Fox, in his television acting debut, playing Jamie, the 12-year-old younger nephew of Leo (Brent Carver). ''Leo and ...

'', which aired from 1977 to 1978. Carver made his U.S. debut in '' The Tempest'', playing Ariel to

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

's Prospero. Carver won a

Dora Award The Dora Mavor Moore Award (also known as the Dora Award) is an award presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts which honours theatre, dance and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped estab ...

as Horst in ''Bent''. His stage work involved an extended association with Canada's Stratford Shakespeare Festival in the 1980s, including an original rock version of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', as the lead and later in 2000 as Tevye in '' Fiddler on the Roof''. In 1993, Carver won a Tony Award which he dedicated to the late Canadian actress Susan Wright, who had died two years earlier in a fire in his Stratford house, Ontario. In May 2014, Carver received a

Governor General's Performing Arts Award A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, for his lifetime contribution to Canadian theatre. Carver portrayed Ichabod Crane in the 1999 TV film ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' which aired on

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', th ...

. He played the title role in "The Trouble with Harry", an episode of the television series '' Twice in a Lifetime''. He portrayed

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...

in ''Leonardo: A Dream of Flight'' in 2002. In 2016, Carver performed in a musical show titled ''Walk Me to the Corner'' at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company in Toronto.Fricker, Karen
"The view from Brent Carver's corner"
''Toronto Star'', November 6, 2016, page E1.

Death

Carver died on August 4, 2020, at the age of 68 at home in Cranbrook.

Credits

Filmography

* ''

The Beachcombers ''The Beachcombers'' is a Canadian comedy-drama television series that ran on CBC Television from October 1, 1972, to December 12, 1990. With over 350 episodes, it is one of the longest-running dramatic series ever made for English-language Canad ...

'' (1972, TV Series) * ''

Inside Canada ''Inside Canada'' is a Canadian variety television series which aired on CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the na ...

'' (1974, TV Series) * '' One Night Stand'' (1978, TV Movie) as Rafe * ''

'' (1978, TV Series) as Leo * ''

Crossbar Crossbar may refer to: Structures * Latch (hardware), a post barring a door * Top tube of a bicycle frame * Crossbar, the horizontal member of various sports goals * Crossbar, a horizontal member of an electricity pylon Other * In electronic ...

'' (1979, TV Movie) as Aaron Kornylo * ''

'' (1983) as Robert Ross * ''Cross Country'' (1983) as John Forrest * ''Anne's Story'' (1984, TV Movie) * '' Love and Larceny'' (1985, TV Movie) as Charles Chadwick * ''The Pirates of Penzance'' (1985, TV Movie) as Pirate King * ''All for One'' (1985, TV Movie) * ''

Adderly ''Adderly'' is a Canadian television adventure-drama series which aired from 1986 to 1988. It was broadcast on both Canadian TV and on CBS in the United States. It starred Vancouver-born Winston Rekert as "charming and witty V.H. Adderly," an ope ...

'' (1987, TV Series) * ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'' (1987, TV Movie) as Don John * ''Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs'' (1988, TV Movie) as Gunther * ''Shadow Dancing'' (1988) as Alexei * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'' (1989, TV Series) as Josef * ''

War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by '' Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appearance in hardcover was i ...

'' (1989, TV Series) as Jesse * ''

'' (1989) as Coventry * '' Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher'' (1989, TV Movie) as

Tony Merchant Evatt Francis Anthony "Tony" Merchant, (born 1944) is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and former politician. His law firm Merchant Law Group LLP, which he founded in 1986, is best known for representing former students of Indian residential s ...

* '' Street Legal'' (1989-1994, TV Series) as Scott Farrow #2 / Arthur Fraticelli * ''

The Hidden Room ''Obsession'', released in the USA as ''The Hidden Room'', is a 1949 British crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk, based on the 1947 book ''A Man About a Dog'' by Alec Coppel, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. ''Obsession'' was entere ...

'' (1991, TV Series) * '' The Shower'' (1992) as Kevin * ''The Song Spinner'' (1995, TV Movie) as Selmo * ''

'' (1996) as Countess de Tilly * ''Margie Gillis: Wild Hearts in Strange Times'' (1996) as Singer / Dancer * ''Leonardo: A Dream of Flight'' (1996, TV Movie) as Leonardo DaVinci * ''Whiskers'' (1997, TV Movie) as Whiskers * '' Due South'' (1997, TV Series) as Bruce Spender * ''Balls Up'' (1997, TV Movie) as Geoff * ''L'histoire de l'Oie'' (1998, TV Movie) as Maurice (English version) * ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' (1999, TV Movie) as Ichabod Crane * '' Twice in a Lifetime'' (2000, TV Series) as Harry * ''

Deeply ''Deeply'' is a 2000 film directed by Sheri Elwood, starring Julia Brendler, Lynn Redgrave and Kirsten Dunst. Synopsis Claire McKay ( Julia Brendler)—having suffered the death of her boyfriend—is brought by her mother to Ironbound Island i ...

'' (2000) as Porter * '' The City'' (2000, TV Series) as Sam * '' Ararat'' (2002) as Philip * ''

The Event ''The Event'' (stylized as THE EVƎNT) is an American television series containing elements of science fiction, action/adventure and political allegory. It was created by Nick Wauters and aired on NBC from September 20, 2010 to May 23, 2011. ...

'' (2003) as Brian Knight * '' Elizabeth Rex'' (2004, TV Movie) as Ned Lowenscroft * '' This Is Wonderland'' (2005, TV Series) * '' Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story'' (2006, TV Mini-Series) as Secretary Balsam * ''Lightchasers'' (2007, Short) as Man * '' Romeo and Juliet'' (2014) as Friar Laurence * ''The Whale'' (2014, Short) as Ryley Crewson

Theatre

* '' Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris'' (1972) * '' Bent'' (1981) * ''

'' (1986) * ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining o ...

'' (1987) * ''

'' (1990) * '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1993–1995) * ''

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th cen ...

'' (1994) * '' Richard II'' (1995) * ''High Life'' (1996) * ''

'' (1998) * '' Parade'' (1998–1999) * '' Fiddler on the Roof'' (2000) * ''Larry's Party'' (2001) * ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane ...

'' (2004) * ''

Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...

'' (2006) * ''

The Elephant Man Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "the Elephant Man" and then we ...

'' (2007) * '' As You Like It'' (2010) * '' Romeo and Juliet'' (2013) * ''Evangeline'' (2015) * ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' (2017) * ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sn ...

'' (2017)

References

External links

* * *
Brent Carver at the Canadian Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carver, Brent 1951 births 2020 deaths Canadian male film actors Canadian male voice actors Canadian male stage actors Canadian male television actors Canadian people of Welsh descent Canadian people of Irish descent People from Cranbrook, British Columbia Dora Mavor Moore Award winners Canadian male musical theatre actors Male actors from British Columbia Governor General's Performing Arts Award winners Tony Award winners Best Supporting Actor in a Television Film or Miniseries Canadian Screen Award winners