Grant McLean, CM (April 7, 1921 – December 19, 2002) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

filmmaker, working as a cinematographer,

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

and producer for the

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

(NFB), and serving as its Acting Commissioner through 1966 and 1967.

Early life

Charles Grant McLean was born in

Yorkton Yorkton is a city located in south-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is about north-west of Winnipeg and south-east of Saskatoon and is the sixth largest city in the province. Yorkton was founded in 1882 and incorporated as a city in 1928. ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

. His father, Allan Grant McLean, was head of the

Canadian Grain Commission The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC; ) is an agency of the Canadian government responsible for regulation of the grain-handling industry in Canada, as well as to protect producers' rights and ensure the integrity of grain transactions. Overview ...

and chairman of the

Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada (LPC; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism,McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson"Liberal Party". ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''. and generally sits at the Centrism, ...

. His uncle, Ross McLean, was Commissioner of the NFB from 1945 to 1950. McLean studied at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

and joined the NFB in 1941 as a cameraman.

Career

One of the notable productions he worked on during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

was the documentary '' Target - Berlin'' for the ''

Canada Carries On ''Canada Carries On'' () was a series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada which ran from 1940 to 1959. The series was created as morale-boosting propaganda films during the Second World War. With the end of the war, the series los ...

'' series, which showed the building of the first

Lancaster bomber The Avro Lancaster, commonly known as the Lancaster Bomber, is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same spec ...

to be made in Canada, with McLean later flying in the plane to capture footage of a bombing raid over

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. He became a film director in 1947, with his first production in this capacity being ''The People Between'', a documentary about the

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Armed conflict continued intermitt ...

. For this film he became the first

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

cameraman to film

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

. He later claimed that he had not liked Mao, although he had been friendly with

Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...

, whose support had been vital in enabling him to travel freely across

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

in the making of the film. However, ''The People Between'' was banned by the

Canadian government The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes ministers of the Crown ( ...

, under pressure from the

Government of the United States The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, execut ...

, due to its balanced portrayal of

Communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...

. Some of the footage was used in the NFB documentary ''China in Need'', and the film itself received a limited release in Europe. McLean continued to direct films for the NFB into the 1950s, and two of his documentaries won

Canadian Film Award The Canadian Film Awards were the leading Canadian cinema awards from 1949 until 1978. These honours were conducted annually, except in 1974 when a number of Quebec directors withdrew their participation and prompted a cancellation. In the 1970s ...

s; 1953's ''

Farewell Oak Street ''Farewell Oak Street'' is a 1953 Canadian docudrama short film, directed by Grant McLean for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The film, which is part of the NFB's ''Canada Carries On'' series, is about the late-1940s demolition of the r ...

'' and 1955's ''

High Tide in Newfoundland ''Canada Carries On'' () was a series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada which ran from 1940 to 1959. The series was created as morale-boosting propaganda films during the Second World War. With the end of the war, the series los ...

''. He then became a producer, working on the ''Perspective'' series of documentaries. In 1957 he was appointed as Assistant Film Commissioner and Director of Production; he remained in the latter role for 11 years. In this capacity he was responsible, in the early 1960s, for the NFB creating its first regional offices across Canada. In 1961 took the decision to assign four controversial

French Canadian French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of ...

filmmakers who had previously been dismissed from Board by Fernand Dansereau, the executive producer of

French language French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-R ...

productions, to work together in the NFB's Studio G unit. These filmmakers were

Claude Fournier Claude Fournier may refer to: * Claude Fournier (revolutionary) (1745–1825), French personality of the Revolution * Claude Fournier (filmmaker) Claude Fournier (July 23, 1931 – March 16, 2023) was a Canadian film director, screenwriter, edi ...

Michel Brault Michel Brault, OQ (25 June 1928 – 21 September 2013) was a Canadian cinematographer, cameraman, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He was a leading figure of Direct Cinema, characteristic of the French branch of the Nationa ...

Gilles Carle Gilles Carle, (July 31, 1928As fully funny, Carle had pleasure to always give himself one year less, and to let people think wrongly that he was born in 1929, "The Year of the Big World Crash": see on the Quebec French newspapers that many write ...

and

Gilles Groulx Gilles Groulx (August 30, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec – August 22, 1994) was a Canadian film director. He grew up in a working-class family with 14 children. After studying business in school, he went to work in an office but found the white-col ...

