Harvey Hart (March 19, 1928 – November 22, 1989) was a Canadian director and producer of film and television.
Early life and education Hart was born to a Jewish family in Toronto in 1928. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1949 and moved to New York City, supporting himself as an Arthur Murray Studio dance instructor while attending Erwin Piscator's New School-affiliated Dramatic Workshop.Lanken, Dane (February 6, 1971). "Director Harvey Hart - A Fortune for an apostle". The Montreal Gazette. p. 38. Retrieved March 20, 2026. "Hart is certainly one to know about the early days of television. After graduating from the University of Toronto, he decided he wanted to be a television director. The only problem was that in those days, around 1949, there was no television in Canada. So Hart went down to New York, studied at the Dramatic Workshop, supported himself as an Arthur Murray dancing instructor, and waited for Canadian TV to be born. When it was, he was one of the original "Twelve Apostles" who formed the nucleus of the CBC's production crew."
Career Returning to Toronto in 1952, Hart was promptly hired by the CBC, for whom he directed and/or produced over 30 television productions, among them several episodes of an anthology series, Festival, like Home of the Brave (1961) and The Luck of Ginger Coffey (1961), respective adaptations of the like-named 1946 play and 1960 novel. In October 1959, Hart produced the North American television premiere of Arthur Miller's The Crucible for the series Startime, starring Leslie Nielsen as John Proctor."Miller's Crucible to Feature Nielsen". The Montreal Gazette. October 24, 1959. p. 29. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
In 1963 he left the CBC and moved to the United States, where, in the following years, he directed episodes for TV series such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Star Trek, as well as theatrical features, including Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) and The Sweet Ride (1968).Rist, Peter Harry (2001). "Harvey Hart", in Guide to the Cinema(s) of Canada. Edited by Rist. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. . pp. 91-92.
He returned to Toronto in 1970 where he directed several feature films, including Fortune and Men's Eyes (1971), The Pyx (1973), Shoot (1976) and Goldenrod (1976), for which he won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Director. In the mid 1970s Hart directed four episodes of Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light (1974), A Deadly State of Mind (1975), Forgotten Lady (1975), and Now You See Him (1976).
He continued splitting his time between film work in Canada and television work in Los Angeles throughout the 1980s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film for the mini-series East of Eden (1981) and a Gemini Award for Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for the television crime-drama film Passion and Paradise (1989).
Personal life Hart was married to Katherine, with whom he had three children, two daughters and one son.
Death On November 22, 1989, Hart died of a heart attack at Toronto General Hospital, at age 61.Downey, Donn (November 23, 1989). "OBITUARY: Harvey Hart – Director had diverse career". The Globe and Mail. p. A27. survived by his wife, children, and three step-siblings. Hart's remains are interred in the Pride of Israel section of Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Toronto."Birth and Death Notices: Hart, Harvey". The Globe and Mail. November 23, 1989. p. A27. Retrieved March 19, 2026. "On Wednesday, November 22, 1989 at Toronto General Hospital. Harvey, beloved husband of Katherine. Loving father and father-in-law of Anne Hart, Bethelene Hart Young, and Mathew and Nola Hart. Beloved son of Anita Applebaum [sic]. Devoted grandfather of Benjamin, Rebecca, Sarah and Emily. Also survived by Selina Lynn, Shelley and Lon Appleby. Interment [sic]"
Selected filmography The Luck of Ginger Coffey (1961) (TV) Dark Intruder (1965) Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) Sullivan's Empire (1967) The Sweet Ride (1968) Fortune and Men's Eyes (1971) Mahoney's Last Stand (1972) The Pyx (1973) Goldenrod (1976) Shoot (1976) East of Eden (1981) (TV miniseries) The High Country (1981) Utilities (1983) Beverly Hills Madam (1986) (TV) Stone Fox (1987) (TV) Passion and Paradise (1989) (TV)
Awards and nominations +InstitutionYearCategoryWorkResultCanadian Film Awards1976Best DirectorGoldenrodGemini Awards1989Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-SeriesPassion and ParadiseTaormina Film Fest1977Golden CharybdisShoot
References
Further reading "Rehearsal". The Montreal Gazette. December 5, 1959. p. 30. Retrieved March 19, 2026. "Producer Harvey Hart, right, gives Diana Maddox, Oscar Homolka ands Roy Wordsworth a briefing at rehearsal for The Secret Agents, in which they will featured on Canadian Startime, Tuesday night on CBC TV. The play was adapted from a Joseph Conrad novel of suspense and intrigue. The production originates in Toronto."
External links
Complete Harvey Hart Filmography at CITWF UnEarthed: The Films of Harvey Hart https://soulrideblog.com/