# Eric Peterson

Eric Neal Peterson CM (born October 2, 1946) is a Canadian stage, television, and film actor, known for his roles in three major Canadian television series – Street Legal (1987–1994), Corner Gas (live-action 2004–2009 and film 2014, animated 2018–2021), and This is Wonderland (2004–2006).

## Career
### Stage

In 1971, Peterson began his acting career when he helped found the collective theatre company Tamahnous Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he received major roles in versions of The Bacchae and Nijinsky, both directed by John Gray.
In 1974, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, and joined Theatre Passe Muraille, a leading collective ensemble in Canada. He had main roles in productions of The Farm Show, The West Show, Them Donnelly’s, and 1837: The Farmers' Revolt. It was in this latter Rick Salutin production that he gained the greatest recognition, playing William Lyon Mackenzie and Lady Backwash.
In 1976, Peterson began to collaborate with John Gray again, writing Billy Bishop Goes to War. The play, which premiered in Vancouver in 1978, went on tour internationally, garnering positive reviews on Broadway, where Peterson won the Clarence Derwent Award for most promising performer, in London's West End. He was also nominated for Best Actor at the Edinburgh Festival Mainstage. In 1998, Peterson acted in the play once more at the Canadian Stage in Toronto.
Peterson's later stage appearances include Love and Anger at the Factory Theatre, Health (another collaboration with John Gray) at the Vancouver Playhouse and the lead role in Richard Ill at the Young People’s Theatre. In October 2000, he performed in Hysteria at the Canadian Stage and in January 2001, he appeared in Clout at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
Between November 20 and December 13, 2008, Peterson starred as family patriarch and business man Helge Klingenfeldt in The Company Theatre's production of Festen at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Between August 8 and 29, 2009, Peterson reprised the lead role in Billy Bishop Goes to War at the Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto. The company announced that the production was planned to return in 2010. In the same year, he played Wiff Roach in Soulpepper's revival of David French's 1973 play Of the Fields, Lately.
In the early to mid 2010s he played the role of Percy Schmeiser in the docu-drama play Seeds.

### Television

Until Corner Gas, his most famous role on television was his award-winning role as Leon Robinovitch, a left-wing lawyer, on Street Legal. His more notable television work includes 1998's Nothing Sacred (a movie for which he also co-produced and appeared in the stage version), Night Heat and This Is Wonderland. He also appeared as Hank Stewart in the Hippocratic Oath episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents for AHF Film Productions.
In total, Peterson has appeared in fifty-two movie and television productions. He also appeared in an infomercial for Amnesty International. He also appeared in the Goosebumps episode "Shocker on Shock Street" as Mr. Wright
Peterson's most famous television role was that of Oscar Leroy on the Canadian television program Corner Gas. Peterson played the father of Brent Leroy (played by Brent Butt), who inherited the gas station after his father decided to retire. Much to the dismay of his son and his wife Emma (played by Janet Wright), he uses his new-found free time to unwittingly annoy his family and the town at large. Following the end of that show's run, Peterson made a guest appearance on the show Dan for Mayor, a show starring his former Corner Gas co-star Fred Ewanuick. As of 2014 he appears in The Best Laid Plans as Jerry Stockton.
Since January 2007, he has been performing in Half Life, a play by John Mighton, at the Canadian Stage. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, "his fresh, energetic, natural acting style has made him popular with Canadian audiences, and he continues to be a mainstay of Canadian television."

## Personal life

Peterson was born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is married to fellow actor and People for Education executive director Annie Kidder, who is the sister of Margot Kidder. Peterson and his wife live in Toronto, Ontario, with their two daughters, although he still frequents his home province of Saskatchewan, where he owns a cottage on Katepwa Lake in the Qu'Appelle Valley near his hometown.

