Gordon Pinsent

Acting

Gordon Pinsent

Born 1930-07-12 · Grand Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Gordon Edward Pinsent CC FRSC (July 12, 1930 – February 25, 2023) was a Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He began his career in the 1940s, delving into radio dramas before serving in the Canadian Army. His extensive four-decade-long career spans stage, TV, and film, starring in notable works like "Quentin Durgens MP," "The Rowdyman," and "Power Play." He's received numerous awards, including ACTRA, GENIE, and GEMINI Awards, and earned honoraries from several universities. Pinsent's skills extend to writing; his novels inspired feature films, and he penned his memoirs, "By the Way." He shared a close friendship with Marlon Brando, often enjoying drive-in movies with Brando's family.

Acting credits

The Thomas Crown Affair poster
6.8

A debonair, adventuresome bank executive believes that he has pulled off the perfect multi-million dollar heist--until he must match wits with an insurance investigator who will do anything to get her man.

The Thomas Crown Affair

1968

The Shipping News poster
6.4

An emotionally-beaten man with his young daughter moves to his ancestral home in Newfoundland to reclaim his life.

The Shipping News

2001

Pippi Longstocking poster
5.8

Pippi Longstocking is an extraordinary little girl who lives alone in her house, while her father sails the seven seas. Pippi's irrepressibly fun nature makes her easy to befriend, as neighbors Tommy and Annika find, but can also earn ire, especially from social worker Mrs. Prysselius.

Pippi Longstocking

1997

Away from Her poster
7.0

Fiona and Grant have been married for nearly 50 years. They have to face the fact that Fiona’s absent-mindedness is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. She must go to a specialized nursing home, where she slowly forgets Grant and turns her affection to Aubrey, another patient in the home.

Away from Her

2007

Colossus: The Forbin Project poster
7.0

The U.S. has handed over control of its nuclear defense system to the Colossus supercomputer designed by scientist Dr. Charles Forbin. It soon becomes clear, that the now-sentient Colossus is far more intelligent than its creator realized—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

Colossus: The Forbin Project

1970

The Grand Seduction poster
6.7

A small fishing village must procure a local doctor to secure a lucrative business contract. When unlikely candidate and big city doctor Paul Lewis lands in their lap for a trial residence, the townsfolk rally together to charm him into staying. As the doctor’s time in the village winds to a close, acting mayor Murray French has no choice but to pull out all the stops and begin The Grand Seduction.

The Grand Seduction

2014

Blacula poster
5.5

An 18th century African prince is turned into a vampire while visiting Transylvania. Two centuries later, he rises from his coffin attacking various residents of Los Angeles and meets Tina, a woman who he believes is the reincarnation of his deceased wife.

Blacula

1972

Incident on a Dark Street poster
5.3

A small-time hood is murdered just as he is about to blow the whistle on an organized crime ring.

Incident on a Dark Street

1973

Two Lovers and a Bear poster
6.5

Set in a small town near the North Pole where roads lead to nowhere, the story follows Roman and Lucy, two burning souls who come together to make a leap for life and inner peace.

Two Lovers and a Bear

2016

Saint Ralph poster
7.0

This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Coached by a younger priest and former runner, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), whose cynicism has been lifted by the boy's pure hope, Ralph applies himself to his unlikely mission, fending off naysayers and getting help along a very challenging path from sundry allies and friends.

Saint Ralph

2005

The Old Man and the Sea poster
7.6

An old fisherman makes the biggest catch of his life.

The Old Man and the Sea

1999

Pirate's Passage poster
5.5

Set in 1952 Grey Rocks – a centuries old town that was famous 250 years ago as a favored port of pirates – Pirate’s Passage follows the story of 12-year-old Jim. Fraught by the death of his father and forced to endure schoolyard bullying each day, Jim manages to carry on, buoyed by his optimistic imagination and fueled by his sense of adventure. The sudden arrival of Captain Johnson, whose small sailboat has been thrown off course by a storm, changes Jim’s life. The Captain quickly becomes a mentor and friend to Jim, giving him extraordinary lessons in self-reliance and determination. Soon, Jim develops a liberating self-assurance that so deeply touches the Captain that he allows Jim to see evidence that the Captain may be more than meets the eye. Is Captain Johnson the same Charles Johnson who was a pirate there two hundred years ago? The lad goes with him on a literal journey into the past to find out and emerges able to navigate the course of his life.

Pirate's Passage

2015

Drága kisfiam! poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Drága kisfiam!

1978

Chandler poster
4.6

A private eye is hired to follow a mobster's former mistress.

Chandler

1971

The Good Shepherd poster
5.3

When a clergyman is accused for the murder of a social worker, the parish priest recruits a reporter (and his ex-girlfriend) to clear his name.

The Good Shepherd

2004

Back Home Again poster
7.0

An animated reimaging of the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta's history, with upwards of 88,000 people forced from their homes.

