Bill Marshall, CM, (June 13, 1939 – January 1, 2017) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

-born Canadian filmmaker, film producer and

theater producer Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

, and published author. In 1976, Marshall co-founded the Toronto Festival of Festivals, now known as the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

(TIFF), with Dusty Cohl and Henk Van der Kolk. The first Festival of Festivals drew just 35,000 attendees to view 127 films in October 1976. The Toronto Film Festival is now one of the largest

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

s in the world and established

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

as a major hub for film and cinema. Marshall has been called "a pioneer in the Canadian film industry" for his role in both establishing the festival, as well as expanding the Canadian film-making into a major, nationwide artistic and business sector.

Biography

Marshall was born in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, Scotland, in 1939. His father was a railway worker and socialist, and also a fan of drama, regularly visiting the left-wing

Citizens Theatre The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and playwright in residence Paul Vincent Carroll is based in Glasgow, Scotland, as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat ...

in the city. In 1955, when Bill was just 15, the whole family emigrated to Canada, and Bill later became a Canadian citizen. During his professional career, Marshall produced thirteen feature films, as well as several theater productions, including the Toronto run of the musical, ''

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

''. Marshall and Henk Van der Kolk had a professional and personal relationship spanning more than 49 years. The duo first met while both were working on the set of ''Frankenstein on Campus'' in 1969. In 1976, Marshall teamed with Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl to co-found the Festival of Festivals, now known as the Toronto Film Festival. Marshall served as the film festival's director from 1976 to 1979 and retained the title of Toronto International Film Festival chairman emeritus. In addition to his role in co-founding the Toronto Film Festival, Marshall spearheaded the creation of both the

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is a Canadian non-profit organization created in 1979 to recognize the achievements of the over 4,000 Canadian cinema of Canada, film industry and television in Canada, television industry professionals ...

and The Toronto Film and Television Office. He also served as a past president of the Canadian Association of Motion Picture Producers. In 2002, Marshall was appointed as a Member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

in recognition of his "major role in developing Canada's film industry and culture." Most recently, Marshall and Van der Kolk proposed a possible film festival in

Trenton, Ontario Trenton (2001 population 16,770) is a large community in Central Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the starting point for the Trent-Severn Waterway, which continues northwest to Pe ...

, the location of one of Canada's first film studios, for Canada's 150th sesquicentennial in 2017. Bill Marshall died of

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

during the morning of January 1, 2017, at the age of 77. He was survived by his wife, Sari Ruda Marshall, three children, and six grandchildren. Marshall's passing leaves Henk Van der Kolk as the last surviving co-founder of the Toronto Film Festival; Dusty Cohl died in January 2008.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Bill 1939 births 2017 deaths Film festival founders Canadian theatre managers and producers Place of death missing Members of the Order of Canada Toronto International Film Festival people Scottish emigrants to Canada Film producers from Toronto Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television people