### Awards

Peterson has won numerous awards over his career. For his portrayal of Leon Robinovitch on Street Legal, he was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role six times: in 1987, 1989, and every year from 1992 through 1995. He tied for the win with Winston Rekert (for Adderly) the first year, and won the next two outright. He has also been nominated twice under Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series with Corner Gas at the Gemini Awards, and once for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series for Episode 4 of This is Wonderland for his portrayal of Judge Malone. His fourth Gemini Award came in 2001 for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program.
He has also been nominated four times for Canadian Comedy Awards for his role on Corner Gas. In 2004, he was nominated (alongside fellow Corner Gas actor Brent Butt) in the "Pretty Funny Television Performance – Male" category. In 2007, he was nominated for "Best Male Performance."
In 1996, Peterson received an honorary Doctor of Letters in drama from the University of Saskatchewan; the head of the drama department, Henry Woolf, made the presentation. In 1999, the 20th anniversary edition of his play Billy Bishop Goes To War won him Dora Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance. He had previously received a Dora Award nomination for his role in Escape from Happiness. A 1982 CBC television adaptation garnered him an ACTRA award nomination. In May 2013 he received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his work for his lifetime contributions to Canadian theatre. For his lifelong contributions to the arts he received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the University of Regina (2019).

## Filmography
### Film

Film :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1974 | The Visitor | Michael Tyler | |
| 1983 | The Kid Who Couldn't Miss | Billy Bishop / Walter Bourne | Writer |
| 1984 | The Painted Door | Steven | Short |
| 1985 | The King of Friday Night | | |
| 1986 | The Last Season | Father Schula | |
| 1987 | Docudrama: Fact and Fiction | Billy Bishop / Walter Bourne | Archive footage |
| 1991 | Thick as Thieves | Judge Head | |
| 1994 | Henry & Verlin | Lovejoy | |
| 1995 | Bach's Fight for Freedom | Duke Wilhelm Ernst | |
| 1996 | Spill | Eric Black | |
| 1998 | The Sleep Room | Sal Rothenberg | |
| 1998 | Earth | Mr. Rogers | |
| 1998 | Sleeping Dogs Lie | Jack Doughty | |
| 2001 | Franklin's Magic Christmas | Grandfather Turtle | Voice Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Fairytales and Pornography | Kyle | |
| 2013 | Cas & Dylan | Jack | |
| 2013 | Canadian Famous | Himself | Documentary short |
| 2014 | Corner Gas: The Movie | Oscar Leroy | |
| 2015 | Canadian Star | Himself | Documentary short |
| 2015 | Painted Land: In Search of the Group of Seven | A.Y. Jackson | Voice |
| 2016 | Where the Universe Sings | A.Y. Jackson | Voice |
| 2018 | His Master's Voice | Hogarth | |
| 2020 | You Will Still Be Here Tomorrow | Frank | Short film |
| 2020 | The Death of Father Christmas | Father Riley | |
| 2021 | Defining Moments | Edward | |
| 2021 | Sprite Fright | Elder Sprite | Voice Short film |
| 2022 | Junior's Giant | Junior | Short film |
| 2023 | Jerry Rigged | Gerald Slate | Short film |
| TBA | Cut the Painter | | Pre-production |

