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 ...
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 anch ...
, Ontario, to Allan Gilmour Findley, a stockbroker, and his wife, the former Margaret Maude Bull. His paternal grandfather was president of
Massey-Harris
Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in ...
, 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
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 ...
company in the 1950s, acting alongside
Alec Guinness
Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...
, 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 extend ...
'' 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 F ...
. He also played Peter Pupkin in ''
Sunshine Sketches
''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 stori ...
'', the
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...
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 Cana ...
''. 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
The 4th ACTRA Awards were presented on April 23, 1975. The ceremony was hosted by Pierre Berton.Joan Irwin"ACTRA set to give its national awards" ''Montreal Star'', April 22, 1975.
Due to the cancellation of the Canadian Film Awards in 1974, ACTRA ...
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, 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 oppressi ...
'', 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 subsequently adapted the novel into the 1983 theatrical film ''
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 oppressi ...
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 orga ...
Award, the
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario () is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is ad ...
, the Ontario
Trillium Award
The Trillium Book Award (french: Prix littéraire Trillium or ''Prix Trillium'') is an annual literary award presented to writers in Ontario, Canada. It is administered by Ontario Creates, a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario, which i ...
, 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 cen ...
. He was a founding member and chair of the Writers' Union of Canada, 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 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 remitt ...
,
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 culture ...
and
sexuality
Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied wit ...
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 behavi ...
— 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 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
''Elizabeth Rex'' is a play by Timothy Findley. It premiered in a 2000 production by the Stratford Festival. The play won the 2000 Governor General's Award for English language drama.
Plot
The plot involves a meeting between Queen Elizab ...
'', 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 Joh ...
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...
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 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 ...
.
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.
In 2002, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
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 par ...
'', August 27, 2020.
Findley and the development of his theatrical 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 Joh ...
'' 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 ...
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.
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 oppressi ...
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...
, Best Paperback Original, 1989)
* ''
Headhunter
Headhunter or head hunter may refer to:
* Headhunting, hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing them
* Executive search, informally called headhunting, a specialized recruitment service
Arts and entertainment Film and telev ...
Pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the adherent of ...
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. In 1971, it was named Best Foreign Feature Film by the Critics and Journalists Association of Ceylon.
Plot
A Montreal businessman ( Arthur Hill), who's goi ...
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 Joh ...
Elizabeth Rex
''Elizabeth Rex'' is a play by Timothy Findley. It premiered in a 2000 production by the Stratford Festival. The play won the 2000 Governor General's Award for English language drama.
Plot
The plot involves a meeting between Queen Elizab ...
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 Cana ...
Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is t ...