Back Home Again

2021

Due South poster
8.7

The movie that the TV series was spun off from. When a legendary Canadian Mountie is murdered, his son (and fellow RCMP) Constable Benton Fraser follows the trail of his killers to Chicago, where he teams up with a local cop to bring them to justice. However, he soon finds that the trail leads closer to home than he ever imagined.

Due South

1994

Babar: The Movie poster
5.8

Children's book authors Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff's most beloved elephant comes to the big screen in this animated family tale. Elephant monarch King Babar tells the tale, that unfolds via flashback, of how a much-younger Barbar and his girlfriend Celeste save her village from the pugnacious rhinoceroses that have come to raid it.

Babar: The Movie

1989

John and the Missus poster
8.0

A small Canadian town is devasted when a local mine--the town's only source of income--is closed. One man incurs the wrath of the townsmen when he stubbornly refuses the small amount of settlement money offered by the government.

John and the Missus

1987

Sex After Kids poster
5.5

A disparate variety of couples from all walks of life strive to maintain active sex lives despite the notable distraction of having kids.

Sex After Kids

2013

Fallen Angel poster
6.3

When his father dies, Terry (Gary Sinese) returns to the house where he grew up, planning to stay only long enough to clean and settle the estate. Yet something indescribable keeps him there longer than expected. Soon, he is reunited with memories and people from his past and his life is changed forever.

Fallen Angel

2003

Kids for Character poster
NR

Kids for Character was a program that was released on VHS in April 23, 1996. It was a charity special about moral character that featured many different children's characters. It was produced by The Character Counts! Coalition and was distributed by Lyrick Studios. The host of the show is Tom Selleck.

Kids for Character

1996

No artwork available
NR

When accused of a major crime years ago, a man went on the run. Now that he has been exonerated of the deed, he has trouble reconnecting with the wife he abandoned and his embittered son.

Win, Again!

1999

Horse Latitudes poster
7.0

Based on the true story of Philip Stockton, a 40 year old Englishman, who would have done almost anything to be the first man to sail around the world in a single-handed boat--or at least hold the title.

Horse Latitudes

1975

Behind the camera

John and the Missus poster
8.0

A small Canadian town is devasted when a local mine--the town's only source of income--is closed. One man incurs the wrath of the townsmen when he stubbornly refuses the small amount of settlement money offered by the government.

John and the Missus

1987

John and the Missus poster
8.0

A small Canadian town is devasted when a local mine--the town's only source of income--is closed. One man incurs the wrath of the townsmen when he stubbornly refuses the small amount of settlement money offered by the government.

John and the Missus

1987

No artwork available
NR

When accused of a major crime years ago, a man went on the run. Now that he has been exonerated of the deed, he has trouble reconnecting with the wife he abandoned and his embittered son.

Win, Again!

1999

Two Men poster
7.0

Years after surviving the Holocaust, Alex Koves sees Michael Barna, the man who killed his family, on the streets of Toronto. Barna is now an upstanding citizen and a loving husband, but Alex will not rest until justice is served.

Two Men

1988

The Rowdyman poster
4.0

Will Cole is a charismatic 35 year old paper mill laborer who seems to celebrate a life of bad choices. He lives and behaves as if he was still 18, womanizing and drinking and rejecting responsibility because he sees no reason to take life seriously. Surprisingly enough, despite his devil-may-care attitude, he has several important people in his life. He maintains a special relationship with Stan, an old mentor who lives in a nursing home, and Ruth, the only woman he truly cares about. Andrew is his best friend but grows tired of Will's antics, and he is soon to be married and moving on. Will constantly has something up his sleeve but his pranks inevitably bring pain and tragedy to those closest to him, forcing him to reevaluate his life and make some difficult decisions.

The Rowdyman

1972

Heyday! poster
7.5

During World War II, the usually sleepy town of Gander, Newfoundland is abuzz with activity as the stopover point for many flights between North America and the European Theater. Teenager Terry Fleming, who lives just outside of Gander, is feeling conflicted. He wants to work in Gander so that he can have access to the plethora of movie stars and GIs flying though the area.

Heyday!

2006

Heyday! poster
7.5

During World War II, the usually sleepy town of Gander, Newfoundland is abuzz with activity as the stopover point for many flights between North America and the European Theater. Teenager Terry Fleming, who lives just outside of Gander, is feeling conflicted. He wants to work in Gander so that he can have access to the plethora of movie stars and GIs flying though the area.

Heyday!

2006

No artwork available
10.0

In a twist on the typical May-October romance, a widow somewhere in her 60s meets a naive country boy who has found his way to the city. He moves into her house, where things take a rather unorthodox turn.

Once

1981

No artwork available
9.0

A woman struggles with her husband.

A Far Cry From Home

1981