Accession 2008-030 - Accession 2008-030

James Mavor Moore (1919-2006), actor, writer, critic, educator and public servant, was born in Toronto on 8 March 1919 and educated at the University of Toronto where he received his BA in 1941. He served in Intelligence during the Second World War following which he was employed by CBC radio as producer for its International Service in Montreal. He moved to CBC Television in 1950 serving as its first chief producer. He produced, directed or appeared in over fifty stage plays in Canada as well as in radio and television dramas and was the winner of three Peabody Awards for radio documentaries that he directed for the United Nations. Moore created over one hundred works for stage, radio and television including the musicals 'Sunshine Town' (1954), 'The Ottawa Man' (1958), 'Louis Riel' (an opera with Harry Somers as composer, 1967), and 'Fauntleroy' (1980). He worked with his mother, Dora Mavor Moore in founding the New Play Society and served as producer-director of 'Spring Thaw,' its annual comedy revue from 1948 to 1965. He was drama critic for the Toronto Telegram from 1958 to 1960 and was arts critic for Maclean's magazine from 1968 to 1969. Moore is the author of numerous published works including the autobiography 'Reinventing Myself' and 13 dramatic and musical works. In 1970 he was appointed a professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts, York University and served as chair of the Theatre Department from 1975 to 1976. Moore served on the Canada Council (1974-1983), including a term as its chair (1979-1983). He also served as the founding chair of the British Columbia Arts Council (1996-1998). He sat on the first Board of Governors of the Stratford Festival, was the founding chair of the Canadian Theatre Centre, the Guild of Canadian Playwrights, and was a founding director of the Charlottetown Festival. Moore was recognized for his work with seven honorary degrees, awarded the Centennial Medal in 1967, and made an officer of the Order of Canada in 1973 and a companion of the Order of Canada in 1988. In 1999, he received a Governor-General's Award for Lifetime Achievement and was elected to the Order of British Columbia. Mavor Moore passed away in Victoria, B.C. on December 18th, 2006.