Yvan Ponton
Encyclopedia
Yvan Ponton is a Quebec
actor
, commentator and television host. Ponton has had a lengthy acting career which included roles in major Quebec television series and movies as well as the 1977 film Slap Shot
.
In his film career, his first notable acting role was in the 1977 film Slap Shot
featuring Paul Newman
and the Hanson Brothers
when he played the role of Jean-Guy Drouin.
His second and possibly most notable role was as Jacques Mercier, in the television series Lance et Compte
(He Shoots, He Scores in English) which started with three seasons from 1987 to 1989 before doing three more seasons from 2002 to 2006. He was the coach during the first season of the Quebec Nationals, which an imitation of the defunct Quebec Nordiques
(now Colorado Avalanche
) of the National Hockey League
. After being coach, he was working as a commentator. In Lance et Compte: La Reconquete, he was named the coach of the Montreal Canadiens
.
Another major role was in all four Les Boys
films in which he played the role of Jean-Charles, an openly-gay lawyer
and a defenseman
for a garage hockey league team. Ponton, as was in Lance et Compte played along with several known Quebec actors including Marc Messier
, Patrick Huard
, Rémy Girard
, Pierre Lebeau
, Maxim Roy
, Serge Thériault
, Michel Barrette
, Eric Lapointe
and Paul Houde. A television series from the film aired on Radio-Canada during the Fall of 2007. In 1991 Yvan starred as the villain in the sci-fi cult film Scanners II: The New Order
.
Ponton is also the chief referee and the host of an improvisation
game called Ligue Nationale d'Improvisation which airs on Télé-Québec
since 1977. He was later the host of a quiz game called Ultimatum in the early 2000s which aired on TVA
. He is also the host of a 30-minute show called 30 Images/Seconde, a review of some of the best recent sports plays in various sports, which airs on RDS. He's also been the play-by-play commentator for professional tennis matches on the same network since 1993 including coverage of the ATP
's and WTA
's four major tennis tournaments, the Australian Open
, the French Open
, Wimbledon
and the US Open.
Ponton was also for 15 years a teacher in dramatic art.http://www.rds.ca/chroniqueurs/expert_yvanpont.html
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....
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, commentator and television host. Ponton has had a lengthy acting career which included roles in major Quebec television series and movies as well as the 1977 film Slap Shot
Slap Shot (film)
Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
.
Background
Ponton's acting career started in the early 1970s when he appeared in the television series Mont-Joye for five years. He would also appear in other significant Quebec series such as Ent'Cadieux, Diva, Jasmine and Zap.In his film career, his first notable acting role was in the 1977 film Slap Shot
Slap Shot (film)
Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
featuring Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
and the Hanson Brothers
Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers are fictional characters in the 1977 movie Slap Shot. The characters are based on three brothers who were actual hockey players; two of them starred in the film.The movie, which stars Paul Newman, was written by Nancy Dowd...
when he played the role of Jean-Guy Drouin.
His second and possibly most notable role was as Jacques Mercier, in the television series Lance et Compte
Lance et compte
Lance et Compte is a series of Quebec téléromans revolving around a Quebec City ice hockey team. The series aired from 1986 to 1989 on the Radio-Canada network, and revival series on TQS in 2001 and on TVA from 2004 to the present....
(He Shoots, He Scores in English) which started with three seasons from 1987 to 1989 before doing three more seasons from 2002 to 2006. He was the coach during the first season of the Quebec Nationals, which an imitation of the defunct Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
(now Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
) of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. After being coach, he was working as a commentator. In Lance et Compte: La Reconquete, he was named the coach of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
.
Another major role was in all four Les Boys
Les Boys
Les Boys is a 1997 Quebec-made comedy film directed by Louis Saia. It has spawned three sequels and by any measure is the most successful Quebec made film series of all time, and one of the most successful Canadian-made film series of all time.-Plot:The plot revolves around the players on a...
films in which he played the role of Jean-Charles, an openly-gay lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
for a garage hockey league team. Ponton, as was in Lance et Compte played along with several known Quebec actors including Marc Messier
Marc Messier
Marc Messier is a Canadian actor and filmmaker.-Background:Messier's 30-year acting career included the participation in several well-known films and television series....
, Patrick Huard
Patrick Huard
Patrick Huard is a Quebecer actor and comedian.-Feature films:* 1997: J’en suis* 1997: Les Boys* 1998: Les Boys II* 2000: La vie après l’amour* 2000: Stardom* 2001: Les Boys III...
, Rémy Girard
Rémy Girard
Rémy Girard is a Canadian actor and former television host from Quebec.-Acting career:He played the role of Rémy, the main character, who is dying of terminal cancer, in the Canadian film Les Invasions barbares by director Denys Arcand. This film was awarded the 2003 Academy Award for best...
, Pierre Lebeau
Pierre Lebeau
Pierre Lebeau is a Quebec actor. He is best known for major roles in Quebec big-box movies such as Séraphin: un homme et son péché and the four-part Les Boys series.-Acting background:...
, Maxim Roy
Maxim Roy
Maxim Roy is a Canadian actress from Quebec .-Career:Roy has worked in theater, film and television. Her breakthrough was the lead in a thirteen-episode TV series Au nom du Pere et du Fils. She then went on to do the sequel, Le Sorcier. She appeared in Love & Human Remains and in the television...
, Serge Thériault
Serge Thériault
-Background:Theriault played several roles in several Quebec television series and movies since it debut in the acting industry in 1973.Theriault most famous role was in the popular television series La Petite Vie which played from 1993 to 1999 on French-Canadian television network Radio-Canada and...
, Michel Barrette
Michel Barrette
Michel Barrette is a television and movie actor, television and radio host and stand-up comedian. He played in various roles in Quebec movies and television shows since 1982.-Profile:...
, Eric Lapointe
Éric Lapointe (singer)
Éric Lapointe is one of Québec's most popular francophone lead rock singers. His signature sound is characterized by very strong emotional lyrics, a rich, deep gravelly voice and the virtuoso guitar work by Stéphane Dufour...
and Paul Houde. A television series from the film aired on Radio-Canada during the Fall of 2007. In 1991 Yvan starred as the villain in the sci-fi cult film Scanners II: The New Order
Scanners II: The New Order
Scanners II: The New Order is the 1991 sequel to the 1981 feature film Scanners. The sequel was written by B.J. Nelson and directed by Christian Duguay...
.
Ponton is also the chief referee and the host of an improvisation
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
game called Ligue Nationale d'Improvisation which airs on Télé-Québec
Télé-Québec
Télé-Québec is a French language public educational television network in the Canadian province of Quebec. Known legally as Société de télédiffusion du Québec , it is a provincial crown corporation owned by the Government of Quebec...
since 1977. He was later the host of a quiz game called Ultimatum in the early 2000s which aired on TVA
TVA (TV network)
TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media...
. He is also the host of a 30-minute show called 30 Images/Seconde, a review of some of the best recent sports plays in various sports, which airs on RDS. He's also been the play-by-play commentator for professional tennis matches on the same network since 1993 including coverage of the ATP
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
's and WTA
Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
's four major tennis tournaments, the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
, the French Open
French Open (tennis)
The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
and the US Open.
Ponton was also for 15 years a teacher in dramatic art.http://www.rds.ca/chroniqueurs/expert_yvanpont.html
Television series
- Mont-Joye (1970–1975)
- Y'a pas de problème (1975–1977)
- Vanderburg (1983)
- Lance et CompteLance et compteLance et Compte is a series of Quebec téléromans revolving around a Quebec City ice hockey team. The series aired from 1986 to 1989 on the Radio-Canada network, and revival series on TQS in 2001 and on TVA from 2004 to the present....
(1987–1989, 2002–2006) - L'or et le papier (1989–1990, 1992)
- Le Saga d'Archibald (1991)
- La misère des riches (1992)
- Bethune: The making of a hero (1993)
- Zap (1993–1996)
- North of 60 (1993–1996)
- Ent'Cadieux (1993–1999)
- Jasmine (1996)
- Diva (1997)
- Les Boys (TV series) (2007)
- The FoundationThe Foundation (TV series)The Foundation is a Canadian television sitcom, airing on Showcase in the 2009-10 television season.Created and produced by Michael Dowse, the show stars Mike Wilmot as Michael Valmont-Selkirk, the crooked and corrupt director of a philanthropic foundation. The cast also includes Martin Sims,...
(2009)
Films
- Slap ShotSlap Shot (film)Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
(1977) - The Fighting Man (1977)
- Pouvoir intime (1986)
- Henri (1986)
- Hold-Up (1986)
- Cold Front (1989)
- Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990)
- Scanners II: The New OrderScanners II: The New OrderScanners II: The New Order is the 1991 sequel to the 1981 feature film Scanners. The sequel was written by B.J. Nelson and directed by Christian Duguay...
(1991) - Les BoysLes BoysLes Boys is a 1997 Quebec-made comedy film directed by Louis Saia. It has spawned three sequels and by any measure is the most successful Quebec made film series of all time, and one of the most successful Canadian-made film series of all time.-Plot:The plot revolves around the players on a...
(I through IV) (1997, 1998, 2001, 2005) - Air speed (1998)
- In the Blue Ground (1998)
- Trial by Fire (1999)
- Le Collectionneur (2002)
- Lance et Compte Le Film (2010)