### Television

Television :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Billy Bishop / Various | TV film |
| 1985 | Tramp at the Door | Lemieux | TV film |
| 1985 | The Park is Mine | Mike | TV film |
| 1985 | Ewoks | Teebo | Voice 5 episodes |
| 1985 | Star Wars: Droids | | Voice 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Mr. Belvedere | | Season 2, episode 18: "Valentines Day" |
| 1986 | The Care Bears Family | Noble Heart Horse | Voice 13 episodes |
| 1987–1994 | Street Legal | Leon Robinovitch | 126 episodes |
| 1988 | Night Heat | Matt Semple | Season 4, episode 3: "Ain't No Cure for Love" |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Hank Stweart | Season 3, episode 7: "Hippocritic Oath" |
| 1994–1995 | The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon | The Leprechaun | Season 2, episode 6: "Dudley and the Leprachaun" Season 3 episode 3: "The Tree House" |
| 1994 | Scales of Justice | Judge | Episode "L'Affaire Belshaw" |
| 1995 | Deadly Love | Elliott | TV film |
| 1996 | Captive Heart: The James Mink Story | Reverend Eli Brennemen | TV film |
| 1996 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | | Season 4, episode 12: "Escape" |
| 1996 | Dangerous Offender: The Marlene Moore Story | Dr. Spring | TV film |
| 1997 | PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal | O.S.I.R. Psychologist Owen Wiliston | Season 1, episode 18: "The Fog/House on Garden Street" |
| 1997 | Goosebumps | Mr. Wright | Season 3, episode 1: "A Shocker on Shock Street" |
| 1997 | La Femme Nikita | Zoran Bruner | Season 1, episode 21: "Verdict" |
| 1997 | I'll Be Home for Christmas | Dave | TV movie |
| 1997 | Traders | Joe Fitzpatrick | 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Lost Universe | Jess | Voice English version |
| 1998 | Nothing Sacred | | TV film |
| 1999 | Big Wolf on Campus | Mr. Tock | Season 1, episode 16: "Time and Again" |
| 1999 | Win, Again! | Cliff | |
| 2000 | The Moving of Sophia Myles | Lester | TV film |
| 2001 | A Colder Kind of Death | Howard Downey | TV film |
| 2001 | Canada: A People's History | William Lyon MacKenzie King | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | A Wind at My Back Christmas | Professor Coburn | TV film |
| 2002 | The Many Trials of One Jane Doe | Dr. Daniels | TV film |
| 2002 | The Stork Derby | Max MacLeod | TV film |
| 2002 | Trudeau | Tommy Douglas | TV film |
| 2002 | Street Time | Monty | Season 1, episode 12: "Betrayal" |
| 2002 | Puppets Who Kill | Mr. Quigley | Season 1, episode 12: "Mr. Quigley, the Asshole Next Door" |
| 2003 | Sounder | Vet | TV film |
| 2003 | Do or Die | Henry Chesser | TV film |
| 2003 | Jasper, Texas | Old Mr. King | TV film |
| 2003 | Tom Stone | Professor Vernon Day | Season 1, episode 12: "Now You See Him" |
| 2003 | Doc | Kyle's Dad | Season 4, episode 8: "Swing Shift" |
| 2004 | Blue Murder | Phillip Carlyle | Season 4, episode 8: "Upstairs Downstairs" |
| 2004–2006 | This Is Wonderland | Judge Malone | 39 episodes |
| 2004–2009 | Corner Gas | Oscar Leroy | Main role; 107 episodes |
| 2005 | Untold Stories of the ER | Reenactment | Season 1, episode 8: "I Need Some Help Here" |
| 2005 | Slings & Arrows | Gavin Gilchrist | 6 episodes |
| 2005 | Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making | Tommy Douglas | TV film |
| 2005 | Microkillers | Captain Wilcox | Episode: "Ebola" |
| 2009–2014 | The Ron James Show | 'Black' Amos / Sir John A. MacDonald | 4 episodes |
| 2009 | It's Been a Gas | Himself / Oscar Leroy | |
| 2010 | Republic of Doyle | Eli Kent | Season 1, episode 7: "The Woman Who Knew Too Little" |
| 2010 | Murdoch Mysteries | Hershey Dillard | Season 3, episode 11: "Hangman" |
| 2010 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Billy Bishop | TV film Writer |
| 2010 | Eco Home Adventures | Himself | Documentary short |
| 2011 | Dan for Mayor | Lenny-Man | Season 2, episode 7: "The Art of Gambling" |
| 2011 | Wingin' It | Charles Dickens | Season 2, episode 9: "Carl+Alt+Delete" |
| 2011 | Wishing Well | | TV film |
| 2011 | The Casting Room | Himself | Season 1, episode 1: "Eric Peterson" |
| 2012 | Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town | Jeff Thorpe | TV film |
| 2013 | Copper | Reverend William Remington | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Rookie Blue | Archie | Season 4, episode 8: "For Better, for Worse" |
| 2013 | Cracked | Ed Janoski | Season 2, episode 5: "The Hold Out" |
| 2014 | The Best Laid Plans | Jerry Stockton | Miniseries |
| 2015 | Young Drunk Punk | Rudolph | Season 1, episode 9: "First Date Funeral" |
