Timothy Irving Frederick Findley Timothy Findley's
entry in

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available f ...

. (October 30, 1930 – June 20, 2002) was a Canadian novelist and playwright."Timothy Findley: ‘The world of Tiffiness’"

CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca ...

, June 21, 2002. He was also informally known by the nickname Tiff or Tiffy, an acronym of his initials.

Biography

Early life

One of three sons, Findley was 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, to Allan Gilmour Findley, a stockbroker, and his wife, the former Margaret Maude Bull. His paternal grandfather was president of Massey-Harris, the farm-machinery company. He was raised in the upper class Rosedale district of the city, attending boarding school at St. Andrew's College (although leaving during grade 10 for health reasons). He pursued a career in the arts, studying dance and acting, and had significant success as an actor before turning to writing. He was part of the original Stratford Festival company in the 1950s, acting alongside Alec Guinness, and appeared in the first production of

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel '' The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and '' The Skin of Our Teeth'' — ...

's ''

The Matchmaker ''The Matchmaker'' is a 1954 play by Thornton Wilder, a rewritten version of his 1938 play ''The Merchant of Yonkers''. History The play has a long and colorful history. John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' had been exte ...

'' at the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

. He also played Peter Pupkin in '' Sunshine Sketches'', the CBC Television adaptation of

Stephen Leacock Stephen P. H. Butler Leacock (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humorist in the world. He is known ...

's ''

Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town ''Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town'' is a sequence of stories by Stephen Leacock, first published in 1912. It is generally considered to be one of the most enduring classics of Canadian humorous literature. The fictional setting for these sto ...

''.

Career

Though Findley had declared his homosexuality as a teenager, he married actress/photographer Janet Reid in 1959, but the union lasted only three months and was dissolved by divorce or annulment two years later. Eventually he became the domestic partner of writer Bill Whitehead, whom he met in 1962. Findley and Whitehead also collaborated on several documentary projects in the 1970s, including the television miniseries '' The National Dream'' and ''

Dieppe 1942 ''Dieppe 1942'' is a Canadian television documentary film, directed by Terence Macartney-Filgate and broadcast on CBC Television in 1979."37 years later, CBC stirs on Dieppe raid". ''The Globe and Mail'', November 10, 1979. An examination of Canad ...

''. Whitehead and Findley won the

ACTRA Award The ACTRA Awards were first presented in 1972 to celebrate excellence in Canada's television and radio industries.

for Best Writing in a Television Documentary at the 4th ACTRA Awards in 1975 for ''The National Dream''."William Hutt wins ACTRA best acting award"
''

Saskatoon Star-Phoenix ''The StarPhoenix'' is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a part of Postmedia Network. The ''StarPhoenix'' puts out six editions each week and publishes one weekly, ''Bridges''. It is also part of the canada.com ...

'', April 24, 1975. Through Wilder, Findley became a close friend of actress

Ruth Gordon Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, Gordon gained internati ...

, whose work as a screenwriter and playwright inspired Findley to consider writing as well. After Findley published his first short story in the ''

Tamarack Review The ''Tamarack Review'' was a Canadian literary magazine, published from 1956 to 1982. Established and edited by Robert Weaver, other figures associated with the magazine's editorial staff included Anne Wilkinson, William Toye and John Robert C ...

'', Gordon encouraged him to pursue writing more actively, and he eventually left acting in the 1960s. Findley's first two novels, ''The Last of the Crazy People'' (1967) and ''The Butterfly Plague'' (1969), were originally published in Britain and the United States after having been rejected by Canadian publishers. Findley's third novel, ''

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 ...

'', was published to great acclaim in 1977 and went on to win the

Governor General's Award for English-language fiction The Governor General's Award for English-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in English.Robin Phillips Robin Phillips OC (28 February 1940 – 25 July 2015) was an English actor and film director. Life He was born in Haslemere, Surrey in 1940 to Ellen Anne (née Barfoot) and James William Phillips. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic, where a c ...

subsequently adapted the novel into the 1983 theatrical film ''

''. Findley received a Governor General's Award, the

Canadian Authors Association The Canadian Authors Association is Canada's oldest association for writers and authors. The organization has published several periodicals, organized local chapters and events for Canadian writers, and sponsors writing awards, including the Gover ...

Award, an

ACTRA The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is a Canadian trade union representing performers in English-language media. It has 25,000 members working in film, television, radio, and all other recorded media. The org ...

Award, the

Order of Ontario The Order of Ontario () is the most prestigious official Award, honour in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the A ...

, the Ontario Trillium Award, and in 1985 he was appointed an Officer of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

. He was a founding member and chair of the

Writers' Union of Canada The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC), founded in 1973, describes itself as supporting "the country's authors by advocating for their rights, freedoms, and economic well-being." Its members are professional writers who must have published at least o ...

