With insight from longtime partner Bill Whitehead
and a diverse array of friends, including Margaret Atwood,
Janet Reid and Martha Henry, Life & Times traces
Findley's life from privileged childhood in Toronto's exclusive
Rosedale neighbourhood in the 1930s to years of struggling
with alcohol abuse to astonishing success as a writer.
Before discovering his talent for writing, Findley mastered
various careers in the arts. As a teenager, he wanted
to be a dancer but soon realized his back would not allow
it; he then turned to acting. In 1953, at 22 years of
age, Findley participated in the very first season of the
Stratford Shakespearean Festival under the guiding hand of
Tyrone Guthrie. After meeting and being encouraged by
legendary actor Alec Guinness, Findley decided to attend England's
prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama.
Working with Guthrie again in London, he met actress Ruth
Gordon, who deemed him a writer after reading his first story
and introduced him to playwright Thornton Wilder. Wilder
would become Findley's writing mentor. From London,
Findley moved to Hollywood to keep writing - with disappointing
results. In 1958, he finally decided to come home and
quickly landed the lead in Sanctuary, a CBC-TV drama opposite
actress Janet Reid, whom he would later marry. Their
marriage was annulled.
"She didn't want to discuss it. She didn't want
to discuss my homosexuality," says Findley. "I
loved Janet. I really loved her and I wanted to be with
her and I wanted children; so did she."
In 1962, Findley went to work at The Red Barn Theatre where
he met Bill Whitehead. This professional/personal relationship
has continued to thrive for 38 years.
Findley's novel The Piano Man's Daughter is currently in
film production via actor/producer Whoopi Goldberg. Determined
to balance his success with generosity, Findley is an active
member of PEN International - a group that champions imprisoned
writers.
Timothy Findley died in his sleep on June 20, 2002 at a hospital
in France. He was 71.
Original Air Date - December 7, 1999
Links
PEN
Canada
About
Timothy Findley - online guide to writing in Canada
CBC
News: Celebrated author Timothy Findley dies
CBC
News: Timothy Findley: In-depth
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