| 2015 | The Plateaus | Mick Donald | Episode #1.7 |
| 2016 | Valentine Ever After | George | TV film |
| 2017 | What Would Sal Do? | Harold | Episode "Vince's Uncle" |
| 2017–2019 | True and the Rainbow Kingdom | Rainbow King | Voice 13 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Hard Rock Medical | Dr. Kesler | 7 episodes |
| 2018–2021 | Corner Gas Animated | Oscar Leroy | Voice Main role; 48 episodes |
| 2019 | The Umbrella Academy | Al | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Sydney to the Max | Don | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | American Gods | The Caretaker | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Dino Dana | Grandpa | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Street Legal | Leon Robinovitch | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Claws of the Red Dragon | James McAvoy | TV film |
| 2020 | True: Terrific Tales | Rainbow King | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | True: Friendship Day | | TV movie |
| 2021 | Private Eyes | Jasper Dazzle | Season 4, episode 12: "Drop Dead Carny" |
| 2021 | Chapelwaite | Samuel Gallup | 7 episodes |
| 2022 | Ruby and the Well | Lou Aberlard | Season 2, episode 9: "I Wish I Could Stop Hurting" |
| 2023 | SurrealEstate | Andrew Tolliver | Season 2, episode 3: "The Butler Didn't" |
| 2023 | 'Twas the Text Before Christmas | Carter | TV film |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result |
| 1980 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Clarence Derwent Awards (United States) | Most Promising Actor | Won |
| 1986 | The Double Bass | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre) | Nominated |
| 1987 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Won in a tie with Winston Rekert |
| 1989 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Won |
| 1992 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Won |
| 1993 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Nominated |
| 1994 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Nominated |
| 1995 | Street Legal | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Nominated |
| 1998 | The Designated Mourner | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre) | Won |
| 1999 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre) | Nominated |
| 1999 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play | Nominated with John Gray |
| 2003 | Boy Gets Girl | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award Outstanding Performance in a Feature Role in a Play or Musical | Nominated |
| 2004 | Corner Gas | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male - Television | Nominated |
| 2004 | Corner Gas for episode "Face Off" | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series | Nominated |
| 2004 | This is Wonderland for episode "Episode Four" | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series | Nominated |
| 2005 | Half Life | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre) | Nominated |
| 2006 | Corner Gas | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male - Television | Nominated |
| 2006 | Corner Gas for episode "Merry Gasmass" | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series | Nominated |
| 2007 | Corner Gas | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male - Television | Won |
| 2007 | Corner Gas for episode "Gopher It" | Gemini Awards | Gemini Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series | Nominated |
| 2008 | Eric Peterson | ACTRA Awards | Award of Excellence | Won |
| 2008 | Corner Gas | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male - Television | Nominated |
| 2009 | Eric Peterson | Gemini Awards | Earl Grey Award | Won |
| 2010 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play (Large Theatre) | Nominated |
| 2010 | Hamlet | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role/Ensemble in a Play or Musical | Nominated |
| 2012 | Billy Bishop Goes to War | ACTRA Awards | Outstanding Performance - Male | Nominated |
| 2013 | Himself | Governor General's Performing Arts Award | — | Won |
| 2016 | Static | Canadian Film Fest | Best Actor in a Short | Won |
| 2017 | Static | Vancouver Badass Film Festival | Best Actor | Nominated |
| 2018 | Static | NSI Online Short Film Festival | Brian Linehan Actors Award | Won |
| 2023 | Junior's Giant | Canadian Film Festival | Best Performance in a Short Film | Won |
| 2023 | Junior's Giant | ACTRA Award | Outstanding Performance, Male or Gender Non-Conforming | Won |