Other names Gerry Parkes Role Actor Name Gerard Parkes | Years active 1959–2009 Occupation Actor | |
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Spouse Sheelagh Norman (m. 1994–2014) Nominations Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Movies and TV shows Similar People Troy Duffy, Eric Till, William Fruet, Atom Egoyan, Paul Almond | ||
Gerard parkes the story of winter
Gerard "Gerry" Parkes (October 16, 1924 – October 19, 2014) was an Irish-born Canadian actor who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and moved to Toronto in 1956. He is best known for playing "Doc" on the television series Fraggle Rock.
Contents
Career
His acting career spanned film, radio, television, and the stage. Parkes worked often on CBC radio, beginning in 1959, and shifted into television and film, acting in such diverse series as the 1960s' ecological adventure series The Forest Rangers, children's show The Littlest Hobo, and the detective series Cagney and Lacey. In 1968, Parkes won the first Canadian film award (then called the Etrog and now known as the Gemini) for his portrayal of Uncle Matthew in the movie Isabel. He received the Andrew Allan Award in 1983 for Best Radio Actor, and in 1999, he won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for Kilt.
Parkes played the role of Doc in the North American version of Fraggle Rock. When he was cast in Fraggle Rock, Parkes was just finishing a regular role as another type of "doc," playing Dr. Arthur Lowe (no relation to the English actor of the same name) on the Canadian TV series Home Fires. After Fraggle Rock, in addition to returning as Doc in A Muppet Family Christmas, he continued to work in children's television, guest starring as alcoholic photographer Phil (opposite Sesame Park puppeteer Nina Keogh) on the TVOntario puppet series Today's Special, and appearing regularly on PBS's Shining Time Station as store owner Barton Winslow.
In 1996, he portrayed Jonathan Swift in the HBO Original Film Handel's Last Chance. He appeared on an episode of PBS's Noddy, as Wally the Wanderer in "Noah's Leaving", which aired in 1998. In 1999, he appeared with Willem Dafoe and Billy Connolly in The Boondock Saints (playing a Tourette's syndrome-afflicted bartender, also named "Doc"). He reprised the role for The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.
He appeared in The Adjuster (1991), which premiered at the New York Film Festival. In 1991, it won the Special Silver St. George at the 17th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1993, the Toronto International Film Festival ranked the film 10th in the Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time.
Death
He died three days after his 90th birthday on October 19, 2014. His body was donated to University of Toronto for medical science.
Honors and awards
Filmography
Actor
2009
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day as
Doc
2004
Saint Ralph as
Longboat
2004
Moss (Short) as
Cy Flood
2000
Canada: A People's History (TV Series documentary) as
Additional Voice
- When the World Began (2000) - Additional Voice (voice)
2000
Blessed Stranger: After Flight 111 (TV Movie) as
Bruno Mettler
2000
Deeply as
Uncle Peat (as Gerard Parks)
2000
A House Divided (TV Movie) as
Judge Stevens
2000
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (TV Movie) as
Charles Kemble
1999
Must Be Santa (TV Movie) as
Previous Santa
1999
The Boondock Saints as
Doc
1999
Storm of the Century (TV Mini Series) as
Orville Boucher
- Episode #1.3 (1999) - Orville Boucher
- Episode #1.2 (1999) - Orville Boucher
1998
Noddy (TV Series) as
Wally
- Noah's Leaving (1998) - Wally
1998
Thanks of a Grateful Nation (TV Movie) as
Ferdinand Noble
1998
Thunder Point (TV Movie) as
Prime Minister
1997
Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Women (TV Movie) as
Father Daniel (segment "Mamusha")
1997
Nothing Sacred (TV Series) as
Monsignor
- Proofs for the Existence of God (1997) - Monsignor
1996
Handel's Last Chance (TV Movie) as
Jonathan Swift
1996
Mother Night as
Father Keeley
1995
It Takes Two as
St. Bart's Priest (as Gerrard Parkes)
1994
Small Gifts (TV Movie) as
Priest
1994
Trapped in Paradise as
Father Gorenzel
1993
Dieppe (TV Movie) as
Portal
1993
J.F.K.: Reckless Youth (TV Mini Series) as
Priest
- Episode #1.2 (1993) - Priest
- Episode #1.1 (1993) - Priest
1991
Shining Time Station (TV Series) as
Barton Winslow
- Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out (1993) - Barton Winslow
- Dan's Big Race (1993) - Barton Winslow
- Schemer's Robot (1993) - Barton Winslow
- Schemer's Alone (1993) - Barton Winslow
- Nickel in a Pickle (1991) - Barton Winslow
- Win, Lose or Draw (1991) - Barton Winslow
1991
The Adjuster as
Tim
1991
Money as
Henry Clay Adams
1990
The Ray Bradbury Theater (TV Series) as
Mr. Smith
- The Day It Rained Forever (1990) - Mr. Smith
1990
Friday the 13th: The Series (TV Series) as
Harold Lafontaine
- The Charnel Pit (1990) - Harold Lafontaine
1989
War of the Worlds (TV Series) as
Dr. Emil Gestaine
- Breeding Ground (1989) - Dr. Emil Gestaine
1989
The Last Winter as
Grampa Jack
1989
Speaking Parts as
Father
1989
The Gunrunner as
