Gordon Atkinson
Encyclopedia
Gordon Atkinson was a broadcaster and politician in Quebec
, Canada
.
, Manitoba
, Atkinson became a radio announcer in Calgary
, Alberta
in 1937. Between 1946 and 1950 he worked in radio, cinema and theatre both in Los Angeles and Canada.
Gordon Atkinson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, August 24, 1922, son of William James Atkinson, officer of the Canadian armed Forces, and Martha Kathleen Johnson. He was an infantry officer with the Calgary Highlanders during the Second World War and served in the Northwest Europe campaign. After the war Gordon moved to Los Angeles as a TV, radio and motion picture actor, writer and director. He received his training at the Pasedena Playhouse, where he studied with notables as Carolyn Jones
(The Adams Family) and Perry Mason's secretary, Della Street played by Barbara Hale
.
In the early 1950s he rejoined the Canadian Army with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) for the Korean War
, serving in Korea and Japan. After the war, he was asked by the CBC to become a teacher of television for the newly created CBC-TV in Toronto. From 1955 to 1957 he worked as an advisor to Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. From 1957 to 1980 Atkinson was a CBC TV sports commentator, working out of Montreal, covering all Olympic, Pan-American, Canadian and international events. Throughout the 1980s, Gordon was a political / social commentator on CJAD 800 in Montreal. He got into politics again in the late 1980s and through the early 1990s, when he was elected a Member of the Quebec National Assembly with the Equality Party in the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grace. He got back into radio from 1993 to 1997 as political and social commentator for CIQC 600 radio in Montreal. Atkinson retired in 1998, but recorded a two hour program broadcast every Remembrance Day (November 11) on CJAD 800. The program was given to CJAD in perpetuity, in memory of "those friends who were killed in the two wars in which I participated."
He moved to Winnipeg from Toronto in 1954 as CBC Program Manager. While there, he created many television shows, most of which were brought under question due to the morals of the time. He hired a night club entertainer and his wife as a (male) host for an entertainment program. The program was cancelled as common folk objected to a night club owner/entertainer involved in Television.
While in Winnipeg, he helped to bring up lines from B.C. to Vancouver, and created Vancouver CBC Television.
Frustrated with the petty politics, he moved his family to Montreal, where he worked in theatre at the Mountain Playhouse for many years. He was actor, director, and voice actor in the community. He also directed many plays at McGill University (Wry and Ginger 1959).
In the early ’60s he worked as a bit player in many films about Canada, and was also a regular on SEAWAY, a CBC series, filmed in Quebec City.
He also ran a Sunday drag strip at the St. Hubert Airport (at the time it was not in use). Lucy, his wife, owned the hot dog stand.
He lobbied to get Downhill Skiing into the Olympic Games for Canada (1950s).
, he ran as the Equality Party
candidate in the Montreal riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
. Atkinson defeated Liberal incumbent Harold Thuringer
and become a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
.
By March 29, 1994, Atkinson sat as an Independent
. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Russell Copeman
in 1994
.
Hon. Aide de cmape to Lt-Gov of Quebec 1989-2005
1976 - Actra Award - Radio Commentary
1976 - Short TV Documentary
1989 - Nellie - Editoral Commentary (Radio)
1985 - 1991 - Director, CH of St. James the Apostle (Anglican)
1989 - Heraldry Society of Canada (Montreal Chapter)
1991 - Member United Empire Loyalist
1988 - Board of Directors - War Veterans Homes (Quebec)
1980-1982 - President, Montreal Press Club
1980 - ? - Hon. Lt-Col 78th raser Highlanders.
1980 - Founding Member, Equality Party
Equestrian Competitions (Hunter Trials all over Canada and Europe)
Tennis (Club - Mount Stephen, Montreal)
He is survived by 4 grandchildren including Adrianna, Kathryn, Kellina and Andrew.
In 1986 (divorced 1997) he married Constance. The marriage produced no children.
Atkinson is survived by his widow, Pierrette (2004). At his passing, he had been ill for some time and had been living in a seniors residence.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Background
Born in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Atkinson became a radio announcer in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
in 1937. Between 1946 and 1950 he worked in radio, cinema and theatre both in Los Angeles and Canada.
Gordon Atkinson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, August 24, 1922, son of William James Atkinson, officer of the Canadian armed Forces, and Martha Kathleen Johnson. He was an infantry officer with the Calgary Highlanders during the Second World War and served in the Northwest Europe campaign. After the war Gordon moved to Los Angeles as a TV, radio and motion picture actor, writer and director. He received his training at the Pasedena Playhouse, where he studied with notables as Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
(The Adams Family) and Perry Mason's secretary, Della Street played by Barbara Hale
Barbara Hale
Barbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
.