. In March 1966, the Government Film Commissioner and Chairman of the NFB

Guy Roberge Guy Roberge (January 26, 1915 – June 21, 1991) was a Canadian journalist, lawyer, politician and civil servant. He also served as Canada's Government Film Commissioner during the 1950s and 60s, in which capacity he ran the National Film Board ...

resigned from his position.

Judy LaMarsh Julia Verlyn LaMarsh (December 20, 1924 – October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she became the second woman to serve as a federal Cabinet minister. Under Prime Minister Lester Pearson's minorit ...

, the Secretary of State, appointed McLean as his acting replacement. When LaMarsh sought the advice of NFB founder

John Grierson John Grierson (26 April 1898 – 19 February 1972) was a Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's '' ...

as to who should succeed Roberge on a full-time basis, he suggested that either McLean or

Sydney Newman Sydney Cecil Newman (; April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian producer and screenwriter who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, he was app ...

were the only viable replacements. However, Marsh instead chose to give the job to Hugo McPherson, who was appointed in May 1967. During McLean's brief time in charge of the NFB, the Board's most noted achievement was the production of the innovative multi-screen film '' In the Labyrinth'' for the

Expo 67 The 1967 International and Universal Exposition, commonly known as Expo 67, was a general exhibition from April 28 to October 29, 1967. It was a category one world's fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is considered to be one of the most s ...

exhibition in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. Soon after McPherson's arrival as head of the NFB, however, the new Commissioner announced plans to restructure senior levels of the organisation and replace his two assistants; McLean, one of these two assistants, resigned from the NFB.Evans, p. 130. After leaving the NFB in 1967, McLean and his NFB colleague Donald Wilder established McLean-Wilder Associates, a distribution company; this was later renamed the Visual Education Centre. In 2002 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada; he died in

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 ...

later that year. He was survived by his second wife, Betty, and daughter Lenore, from his first marriage to Frances Keith McLean.

Filmography

*''Voice of Action'' - documentary short, James Beveridge 1942 - cinematographer *''Eskimo Arts and Crafts'' - documentary short, Laura Boulton 1943 - cinematographer *''Eskimo Summer'' - documentary short, Laura Boulton 1943 - cinematographer *''Arctic Hunters'' - documentary short, Laura Boulton 1944 - cinematographer *'' Target - Berlin'' - documentary short, Ernest Borneman 1944 - co-cinematographer with Samuel Orleans and Donald Fraser *''Use Your Head: The Tump-Line Principle of Carrying Loads'' - documentary short, Robert Anderson (filmmaker), Robert Anderson 1944 - cinematographer *''Atlantic Crossroads'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, Tom Daly (filmmaker), Tom Daly 1945 - co-producer with Tom Daly *''China's Need'' - documentary short, Fred Lasse 1947 - cinematographer *''The People Between'' - documentary short 1947 - cinematographer, director, co-writer with Tom Daly (filmmaker), Tom Daly *''Who Will Teach Your Child?'' - documentary short, Stanley Jackson (filmmaker), Stanley Jackson 1948 - cinematographer *''Arctic Jungle'' - documentary short,

1948 - co-cinematographer with Laura Bolton *''Family Circles'' - documentary short, Morten Parker 1949 - cinematographer *''The Fight: Science Against Cancer'' - documentary short, Morten Parker 1950 - cinematographer *''Challenge: Science Against Cancer'' - documentary short, Morten Parker 1950 - cinematographer *''Canadian Talent Showcase: Sing With the Commodores'' - documentary short, Roger Blais (filmmaker), Roger Blais and Douglas Tunstell 1951 - cinematographer *''Canadian Talent Showcase: Songs by Gisele with Gisele MacKenzie'' - documentary short,

1951 - co-cinematographer with Lorne C. Batchelor *''Meet Gisele'' - documentary short,