Wilson
1989
Bridge to Silence (TV Movie) as
Dr. Block
1989
The January Man as
Reverend Drew
1988
The Twilight Zone (TV Series) as
Monsignor Perrault
- The Crossing (1988) - Monsignor Perrault
1988
Short Circuit 2 as
Priest (as Gerry Parkes)
1988
Glory Enough for All (TV Movie) as
Duncan Graham (as Gerard Parks)
1987
La ligne de chaleur as
Norman Simpson
1987
A Muppet Family Christmas (TV Movie) as
Doc (as Gerry Parks)
1983
Fraggle Rock (TV Series) as
Doc
- Change of Address (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Honk of Honks (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Gorg Who Would Be King (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Inspector Red (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Ring Around the Rock (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Mokey, Then and Now (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Gone But Not Forgotten (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Beyond the Pond (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The River of Life (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Trial of Cotterpin Doozer (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Voice Inside (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Riddle of Rhyming Rock (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Mirror, Mirror (1987) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Boober Gorg (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Space Frog Follies (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wonder Mountain (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Red's Blue Dragon (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley's Flight (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- A Brush with Jealousy (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Perfect Blue Rollie (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- A Tune for Two (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Junior Faces the Music (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Uncle Matt's Discovery (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Sidebottom Blues (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley's Wonderful Whoopie Water (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Sprocket's Big Adventure (1986) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Gunge the Great and Glorious (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- A Dark and Stormy Night (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Incredible Shrinking Mokey (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Cavern of Lost Dreams (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Bored Stiff (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Playing Till It Hurts (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Battle of Leaking Roof (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Born to Wander (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Great Radish Caper (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Scared Silly (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Gobo's School for Explorers (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Beanbarrow, the Burden and the Bright Bouquet (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Secret Society of Poohbahs (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley and the Mean Genie (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Believe It or Not (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Home Is Where the Trash Is (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Pebble Pox Blues (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Blanket of Snow, Blanket of Woe (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Grapes of Generosity (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Boober and the Glob (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Red-Handed and the Invisible Thief (1985) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Bells of Fraggle Rock (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Invasion of the Toe Ticklers (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Boober's Quiet Day (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Doozer Is as Doozer Does (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley and the Great Race (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- A Cave of One's Own (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Doomsday Soup (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Day the Music Died (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Fraggle Wars (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Junior Sells the Farm (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Manny's Land of Carpets (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Secret of Convincing John (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Red's Club (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Doozer Contest (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Wizard of Fraggle Rock (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- A Friend in Need (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Sir Hubris and the Gorgs (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- All Work and All Play (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Mokey and the Minstrels (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Boober's Dream (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Uncle Matt Comes Home (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Red's Sea Monster (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Trash Heap Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Boober Rock (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley's Egg (1984) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- New Trash Heap in Town (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Beast of Bluerock (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Mokey's Funeral (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Gobo's Discovery (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Garden Plot (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Great Radish Famine (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Minstrels (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Marooned (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Capture the Moon (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- I Don't Care (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Challenge (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- We Love You, Wembley (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Finger of Light (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Catch the Tail by the Tiger (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Lost Treasure of the Fraggles (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Terrible Tunnel (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- I Want to Be You (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Preachification of Convincing John (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- The Thirty-Minute Work Week (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- You Can't Do That Without a Hat (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Let the Water Run (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Wembley and the Gorgs (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
- Beginnings (1983) - Doc (as Gerry Parkes)
1987
Fight for Life (TV Movie) as
Father Robert Hunt
1987
Screen Two (TV Series) as
Reverend Laird
- Heaven on Earth (1987) - Reverend Laird
1986
Today's Special (TV Series) as
Phil Phenelli
- Phil's Visit (1986) - Phil Phenelli (as Gerry Parkes)
1986
American Playhouse (TV Series) as
Prison Doctor
- Valentine's Revenge (1986) - Prison Doctor
1985
Jimmy Valentine (TV Movie) as
Prison Doctor
1985
The Suicide Murders (TV Movie) as
Frank Bushmill
1985
Night Heat (TV Series) as
Richard Brinsley
- Ancient Madness (1985) - Richard Brinsley
1985
Seeing Things (TV Series) as
Judge Bean
- Fortune and Ladies' Eyes (1985) - Judge Bean
1984
Draw! (TV Movie) as
Circuit Judge Fawcett
1983
Spasms as
Captain Novack
1982
For the Record (TV Series)
- An Honourable Member (1982)
1981
Cagney & Lacey (TV Series) as
Capt. Wells
- Pilot (1981) - Capt. Wells
1981
The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) as
Dr. Cobourne
- The Day of the Fugitive (1981) - Dr. Cobourne
1981
Yesterday as
Professor Saunders
1980
Home Fires (TV Series) as
Dr. Arthur Lowe
1978
A Gift to Last (TV Series) as
James Sturgess
- The Old and the New (1979) - James Sturgess
- The Immigrants (1978) - James Sturgess
- Episode #1.1 (1978) - James Sturgess
1979
An American Christmas Carol (TV Movie) as
Jessup
1978
Nellie McClung (TV Movie)
1978
King of Kensington (TV Series)
- Racehorse (1978)
1977
Who Has Seen the Wind as
Uncle Sean
1977
Bethune (TV Movie) as
Dr. MacCacken
1976
Teleplay (TV Series)
- I've Always Been Lucky (1976)
1976
Second Wind as
Packard
1975
Here's Looking at You: Two Families, Two Lifestyles (Short) as
Ted
1975
Performance (TV Series)
- The Captain of Kopenick (1975)
1974
Police Surgeon (TV Series) as
Lang / Rusman
- Run Harry, Run (1975) - Lang
- Man in the Middle (1974) - Rusman
1975
Freedom of the City (TV Movie) as
Priest
1974
Running Time as
The Old Lady's Son
1974
The National Dream: Building the Impossible Railway (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Edward Blake
- The Horrid B.C. Business (1974) - Edward Blake
- The Last Spike (1974) - Edward Blake
- The Great Debate (1974) - Edward Blake
- The Pacific Scandal (1974) - Edward Blake
- The Great Lone Land (1974) - Edward Blake
1974
The Collaborators (TV Series)
- Dreams and Things (1974)
1973
The Pyx
1972
A Fan's Notes as
Quasimodo
1971
Fleur bleue as
Le Professeur
1971
Norman Corwin Presents (TV Series)
- You Think You've Got Troubles? (1971)
1970
Play for Today (TV Series) as
Walter Denning
- The Write-Off (1970) - Walter Denning
1970
NET Playhouse (TV Series) as
Sid
- A Scent of Flowers (1970) - Sid
1969
Adventures in Rainbow Country (TV Series) as
Ed Reynolds
- Night Caller (1969) - Ed Reynolds
1969
The First Time as
Charles
1961
Festival (TV Series) as
Walter Denning / Dodger / Inspector Milne / ...
