Leslie Merle Carlson (February 24, 1933 – May 3, 2014) was an American actor, who spent most of his professional life in Canada. He is known to film audiences for his work with directors David Cronenberg and Bob Clark, and was also a prolific stage actor. He was nominated for the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cronenberg's Videodrome (1983), and won a Dora Award for his performance in the Athol Fugard play Valley Song (1996).

Early life Carlson was born in Mitchell, South Dakota, in 1933. He was a multi-sport athlete in his youth, playing football, basketball, and track and field. During the Korean War, he served in the United States Air Force. He earned both a BFA and a MA from the University of South Dakota, which he attended in the 1950s on the G.I. Bill.

Career Carlson's acting career performing in several stage plays in both the U.S and England. He immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s and began acting in many films, TV shows, and stage productions in the early 1970s.

His most memorable film roles were in the horror classic Black Christmas and Deranged, both in 1974 and as a pushy Christmas tree salesman in A Christmas Story in 1983. Carlson appeared in four movies from director David Cronenberg, including Videodrome and The Dead Zone. His portrayal of the antagonist Barry Convex in Videodrome earned him a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His TV appearances include The X-Files, Friday the 13th: The Series, 21 Jump Street and Road to Avonlea.

His stage performances included the premiere of Leaving Home, A Walk in the Woods in 1991 at the Gateway Theatre, Death and the Maiden in 1993 with the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, the musical Jekyll & Hyde in 1996 for the Canadian Stage Company, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hamlet, and All My Sons. He played notable stints with the Tarragon Theatre, the Stratford Festival, the Shaw Festival, and the Theatre Calgary.

Personal life Carlson was married to actress Patricia Hamilton and they had one child together, actor Ben Carlson. He had another son, Edmund Carlson, with his second wife, Joan Warren, in 1988.Obituary: Leading man Leslie Carlson left his heart with the theatre, The Globe and Mail, June 12, 2014.

Death Carlson died of cancer in Toronto, Ontario, aged 81, on 3 May 2014."Leslie Merle CARLSON Obituary" (paid notice in the May 9 to May 10 issue of the Toronto Star), legacy.com. Accessed November 1, 2022.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1973 The Neptune Factor Brigs The Hard Part Begins The Mechanic 1974 Deranged Tom Sims Black Christmas Bill Graham 1975 The Last of the Four Letter Words 1976 Love at First Sight Stu Shoot Jim 1977 I Wasn't Scared Master Warrant Officer George Lewinsky Raku Fire Deadly Harvest The Minister Who Has Seen the Wind Joe Pivotte 1978 High-Ballin' Bud 1979 Lost and Found Jean-Paul 1980 Circle of Two Doctor Nothing Personal Marshal 1981 Mr. Patman Mr. Abernathy Improper Channels1983 Videodrome Barry Convex The Dead Zone Brenner A Christmas Story Christmas Tree Man 1984 That's My Baby Max 1986 The Fly Dr. Brent Cheevers1987 Smart Street Marty Rolling Vengeance Misty's Father 1989 Sing Suit 1990 Chaindance Willy 1991 K2 Dexter 1992 Impolite Billy 1995 Young Again Mr. Dillon 1999 The Wishing Tree Professor 2000 Camera The Actor Short film Silver Man Mule The Spreading Ground Magyar 2001 Short 6 The Actor 2002 Left Behind II: Tribulation Force Eli 2005 Looking for Angelina Justice Britton 2007 Your Beautiful Cul de Sac Home Harry Peale

Television Year Title Role Notes 1972 Norman Corwin Presents 1 episode - Letters from an Only Child 1974 Deedee Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 1975 King of Kensington 1 episode - Where's Cathy?1977 Custard Pie Aldo Ludwit (credited as Les Carlson) Who Has Seen the Wind Joe Pivotte (credited as Les Carlson) The New Avengers Douglas Collings 1 episode - Emily 1978 Catsplay TV movie1981 Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper Laingen Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 1982 Shocktrauma Elton Bates Television Film (credited as Les Carlson) 1982, 1983 The Littlest Hobo 2 episodes - Forget Me Not, Trucker 1985 Night Heat Harder 1 episode - Ancient Madness1986 The Laurenceville Stories Conover TV mini-series Unnatural Causes Bob Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 1987 American Playhouse Conover 1 episode - The Prodigious Hickey Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Mr. Marty Charles Lawson Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 1988 War of the Worlds Detective #1 1 episode - The Walls of Jericho The Twilight Zone Jim Hilsen 1 episode - The Hunters (credited as Les Carlson) 1989 Looking for Miracles Principal Television film (credited as Les Carlson) Friday the 13th: The Series Arkwright 1 episode - The Prisoner Street Legal Squire/Michael 2 episodes - Romeo and Carol, See No Evil (1987–1989) 1990 Scales of Justice Larry Proke 1 episode - Regina vs Horvath (credited as Les Carlson) Mom P.I. Jack Millsteinare 1 episode - Looking for a Living Neon Rider Brent Paxton 1 episode - All's Fair MacGyver "Sparky" / Doctor 2 episodes - Ma Dalton, Passages (credited as Les Carlson) 21 Jump Street Professor Gray 1 episode - Diplomats for Sale 1991 Road to Avonlea Mr. Lawson 7 episodes - The Story Girl Earns Her Name, The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's, The Materializing of Duncan McTavish, Aunt Abigail's Beau, Malcolm and the Baby, Sara's Homecoming, Dreamer of Dreams (1990–1991) (credited as Les Carlson) The Girl from Mars Mr. Sharbut Television film1992 Highlander: The Series Sam Thompson 2 episodes - Free Fall, Deadly Medicine To Grandmother's House We Go Doorman Television film Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster Theo Polasek Television film 1993 Morning Glory Howard Pride Television film A Stranger in the Mirror Harry Durkin Television film No Child of Mine Television film 1994 The X-Files Dr. SpitzDr. Troisky 2 episodes - "Born Again", "Little Green Men" 1995 The Song Spinner Lorie Television film 1996 Moonshine Highway Pappy Television film (credited as Les Carlson) Side Effects Dr. Herschel Eisen 1 episode - You Can Run Beyond the Call Dan Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 1997 Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Dr. Dale Hoff 1 episode - Donor2000 Catch a Falling Star Man At Station Television film The Harlan County War Udell Television film The Last Debate Pat Tubbs Television film 2001 Haven Old Man TV mini-series Bailey's Mistake Stableman Television film Stolen Miracle Mr. Neelandson Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 2002 Odyssey 5 Ruckner 1 episode - Astronaut Dreams The Berenstain Bears Gramps 1 episode - Trouble with Grown-ups/Too Much TV (credited as Lesley Carlson) 2004 Anonymous Rex Man Television film (credited as Les Carlson) Snow Chester Television film (credited as Les Carlson)2005 Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Mr. Weaver 1 episode - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Plague City: SARS in Toronto Television film (credited as Les Carlson) 2010 At Risk George Finlay Television film (credited as Les Carlson) Haven Vaughn Carpenter 1 episode - "As You Were"

References

External links

Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia