Eric Peterson


Eric Neal Peterson is a Canadian stage, television, and film actor, known for his roles in three major Canadian series - Street Legal, Corner Gas, and This is Wonderland, as well as Corner Gas Animated.

Personal life

Peterson was born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada.
He is married to fellow actor and People for Education executive director Annie Kidder, who is the sister of Margot Kidder. Peterson and his wife live in Toronto, Ontario, with their two daughters, although he still frequents his home province of Saskatchewan, where he owns a cottage on Katepwa Lake in the Qu'Appelle Valley near his hometown of Indian Head.

Career

Stage

In 1971, Peterson began his acting career when he helped found the collective theatre company Tamahnous Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he received major roles in versions of The Bacchae and Nijinsky, both directed by John Gray.
In 1974, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, and joined Theatre Passe Muraille, a leading collective ensemble in Canada. He had main roles in productions of The Farm Show The West Show, Them Donnelly’s, and 1837: The Farmers' Revolt. It was in this latter Rick Salutin production that he gained the greatest recognition, playing William Lyon Mackenzie and Lady Backwash.
In 1976, Peterson began to collaborate with John Gray again, writing Billy Bishop Goes to War. The play, which premiered in Vancouver in 1978, went on tour internationally, garnering positive reviews on Broadway, where Peterson won the Clarence Derwent Award for most promising performer, in London's West End. He was also nominated for Best Actor at the Edinburgh Festival Mainstage. In 1998, Peterson acted in the play once more at the Canadian Stage in Toronto.
Peterson's more recent stage appearances include Love and Anger at the Factory Theatre, Health at the Vancouver Playhouse and the lead role in Richard Ill at the Young People’s Theatre. In October 2000, he performed in Hysteria at the Canadian Stage and in January 2001, he appeared in Clout at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
Between November 20 and December 13, 2008, Peterson starred as family patriarch and business man Helge Klingenfeldt in The Company Theatre's production of Festen at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Between August 8 and 29, 2009, Peterson reprised the lead role in Billy Bishop Goes to War at the Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto. The company announced that the production was planned to return in 2010.
He's currently playing the role of Percy Schmeiser in the docu-drama Seeds.

Television

Until Corner Gas, his most famous role on television was his award-winning role as Leon Robinovitch, a left-wing lawyer, on Street Legal. His more notable television work includes 1998's Nothing Sacred, Night Heat and This Is Wonderland. He also appeared as Hank Stewart in the Hippocratic Oath episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents for AHF Film Productions.
In total, Peterson has appeared in fifty-two movie and television productions. He also appeared in an infomercial for Amnesty International. He also appeared in the Goosebumps episode "Shocker on Shock Street" as Mr. Wright
Peterson's most famous television role was that of Oscar Leroy on the Canadian television program Corner Gas. Peterson played the father of Brent Leroy, who inherited the gas station after his father decided to retire. Much to the dismay of his son and his wife Emma, he uses his new-found free time to unwittingly annoy his family and the town at large. Following the end of that show's run, Peterson made a guest appearance on the show Dan for Mayor, a show starring his former Corner Gas co-star Fred Ewanuick. As of 2014 he appears in The Best Laid Plans as Jerry Stockton.
Since January 2007, he has been performing in Half Life, a play by John Mighton, at the Canadian Stage. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, "his fresh, energetic, natural acting style has made him popular with Canadian audiences, and he continues to be a mainstay of Canadian television."

Awards

Peterson has won numerous awards over his career. For his portrayal of Leon Robinovitch on Street Legal, he was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role six times in 1987, 1989, and every year from 1992 through 1995. He tied for the win with Winston Rekert the first year and won in outright the next two. He has also been nominated twice under Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series with Corner Gas at the Gemini Awards and once for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series for Episode 4 of This is Wonderland for his portrayal of Judge Malone His fourth Gemini Award came in 2001 for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program.
He has also been nominated four times for Canadian Comedy Awards for his role on Corner Gas. In 2004, he was nominated in the "Pretty Funny Television Performance - Male" category. In 2007, he was nominated for "Best Male Performance."
In addition, on May 21, 1996, Peterson received an honorary Doctor of Letters in drama from the University of Saskatchewan; the head of the drama department, Henry Woolf, made the presentation. In 1999, the 20th anniversary edition of his play Billy Bishop Goes To War won him Dora Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance. He had previously received a Dora Award nomination for his role in Escape from Happiness. A 1982 CBC television adaptation garnered him an ACTRA award nomination. In May 2013 he received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his work for his lifetime contributions to Canadian theatre.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

YearNominated workAwardCategoryResultRef.
1980Billy Bishop Goes to WarClarence Derwent Awards Most Promising Actor-
1986The Double BassDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play
1987Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1989Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1992Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1993Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1994Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1995Street LegalGemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
1998The Designated MournerDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play
1999Billy Bishop Goes to WarDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play
1999Billy Bishop Goes to WarDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play-
2003Boy Gets GirlDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award Outstanding Performance in a Feature Role in a Play or Musical
2004Corner GasCanadian Comedy AwardsBest Performance by a Male - Television
2004Corner Gas for episode "Face Off"Gemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series
2004This is Wonderland for episode "Episode Four"Gemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series
2005Half LifeDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play
2006Corner GasCanadian Comedy AwardsBest Performance by a Male - Television
2006Corner Gas for episode "Merry Gasmass"Gemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series
2007Corner GasCanadian Comedy AwardsBest Performance by a Male - Television
2007Corner Gas for episode "Gopher It"Gemini AwardsGemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series-
2008Eric PetersonACTRA AwardsAward of Excellence
2008Corner GasCanadian Comedy AwardsBest Performance by a Male - Television
2009Eric PetersonGemini AwardsEarl Grey Award
2010Billy Bishop Goes to WarDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play -
2010HamletDora Mavor Moore AwardsDora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role/Ensemble in a Play or Musical-
2012Billy Bishop Goes to WarACTRA AwardsOutstanding Performance - Male
2013HimselfGovernor General's Performing Arts Award
2016StaticCanadian Film FestBest Actor in a Short
2017StaticVancouver Badass Film FestivalBest Actor
2018StaticNSI Online Short Film FestivalBrian Linehan Actors Award-