In the early 1950s he rejoined the Canadian Army with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, serving in Korea and Japan. After the war, he was asked by the CBC to become a teacher of television for the newly created CBC-TV in Toronto. From 1955 to 1957 he worked as an advisor to Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. From 1957 to 1980 Atkinson was a CBC TV sports commentator, working out of Montreal, covering all Olympic, Pan-American, Canadian and international events. Throughout the 1980s, Gordon was a political / social commentator on CJAD 800 in Montreal. He got into politics again in the late 1980s and through the early 1990s, when he was elected a Member of the Quebec National Assembly with the Equality Party in the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grace. He got back into radio from 1993 to 1997 as political and social commentator for CIQC 600 radio in Montreal. Atkinson retired in 1998, but recorded a two hour program broadcast every Remembrance Day (November 11) on CJAD 800. The program was given to CJAD in perpetuity, in memory of "those friends who were killed in the two wars in which I participated."
He moved to Winnipeg from Toronto in 1954 as CBC Program Manager. While there, he created many television shows, most of which were brought under question due to the morals of the time. He hired a night club entertainer and his wife as a (male) host for an entertainment program. The program was cancelled as common folk objected to a night club owner/entertainer involved in Television.
While in Winnipeg, he helped to bring up lines from B.C. to Vancouver, and created Vancouver CBC Television.
Frustrated with the petty politics, he moved his family to Montreal, where he worked in theatre at the Mountain Playhouse for many years. He was actor, director, and voice actor in the community. He also directed many plays at McGill University (Wry and Ginger 1959).
In the early ’60s he worked as a bit player in many films about Canada, and was also a regular on SEAWAY, a CBC series, filmed in Quebec City.
He also ran a Sunday drag strip at the St. Hubert Airport (at the time it was not in use). Lucy, his wife, owned the hot dog stand.
He lobbied to get Downhill Skiing into the Olympic Games for Canada (1950s).
Provincial Politics
In the general election of 1989Quebec general election, 1989
The Quebec general election of 1989 was held on September 25, 1989, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
, he ran as the Equality Party
Equality Party (Quebec)
The Equality Party was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that promoted the use of English in Quebec on an equal basis with French. Four Equality Party members were elected to Quebec's National Assembly in 1989, as part of an anglophone reaction to changes made by the governing Liberals to...
candidate in the Montreal riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (provincial electoral district)
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec.The riding was created in 1939 from parts of the former Westmount provincial electoral district. The riding was called Montreal-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce from 1939 to 1965 and...
. Atkinson defeated Liberal incumbent Harold Thuringer
Harold Thuringer
Harold Thuringer was a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec, who represented Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1987 to 1989....
and become a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
.
By March 29, 1994, Atkinson sat as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Russell Copeman
Russell Copeman
Russell Copeman is a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal Member of the National Assembly of Quebec representing the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce from 1994 to 2008....
in 1994
Quebec general election, 1994
The Quebec general election of 1994 was held on September 12, 1994, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by Jacques Parizeau, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Daniel Johnson, Jr.....
.
Titles
Commander, Most Ven. Order of St. John of Jerusalem; Bd. of Din, St. John Ambulance & St. John Fdn. 1980- ; Knight of Justice, St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, Board of Directors St. John Ambulance and St. John Fdn (1980)Hon. Aide de cmape to Lt-Gov of Quebec 1989-2005
Awards
1967- Centennial Medal for most beautifal small farm in Quebec (St. Eustache (Parish))1976 - Actra Award - Radio Commentary
1976 - Short TV Documentary
1989 - Nellie - Editoral Commentary (Radio)
Boards
1993-1996 - Board of Directors - Catherine Booth Hospital1985 - 1991 - Director, CH of St. James the Apostle (Anglican)
1989 - Heraldry Society of Canada (Montreal Chapter)
1991 - Member United Empire Loyalist
1988 - Board of Directors - War Veterans Homes (Quebec)
1980-1982 - President, Montreal Press Club
Honorary Positions
1967 - 1978 - Honorary Secretary Montreal Hunt Club1980 - ? - Hon. Lt-Col 78th raser Highlanders.
1980 - Founding Member, Equality Party
Recreation
Fox Hunting (Montreal Hunt Club)Equestrian Competitions (Hunter Trials all over Canada and Europe)
Tennis (Club - Mount Stephen, Montreal)
Personal life
Gordon Atkinson married in 1952- 1977 to Lucy, a singer with Leslie Bell Singers. She appeared on CBC the first night they aired television. They had 3 children. Kathryn, Marta,Christopher.He is survived by 4 grandchildren including Adrianna, Kathryn, Kellina and Andrew.
In 1986 (divorced 1997) he married Constance. The marriage produced no children.
Atkinson is survived by his widow, Pierrette (2004). At his passing, he had been ill for some time and had been living in a seniors residence.