Yannick Denis Bisson (born May 16, 1969) is a Canadian film and television actor and director. He is known for playing Detective William Murdoch on the series Murdoch Mysteries since 2008.
Early life Bisson was born in Montreal, Quebec, and is of French and English ancestry. He moved to Toronto, Ontario, as a teenager and his acting career began, when he was still in high school. His father, noting his son's interest in acting, encouraged him to reply to a newspaper advertisement seeking "child actors".
Career Bisson's first major role was in the 1984 CBC movie of the week Hockey Night, alongside Megan Follows and Rick Moranis. He starred in the Canadian television series Learning the Ropes from 1988 through 1989. From 1994 through 1997, he starred in the syndicated action series High Tide, co-starring Rick Springfield. He moved back from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1998 when he was cast as the lead in CBC'S Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy. From 2000 though 2004, he had a recurring role as attorney Brian Tedrow on the Showtime drama Soul Food.
He starred as FBI agent Jack Hudson in the PAX TV series Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye and in the short-lived CBC drama Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy.
He appeared on Falcon Beach in Season 2 as well as in several Lifetime cable movies, such as Crazy for Christmas and I do (but I don't), and the Disney Channel movie Genius. Bisson was a guest star on Flashpoint and starred in the television movies Brothers by Choice and Keshan. He appeared as Jon in all of the Roxy Hunter movies to date. Bisson is featured in a series of commercials for CIBC. He starred in the 2001 TV movie Loves Music, Loves to Dance based on the book by Mary Higgins Clark. He provided the voice of Ferdie in the children's animated series Maxie's World.
Bisson plays the lead in the CBC Television drama series Murdoch Mysteries and made his directorial debut with the show's fourth-season episode "Buffalo Shuffle".
Starting on December 30, 2013, Bisson starred as Mr. Anthony, a preschool teacher in The Adventures of Napkin Man on CBC Television.
Bisson played Martin Bartell in Hallmark Channel's Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. He is introduced in "Three Bedrooms, One Corpse" as a CIA agent Bartell who moves to town, falls in love with Teagarden, and later dates her. Bisson left the series in 2018 as his character does not feature in the later novels.
Awards Bisson was awarded the Fan's Choice Award at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards on March 13, 2016. Murdoch Mysteries has been awarded several Canadian Screen Award Golden Screen Awards in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
Bisson received the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence in 2017 for his lifetime of work.
Bisson was the host of Discovery Canada Channel's Star Racer reality show.
Personal life Bisson is married to Chantal Craig, a former actress, model, Toronto Argonauts Cheerleader, and fitness instructor who currently works as a television content creator and writer.
The couple met in high school and married in 1990. They have three daughters: Brianna, Dominique, and Mikaela. Craig made guest appearances on two of Bisson's television series, Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye and Murdoch Mysteries. Their daughter played "Penny Renton" in an episode of Murdoch Mysteries entitled "Love and Human Remains." Dominique Bisson had a part as Gloria Abercrombie in an episode of Murdoch Mysteries, season 2, entitled "Snakes and Ladders". Craig is now known as Shantelle Bisson, a producer, author, parenting expert, and regular contributor to Zoomer Magazine. She is the owner of Shantilly's Place, a marina in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario.
Bisson is also an avid bicyclist and bicycle collector. He formerly worked as a builder between acting jobs to support his family.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1984 Hockey Night Spear Kozak1986 Toby McTeague Toby My Pet Monster Rod Video Where's Pete Pete Short 1999 Velocity Trap Franklin J. Robinson 2004 Some Things That Stay Dr. Ostrum 2005 Crazy For Christmas Peter Archer2008 Animal 2 Dillen Nothing Really Matters Leo 2010 Casino Jack Oscar Carillo 2012 Your Side of the Bed Steve2016 Static Billy Short Year by the Sea Cahoon Another WolfCop Swallows 2018 Hellmington Professor Freeborn2020 Anything for Jackson Rory A Perfect Plan Gerry
Television Year Title Role Notes 1984 Hockey Night Spear KozakTV film 1986 Brothers by Choice Scott 1986–88 Danger Bay Larry / Todd 2 episodes1987 First Offender Jeff TV film Night Heat Regan Episode: "The Kid" Maxie's World Ferdie (voice)1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Ty Episode: "Twisted Sisters" Learning the Ropes Mark Randall Main role, 13 episodes1989 Pray for Me, Paul Henderson Mike Stanoulis Rookies Corey Street Legal Lennie Smith Episode: "Complex Offer"1991 Gold: The World's PlayJohnnyTV film Gold: The Merchants of Venice Gold: The Dynamiters Gold: Frenchie's Gold Gold: A Fistful of Gold 1991–93 John / Glenn 2 episodes1992 Tropical Heat Harry Jr. Episode: "Double Fault" Roger (ages 18–22) Episode: "Some Live Like Lazarus" Catwalk Nick Episode: "Here Today"1993 Matrix Rick Beals Episode: "Blindside" Top Cops Mike Sheehan Episode: "Craig Gravel and Jerry Jones/Mike Sheehan and Stephen Davis" 1994 Greg Gale TV film 1994–97 High Tide Joey Barrett Main role, 63 episodes 1995 Young at Heart JoeyTV film1999 Genius Mike MacGregor Relic Hunter Stavros Vordalos Episode: "Myth of the Maze" 1999–2000 Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy Richmond P. Hobson Jr. Main role, 26 episodes 2000 Rev. Young TV film 2000–04 Soul Food Brian Tedrow Recurring role, 14 episodes2001 NSA Agent Edward Ballinger TV film Twice in a Lifetime Julian Fanshaw Episode: "Mama Mia" Mutant X Richard Saunders Episode: "Fool for Love" Undergrads Kruger / Stoner Dave (voice) Recurring role, 10 episodes Loves Music, Loves to Dance Charley / Paul Nash TV film Buddy Stein 2002–05 Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Jack Hudson Main role, 56 episodes2003 See Jane Date Max Garrett TV film Missing Bruce Skeller Episode: "Thin Air" Playmakers Police Detective Episode: "Choice: Part 1" 2004 I Do (But I Don't) James "Jay" Corina TV film2005 Kevin Hill Austin Brooks Episode: "Sacrificial Lambs" Crazy for Christmas Peter Archer TV film 2006 Curtis2007 Falcon Beach Michael Prescott 4 episodes Sergeant Darren Munzer Episode: "Second City" Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody GhostJon Steadman TV film2008 Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman Roxy Hunter and the Myth of the Mermaid Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween Urban Vermin No-neck 2 episodes 2008–present Murdoch Mysteries Det. William Murdoch Main role, 155 episodesProduced 75 episodesDirected six episodesNominated ACTRA Award for Outstanding Performance – Ensemble (2017) 2009 Too Late to Say Goodbye Bobby Corbin TV film 2010 Flashpoint Philip Sobol Episode: "Jumping at Shadows" 2011 Keith Shelton Episode: "Vanished"2012 My Mother's Secret Dennis Coulson TV film Beauty and the Beast Alex Webster Episode: "Pilot" Royal Canadian Air Farce Det. William Murdoch Episode: "Air Farce New Year's Eve 2012" 2013 This Hour Has 22 Minutes Himself Guest host Season 20 episode 18 2013–14 Napkin ManMister AnthonyMister Newman Main role, 52 episodesCo-executive produced 14 episodesWon Canadian Screen Award for Best Host in a Pre-School, Children's or Youth Program or Series (2015) 2014 Republic of Doyle Det. Bill Murdoch Episode: "If the Shoe Fits"2016 Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery Martin Bartell TV film 2017 Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery 2018 Last Scene Alive: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery
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