, and a president of the Canadian chapter of

PEN International PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association has autonomous Internatio ...

. His writing was typical of the

Southern Ontario Gothic Southern Ontario Gothic is a subgenre of the Gothic novel genre and a feature of Canadian literature that comes from Southern Ontario. This region includes Toronto, Southern Ontario's major industrial cities (Windsor, London, Hamilton, Kitchener ...

style – Findley, in fact, first invented its name — and was heavily influenced by

Jungian Analytical psychology ( de , Analytische Psychologie, sometimes translated as analytic psychology and referred to as Jungian analysis) is a term coined by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, to describe research into his new "empirical science" ...

psychology.

Mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

gender Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most cultures ...

and sexuality were frequent recurring themes in his work. Many of his novels centred on a protagonist who was struggling to find the moral and ethical and rational course of action in a situation that had spun wildly out of control. His characters often carried dark personal secrets, and were often conflicted – sometimes to the point of

psychosis Psychosis is a condition of the mind that results in difficulties determining what is real and what is not real. Symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations, among other features. Additional symptoms are incoherent speech and behavior ...

— by these burdens. He publicly mentioned his homosexuality, passingly and perhaps for the first time, on a broadcast of the programme ''The Shulman File'' in the 1970s, taking flabbergasted host

Morton Shulman Morton Shulman (25 April 1925 – 18 August 2000) was a Canadian politician, businessman, broadcaster, columnist, coroner, and physician. He was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1925 to a Jewish family. He first came to fame as Ontario's Chief Coron ...

completely by surprise. Findley and Whitehead resided at Stone Orchard, a farm near Cannington, Ontario, and in the south of France. In 1996, Findley was honoured by the French government, who declared him a Chevalier de l'Ordre des arts et des lettres. Findley was also the author of several dramas for television and stage. '' Elizabeth Rex'', his most successful play, premiered at the

Stratford Festival of Canada 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 ...

to rave reviews and won a Governor General's award. His 1993 play ''

The Stillborn Lover ''The Stillborn Lover'' is a theatrical play by Timothy Findley, first staged in 1993."Theatre Review: The Stillborn Lover". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 29, 1993. Based in part on the true stories of Canadian diplomats E. Herbert Norman and John ...

'' was adapted by

Shaftesbury Films Shaftesbury Films is a film, television and digital media production company founded by Christina Jennings in 1987. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Background Shaftesbury is a creator and producer of original content for television an ...

into the television film ''

External Affairs A state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterally or through ...

'', which aired on CBC Television in 1999. ''Shadows'', first performed in 2001, was his last completed work. Findley was also an active mentor to a number of young Canadian writers, including

Marnie Woodrow Marnie Woodrow (born 1969) is a Canadian comedian and writer and editor. She has also worked as an editor, magazine writer and as a researcher for TV and radio. Woodrow has published two short fiction collections, ''Why We Close Our Eyes When We ...

and

Elizabeth Ruth Elizabeth Ruth (born 1968) is a Canadian novelist. Early life and education Elizabeth Ruth was born in Windsor, Ontario, was raised by a single, unmarried mother, and moved frequently while growing up, including living in Detroit, Michigan, in C ...

. In the final years of Findley's life, declining health led him to move his Canadian residence to Stratford, Ontario, and Stone Orchard was purchased by Canadian dancer

Rex Harrington Rex Howard Harrington, (born October 30, 1962 in Peterborough, Ontario) is a Canadian ballet dancer.Canada's Walk of Fame Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...

Death

Findley died on June 20, 2002, in

Brignoles Brignoles (; oc, Brinhòla) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. Alongside Draguignan, it is one of two subprefectures in Var. It was the summer residence of the counts of Pro ...

, France, not far from his house in

Cotignac Cotignac (; oc, Cotinhac) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Geography Climate Cotignac has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa''). The av ...

. ''Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley'', a biography by Sherrill Grace, was published in 2020. Robert J. Wiersema
"Timothy Findley biography 'an enthralling exploration of a complicated man'"
''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'', August 27, 2020. Findley and the development of his theatrical play ''

'' were profiled by

Terence Macartney-Filgate Terence Macartney-Filgate (6 August 1924 – 11 July 2022) was a British-Canadian film director who directed, wrote, produced or shot more than 100 films in a career spanning more than 50 years. Early life Born in England, Macartney-Filgate l ...

in the 1992 documentary film '' Timothy Findley: Anatomy of a Writer''.Ted Shaw, "Will the real Findley stand up?". ''

Windsor Star The ''Windsor Star'' is a daily newspaper based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Postmedia Network, it is published Tuesdays through Saturdays. History The paper began as the weekly ''Windsor Record'' in 1888, changing its name to the ''Bor ...

'', January 30, 1992.

