Peter Boretski was the stage name of Peter Perehinczuk (May 25, 1929 – September 5, 2001), 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 ...
actor.Herbert Whittaker, "Spear-Carrier Takes Lead Role". ''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...
'', October 30, 1962. He was best known for his recurring supporting role as Jack Soble in the 1970s sitcom ''
King of Kensington
''King of Kensington'' is a Canadian television sitcom that aired on CBC Television from 1975 to 1980.Mary Jane Miller, ''Turn Up the Contrast: CBC Television Drama since 1952''. UBC Press, 2011. . pp. 134-144.
Synopsis
Al Waxman starred as Larry ...
''.
Life and career
A native of
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, he began his acting career with the
Manitoba Theatre Centre
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Royal MTC) is Canada's oldest English-language regional theatre. Next to the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, MTC has a higher annual attendance than any other theatre in the country. It was founded in 1958 by J ...
and the
Stratford Festival
The Stratford Festival is a repertory theatre organization that operates 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 Shak ...
, and had a small role in a 1956
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. In the United Kingdom, he began using his mother's maiden name, Boretski, professionally. While working with the Alexandra, he also had occasional television acting roles in
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
drama anthology series.
He returned to Canada in the early 1960s with his wife, British actress
Jennifer Phipps
Jennifer Phipps (born Jennifer Maude, April 16, 1932 – April 18, 2019) was a Canadian actress best known for her work on stage.
Early years
Phipps was born out of wedlock to Elizabeth Maude in Marylebone, London, England, and "kind of tucked awa ...
, and had his first significant stage role in Canada acting opposite Barbara Chilcott and Charmion King in a Crest Theatre production of ''
Orpheus Descending
''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957, with Maureen Stapleton and Cliff Robertson, under the direction of Harold Clurman, but had only a brief run (68 performa ...
''.
He was active predominantly in theatre rather than film or television through the 1960s and early 1970s, both as an actor and a director. He also had several credits as a television director in this era, including the television film ''A Remnant of Harry'' and numerous episodes of the anthology series ''
Festival
A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
Theatre Passe Muraille
Theatre Passe Muraille is a theatre company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is on Ryerson Avenue in the Alexandra Park neighbourhood of Toronto.
Brief history
One of Canada's most influential alternative theatres, Theatre Passe Muraille ("theat ...
's collective play ''Bethune!'', about the life of
Norman Bethune
Henry Norman Bethune (; March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939; zh, t=白求恩) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of socialized medicine, and member of the Communist Party of Canada. Bethune came to international prominence fi ...
.
In the later 1970s he began turning more strongly toward television and film acting, with his recurring role in ''King of Kensington'' and an appearance as Mr. Hersh in the television film ''
The Wordsmith
''The Wordsmith'' is a 1979 Canadian television film directed by Claude Jutra. It is an autobiographical piece, which brings to life the wondrous wizardy of master wordsmith Vandna Lakhanpal. Based on a screenplay by Mordecai Richler, the film st ...
Day One Day One may refer to:
Film
* Day One (1989 film), ''Day One'' (1989 film), a 1989 television film
* ''Day One'', also known as ''To Write Love on Her Arms (film), To Write Love on Her Arms'', a 2012 drama film
* Day One (2015 film), ''Day One'' (2 ...
'', ''
The Nutcracker Prince
''The Nutcracker Prince'' is a 1990 Canadian animated romance fantasy film directed by Paul Schibli based on the screenplay by Patricia Watson. It is a retelling of E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and ...
Naked Lunch
''Naked Lunch'' (first published as ''The Naked Lunch'') is a 1959 novel by American author William S. Burroughs. The novel does not follow a clear linear plot, but is instead structured as a series of non-chronological "routines". Many of thes ...
'', ''
Getting Gotti
''Getting Gotti'' is a 1994 American television film centered on an Assistant United States Attorney named Diane Giacalone, and her attempts to build a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case against John Gotti and the G ...
Margaret's Museum
''Margaret's Museum'' is a 1995 Canadian-British drama film directed by Mort Ransen and based on Sheldon Currie's novel ''The Glace Bay Miners' Museum''. It stars Helena Bonham Carter, Clive Russell, and Kate Nelligan. The film won six Gen ...
''.
On March 21, 1985 the play "Einstein" by Gabriel Emanuel, premiered at the TWP (Toronto Workshop Productions) Theatre starring Peter Boretski in the title role. The play received both critical and popular success and earned him many accolades. He went on to tour Canada with it the following year.
Awards
He received an
ACTRA Award
The ACTRA Awards are Canadian accolades presented since 1972 to celebrate excellence in cinema, television and radio industries.15th ACTRA Awards in 1986, for his role as Trefius in the miniseries '' Charlie Grant's War''.
He was a three-time
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's English-language television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in t ...
3rd Gemini Awards
The 3rd Gemini Awards were held in 1988 to honour achievements in Television in Canada, Canadian television. The ceremonies were sponsored by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on 29 and 30 ...
in 1988 for '' Chasing Rainbows'', Best Actor in a Drama Program or Miniseries at the
4th Gemini Awards The 4th Gemini Awards were held on December 4 and 5, 1989 to honour achievements in Canadian television. It was broadcast on CTV, with Martin Short as host.
Nominees were announced in October."This year's TV Gemini nominations". ''Toronto Star'', ...
in 1989 for ''Einstein Tonight'', and Best Actor in a Drama Program or Miniseries at the 10th Gemini Awards in 1996 for the '' Spoken Art'' episode "A Letter to Harvey Milk".Christopher Harris, "Due South captures 15 Gemini nominations". ''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...