- The Write-off (1968) - Walter Denning
- The Dolly Scene (1968)
- Frost at Midnight (1967) - Dodger
- The Devil Makes Three (1967) - Inspector Milne
- Fifteen Miles of Broken Glass (1966)
- A Doll's House (1966) - Krogstad
- Man Alive (1966)
- The Murderer (1966) - Nikolai
- Horror of Darkness (1965)
- The Birthday Party (1965) - McCann
- The Feast of Lupercal (1964) - Frank Turley
- The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1964)
- Diary of a Scoundrel (1963) - Kroutitsky
- Serjeant Musgrave's Dance (1962) - Walsh
- The Brass Pounder from Illinois (1962)
- The Luck of Ginger Coffey (1961)
- The Quare Fellow (1961) - Prisoner
- Pictures in the Hallway (1961)
1968
Isabel as
Uncle Matthew
1968
A Great Big Thing as
Appie
1968
Upside Town/Swingaround (TV Series) as
Sam Oliver
1967
Barney Boomer (TV Series) as
Sam Oliver
1966
Julius Caesar (TV Movie) as
Decius
1966
Wojeck (TV Series)
- Thy Mother a Lady, Lovely and Bright (1966)
- Listen! An Old Man Is Speaking (1966)
1966
A Remnant of Harry (TV Movie)
1966
Seaway (TV Series) as
Timothy / Cook
- Over the Falls (1966) - Timothy
- Trial by Fire (1966) - Cook
1963
The Forest Rangers (TV Series) as
Charlie Appleby / Flynn / Michael Flynn
- Unjust World (1965) - Flynn
- Shipment X (1965) - Charlie Appleby
- The Ojibway Beat (1965) - Charlie Appleby
- Uncle Raoul and the Moose (1964) - Flynn
- The Bush Pilot (1964) - Charlie Appleby
- Interchangeable Parts (1964) - Charlie Appleby
- The Dog (1963) - Michael Flynn
1965
The Serial (TV Series)
- The Fasting Friar: Episode 4 (1965)
- The Fasting Friar: Episode 3 (1965)
- The Fasting Friar: Episode 2 (1965)
- The Fasting Friar: Episode 1 (1965)
1964
David Thompson: The Great Mapmaker (Short) as
Duncan McGillivray
1964
The Wednesday Play (TV Series) as
Guvariov
- First Love (1964) - Guvariov
1961
Playdate (TV Series) as
Dai Davis / Charlie / Charles / ...
- A Night Out (1964)
- The Stag (1964) - Dai Davis
- Grubstake for the Eyeopener Man (1964)
- The Front Room (1964) - Charlie
- Step Out of Darkness (1964) - Charles
- From Paradise Direct (1964)
- The Queen of Spades (1963) - Guard
- The Thirteenth Laird (1962)
- Mr. Nobody (1962) - George
- Valerie (1961) - Thibos (as Gerrard Parker)
1960
Encounter (TV Series) as
Goudge
- The Boarding House (1960)
- The Night They Killed Joe Howe (1960) - Goudge
- The Man Who Stole the Blarney Stone (1960)
1960
First Person (TV Series)
- Lost Sister (1960)
- The Man Who Knew a Good Thing (1960)
- Night River (1960)
- The Magnet (1960)
Miscellaneous
1987
A Muppet Family Christmas (TV Movie) (puppeteer)
Self
1978
90 Minutes Live (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 14 February 1978 (1978) - Self
1975
Baptizing (TV Special) as
Father
Archive Footage
1995
Artisans de notre histoire, Volume 2: Les Explorateurs (Short)
1993
Shining Time Station (TV Series) as
Barton Winslow
- Stacy Forgets Her Name (1993) - Barton Winslow (uncredited)
1976
The Great Canadian Culture Hunt (TV Mini Series) as
Self
- Theatre in Canada (1976) - Self
References
Gerard Parkes Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA