View source for Peter Blais

{{short description|Canadian actor|bot=PearBOT 5}}
'''Peter Blais''' (born 1949) is a [[Canada|Canadian]] actor, best known for his frequent roles in the plays of [[George F. Walker]].<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-blais-returning-to-love/145763117/ Blais returning to Love and Anger]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', April 29, 1990.</ref>
==Background==
A native of [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], Blais is the grandson of John Peter Macmillan, a civil engineer who played a key role in establishing [[Cape Breton Highlands National Park]].<ref>Janice Middleton, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/1975588241/8E2586EBB8FC42CDPQ/1 The fabric of in Nova Scotia]". ''[[Halifax Chronicle-Herald]]'', May 6, 2017.</ref> He attended [[Carleton University]] and joined the campus drama society, where he met [[Dan Aykroyd]]. They performed together in several amateur productions during the 1960s.<ref>Dave Brown, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-orpheus-is-100-still/145763346/ "Orpheus is 100, still having fun"]. ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', April 9, 2007, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-orpheus-is-100-still/145763377/ Page 2].</ref>
Through the early 1970s he continued to have stage acting roles,<ref>Herbert Whittaker, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/1239447273/CFD3C18C80074676PQ/1 A splendid Scandal reaches Sussex]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', February 6, 1975.</ref> while also working as a textile artist and theatrical costume and set designer, most notably on a 1977 production of ''[[King Lear]]'' for [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]]'s [[Neptune Theatre (Halifax, Nova Scotia)|Neptune Theatre]].<ref>Herbert Whittaker, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/1241342611/CAD266D7F9B44142PQ/1 Neptune's Lear defies traditional approach, remains compelling]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', January 13, 1977.</ref>
He was regularly involved in productions of Walker's plays, both as an actor and as a designer.<ref name=centrestage>Vit Wagner, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-walkers-friend-blais-a/145785505/ Walker's friend Blais at centre of his stage]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 6, 1989.</ref> He was additionally the designer of the original [[Arthur Ellis Award]] statuette for the [[Crime Writers of Canada]].<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/386506328/9BD524A78C654881PQ/1 Crime Writers of Canada honors Murdoch, Wright]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 25, 1984.</ref>
==Acting career==
His performances in Walker's plays included ''Beyond Mozambique'' (1978),<ref name=centrestage/> ''Rumours of Our Death'' (1980),<ref>Ray Conlogue, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/386914528/F410590A72FA4970PQ/1 Actors the best feature of Rumors of Our Death]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', January 21, 1980.</ref> ''[[Theatre of the Film Noir]]'' (1981),<ref name=abuzz>[[Carole Corbeil]], "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/386839229/CC3B680BC35F4F97PQ/1 Walker's Film Noir is a-buzz with fun]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 16, 1981.</ref> ''Criminals in Love'' (1984),<ref>Stephen Godfrey, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/1237595105/DC4F4A381F6942DDPQ/1 Criminals in Love hilarious despite flaws in second act]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', November 8, 1984.</ref> ''Better Living'' (1987),<ref>Ray Conlogue, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/1151451319/2CC18C187B9645C4PQ/1 Better Living less than sum of parts]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 27, 1986.</ref> ''[[Zastrozzi, The Master of Discipline]]'',<ref>Robert Crew, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-zastrozzi-returns-in-sp/145785839/ Zastrozzi returns in splendid form]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 14, 1987.</ref> ''Beautiful City'' (1987),<ref>Robert Crew, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-plays-real-anger-dilut/145786140/ Play's real anger diluted]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 1, 1987.</ref> ''[[Nothing Sacred (play)|Nothing Sacred]]'' (1988),<ref>Ray Conlogue, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/386006839/FB109011EC504B5BPQ/1 Nothing Sacred best play the city has seen in years]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', January 15, 1988.</ref> and ''[[Love and Anger (play)|Love and Anger]]'' (1989).<ref>Robert Crew, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-love-and-anger-simply-s/145786325/ Love And Anger simply stunning]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 12, 1989.</ref> By the time of ''Love and Anger'', Blais had a reputation as "the quintessential Walker actor", to the point that Walker wrote ''Love and Anger'' specifically for Blais to play the lead.<ref name=centrestage/>
He did not appear in the original cast of ''[[Escape from Happiness]]'', although he designed the sets,<ref>Liam Lacey, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/385463299/89F40BFCE1B44DF8PQ/1 Theatre Review: Escape from Happiness]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', February 24, 1992.</ref> and subsequently stepped into the role of Rolly Moore after [[Eric Peterson]] departed the cast.<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/385440339/75CEBAD0573F4D16PQ/1 Walker play to get new cast for extended run]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 25, 1992.</ref>
His other stage roles included productions of ''[[The Lark (play)|The Lark]]'' (1980),<ref>Norma Harris, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/386962328/6C51159A4D924BDAPQ/1 Lark doesn't really soar]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 31, 1980.</ref> ''[[Glengarry Glen Ross]]'' (1986)<ref>Robert Crew, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-glengarry-glen-ross-bea/145786795/ Glengarry Glen Ross beautifully cast]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 7, 1986.</ref> and ''[[The Nerd (play)|The Nerd]]'' (1988).<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-burghoffs-gamble-pays/145787032/ Burghoff's gamble pays off]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 2, 1988.</ref>
He has also had supporting and guest roles in film and television, most prominently recurring roles as Lennox Cooper in ''[[PSI Factor]]'' and Geoff/Parson Hubbard in ''[[Made in Canada (TV series)|Made in Canada]]''.
In the late 1990s he  moved to Nova Scotia, where he became a partner with artist Tom Alway in the Maritime Painted Saltbox Gallery in [[Petite Riviere Bridge, Nova Scotia|Petite Riviere]], although he continued to appear on stage in Halifax and in series television in Toronto and Halifax until 2005..<ref>Anne Calder, [https://www.saltscapes.com/roots-folks/3390-a-feast-of-colour-and-joy.html "A feast of colour and joy"]. ''Saltscapes'', March 2022.</ref>
==Awards==
He has been a two-time [[Dora Mavor Moore Award]] nominee, receiving nods for [[Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Leading Actor (General Theatre)|Best Leading Actor, General Theatre]] at the [[1985 Dora Mavor Moore Awards]] for ''Criminals in Love'',<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-cats-leads-pack-of-dora/145789110/ Cats leads pack of Dora nominees]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', September 5, 1985.</ref> and [[Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Supporting Actor (General Theatre)|Best Supporting Actor, General Theatre]] at the [[1988 Dora Mavor Moore Awards]] for ''Nothing Sacred''.<ref>Robert Crew, "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-centrestage-play-tops-d/145789386/ CentreStage play tops Dora Award nominees]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 11, 1988.</ref>
He won a [[Golden Sheaf Award]] for Best Performance - Male at the 1999 [[Yorkton Film Festival]] for ''[[The Wager (1998 film)|The Wager]]''.
He received a [[Gemini Award]] nomination for [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series|Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series]] at the [[14th Gemini Awards]] in 1999, for his work in ''PSI Factor''.<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-major-gemini-awards-nom/145789658/ Major Gemini Awards nominations]". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', September 22, 1999.</ref>
==Partial filmography==
===Films===
* ''Baby on Board'' (1992) &mdash; Bald Man
* ''[[The Wager (1998 film)|The Wager]]'' (1998) &mdash; Victor
* ''[[Snow Angels (film)|Snow Angels]]'' (2007) &mdash; Mr. Eisenstat
===Made-for-television films===
* ''[[Trudeau (film)|Trudeau]]'' (2002) &mdash; McIlwraith
* ''[[Plain Truth (film)|Plain Truth]]'' (2004) &mdash; Dr. Ziegler
* ''[[Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making]]'' (2005) &mdash; Professor Émilken Caron
===Television===
* ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]'' (1 episode) (1985) &mdash; Julius Caesar Rat
* ''[[Star Wars: Ewoks]]'' (1985)&mdash; Additional Voices
* ''[[The Ray Bradbury Theater]]'' (Skeleton) (1988) &mdash; Munigant
* ''[[War of the Worlds (1988 TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'' (1 episode) (1989) &mdash; Ralph
* ''[[Forever Knight]]'' (Crazy Love) (1995) &mdash; Barlow
* ''[[PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal]]'' (21 episodes) (1996–1999) &mdash; Lennox "L.Q." Cooper
* ''[[TekWar (TV series)|TekWar]]'' (Redemption) (1996) &mdash; Jonas La Salle (1 episode, 1996)
* ''[[Made in Canada (TV series)|Made in Canada]]'' (1998-2003) &mdash; Geoff (12 episodes)
* ''[[Beach Girls (TV miniseries)|Beach Girls]]'' (TV mini-series) (2005) &mdash; Judge
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0086407|Peter Blais}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blais, Peter}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male artists]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male artists]]
[[Category:Canadian male film actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male television actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male voice actors]]
[[Category:Canadian textile artists]]
[[Category:Canadian theatre designers]]
[[Category:Canadian costume designers]]
[[Category:Carleton University alumni]]