Quotations

*"When we have stopped killing animals as though they were so much refuse, we will stop killing one another. But the highways show our indifference to death, so long as it is someone else's. It is an attitude of the human mind I do not grasp. I have no point of connection with it. People drive in such a way that you think they do not believe in death. Their own lives are their business, but my life is not their business. I cannot refrain from terrific anger when I am threatened so casually by strangers on a public road." – from 1965 journal, at p. 16 of Journeyman: Travels of a Writer. *"A myth is not a lie, as such, but only the truth in size twelve shoes. Its gestures are wider—its voice is projected farther—its face has bolder features than reality would dare contrive." – from 1992 speech, reproduced at p. 75 of Journeyman: Travels of a Writer.

Bibliography

Novels

* '' The Last of the Crazy People'' (1967) * ''The Butterfly Plague'' (1969) * ''

'' (1977) * ''

Famous Last Words Famous Last Words may refer to: * List of last words, collection of last words attributed to historical figures before their death Music * Famous Last Words (band), an American metal band Albums * ''Famous Last Words'' (Al Stewart album), ...

'' (1981) * ''

Not Wanted on the Voyage ''Not Wanted on the Voyage'' is a novel by Canadian author Timothy Findley, which presents a magic realist post-modern re-telling of the Great Flood in the biblical Book of Genesis. It was first published by Viking Canada in the autumn of 198 ...

'' (1984) * '' The Telling of Lies'' (1986) ( Edgar Award, Best Paperback Original, 1989) * '' Headhunter'' (1993) * ''

The Piano Man's Daughter ''The Piano Man's Daughter'' is a novel by Timothy Findley, first published in 1995 by HarperCollins Canada. It was a nominee for the 1995 Giller Prize. Summary In the novel, narrator Charlie Kilworth recounts the history of his family, concen ...

'' (1995) * ''

Pilgrim A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...

'' (1999) * '' Spadework'' (2001)

Novella

* ''You Went Away'' (1996)

Short story collections

* '' Dinner Along the Amazon'' (1984) * '' Stones'' (1988) * ''Dust to Dust'' (1997)

Drama

* ''

The Paper People ''The Paper People'' is a Canadian dramatic television film, directed by David Gardner and released in 1967."The Paper People: pretentious, sickeningly arty-- and boring". ''The Globe and Mail'', December 7, 1967. The first television film ever p ...

'' (1967) * ''

Don't Let the Angels Fall ''Don't Let the Angels Fall'' is a 1969 Canadian drama film directed by George Kaczender George Kaczender (19 April 1933 – 24 August 2016) was a Hungarian-born Canadian film director. He directed 26 films between 1963 and 2001. Biograp ...

'' (1969) * ''

The Whiteoaks of Jalna ''The Whiteoaks of Jalna'' was a 1972 Canadian television drama miniseries based on the Jalna novels by Mazo de la Roche. At , it set a record expense at the time for a Canadian television miniseries. The series was exported internationally incl ...

'' (1972) * '' The Newcomers'' (1977) * ''Can You See Me Yet?'' (1977) * '' Catsplay'' (1978) * ''

'' (1993) * ''The Trials of Ezra Pound'' (2000) * '' Elizabeth Rex'' (2001) * ''Shadows'' (2001)

Docudrama

* '' The National Dream: Building the Impossible Railway'' (1974) * ''

'' (1979)

Memoirs

* ''Inside Memory: Pages from a Writer's Workbook'' (1990) * ''

From Stone Orchard ''From Stone Orchard'' is a memoir by Timothy Findley, published in 1998. The book, which includes some articles Findley had originally written for '' Harrowsmith'' magazine, is a memoir of Findley's life at Stone Orchard, the farm near Canningt ...

'' (1998) * '' Journeyman: Travels of a Writer'' (2003)

References

External links

Order of Canada Citation
*
Timothy Findley and William Whitehead fonds (R4441)
at Library and Archives Canada {{DEFAULTSORT:Findley, Timothy 1930 births 2002 deaths Canadian male novelists Canadian male short story writers Canadian memoirists Canadian male stage actors Edgar Award winners Canadian gay actors Canadian gay writers Members of the Order of Ontario Officers of the Order of Canada Governor General's Award-winning fiction writers Governor General's Award-winning dramatists Postmodern writers Harbourfront Festival Prize winners LGBT dramatists and playwrights LGBT memoirists Canadian LGBT novelists Canadian male dramatists and playwrights Canadian male television actors Male actors from Toronto Writers from Toronto Canadian male non-fiction writers Canadian television writers Canadian male television writers St. Andrew's College (Aurora) alumni People from Brock, Ontario 20th-century Canadian male actors 20th-century Canadian short story writers 21st-century Canadian short story writers 20th-century Canadian male writers 21st-century Canadian male writers 20th-century Canadian screenwriters Screenwriters from Ontario 20th-century Canadian novelists 21st-century Canadian novelists 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century memoirists 20th-century LGBT people