1951 - cinematographer *''The Outlaw Within'' documentary short, Morten Parker 1951 - cinematographer *''Tropical Lament'' - documentary short, Roger Blais (filmmaker), Roger Blais 1951 - cinematographer *''Royal Journey'' - documentary, David Bairstow (filmmaker), David Bairstow, Gudrun Parker, Roger Blais (filmmaker), Roger Blais 1951 - co-cinematographer with Osmond Borradaile *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 23'' - documentary short 1950 - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 34'' - documentary short 1951 - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 42'': ''27th Canadian Infantry Brigade at Hanover'' - documentary short, 1952 - cinematographer *''

'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, 1953 - director *''The Ballot-o-Maniac'' - short film, Stanley Jackson (filmmaker), Stanley Jackson 1953 - co-cinematographer with Osmond Borradaile *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 43'' - documentary short 1952 - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 46'' - documentary short 1953 - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 47'' - documentary short - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 48'' - documentary short - cinematographer *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 53'': ''Immigrants from Holland'' - documentary short, 1953 - cinematographer, director *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 56'' - documentary short 1953 - cinematographer, director *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 57'' - documentary short 1953 - cinematographer, director *''Eye Witness (Canadian film series), Eye Witness No. 58'' - documentary short 1953 - cinematographer, director *''Workshop for Science'' - documentary short 1954 - cinematographer, co-director and co-producer with Gordon Burwash *''Dresden Story'' - documentary short, Julian Biggs 1954 - co-editor with Gordon Burwash, co-producer with Gordon Burwash and Julian Biggs *''Diggers of the Deeps'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, 1954 - writer, director co-producer with Nicholas Balla *''Return of the Indian'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, 1955 - writer, cinematographer, director *''The Bird Fancier'' - documentary short, Bernard Devlin (director), Bernard Devlin and Jean Palardy 1955 - cinematographer *''High Tide in Newfoundland'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, 1955 - writer, director *''Routine Flight'' - documentary short 1955 - cinematographer, co-director and co-producer with Gordon Burwash *''Vertical Flight'' - documentary short 1955 - writer, producer, director *''Christmas Comes Twice'' - documentary short 1955 - cinematographer, co-producer with Gordon Burwash *''No Longer Vanishing'' - documentary short 1955 - writer, cinematographer, director *''Raw Material'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1955 - producer *''Carnival'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1955 producer *''Coal at the Crossroads'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Jean Lenauer and Don Haldane 1955 - producer *''In this Dark World'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Jean Lenauer 1955 - producer *''New Hearts for Old'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Jean Lenauer 1955 - producer *''Prairie Profile'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Gordon Burwash 1955 - producer *''Invasion from the South'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, John Howe (filmmaker), John Howe 1956 - producer, executive producer *''Is It a Woman's World?'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Monkey on the Back'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1956 - producer *''Are People Sheep?'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1956 - producer *''Railroad Town'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Saskatchewan Traveller'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Ship in Harbour'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Woman Alone'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1956 - producer *''Elder Citizen'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''The Deserter'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Julian Biggs 1956 - producer *''Curtain at Noon'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Case of Conscience'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Night Shift'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''North of 60'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, John Howe (filmmaker), John Howe 1956 - producer, executive producer *''Our Northern Citizen'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, John Howe (filmmaker), John Howe 1956 - producer, executive producer *''Submarine Hunt'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Jean Lenauer 1956 - producer *''The Tenth Frontier'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Thomas Farley 1956 - producer *''Win, Place or Show'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Don Haldane 1956 - producer *''Borderline'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series, Fergus McDonell 1957 - producer *''Royal Occasion'' - documentary short, 1957 - director *''Royal River'' - documentary short, Gordon Sparling and Roger Blais (filmmaker), Roger Blais 1959 - producer *''The Atom: Servant of Man'' - documentary short, ''

'' series, Edmund Reid 1959 - co-producer with Nicholas Balla *''La guerre nucléaire, biologique et chimique'' - documentary short 1960 - documentary *''Help for the Homeless'' - documentary short, 1962 - director *''Aero 1B Operational Test Kit: Model 7042'' - training film 1963 - director *''Redevelopment in Four Cities'' - compilation 1965 - executive producer

Footnotes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McLean, Grant Government Film Commissioners and Chairpersons of the National Film Board of Canada University of Toronto alumni 1921 births 2002 deaths People from Yorkton Members of the Order of Canada Canadian documentary film directors Canadian documentary film producers Canadian Screen Award winners Directors of Genie Award winners for Best Theatrical Short