Jack Creley (March 6, 1926 – March 10, 2004) was an American-born Canadian actor."A 'great man of words and theatre'". The Globe and Mail, March 19, 2004. Although most prominently a stage actor, he also had film and television roles.

Background Creley was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 6, 1926. During the Great Depression, his family moved to California, where he acted in amateur theatre as a teenager, until he was old enough to enlist in the United States Army late in World War II. He was shot in the shoulder during the Battle of Okinawa, and spent the rest of his life telling the story that he knew he was destined to become an actor when he realized he was responding to the injury like a character in a John Wayne film.

After the end of the war, he went to New York City to study acting under Erwin Piscator at the Dramatic Workshop, where he was a classmate of Harry Belafonte, Tony Curtis and Rod Steiger. He moved to Montreal in 1951 to take a job with the Mountain Theatre Company, and remained there until 1954, when he moved to Toronto. Soon after moving to Toronto, he met David Smith, who would be his partner for the remainder of his life."What a swell party it has been; Creley & Smith still make most of whatever life serves up". Toronto Star, July 23, 2000.

Acting career In Toronto, he acted on stage,"The Summer Theatres and What They Are Playing". The Globe and Mail, June 30, 1956. including frequent performances at the Stratford Festival,"Actor Jack Creley, 78, versatile, popular". Toronto Star, March 12, 2004. and often appeared in CBC Television anthology series, including Scope, Playbill, CBC Summer Theatre, Encounter, Folio, Startime, Horizon, Playdate and several Wayne and Shuster sketches, as well as performing in cabaret shows."Mr. Creley Back to Early Love". The Globe and Mail, September 29, 1956.

In 1956, Creley starred in the Canadian production of Salad Days,"Monday Is 'Salad' Day". The Globe and Mail, September 15, 1956. and in 1958 he starred in the Canadian production of Visit to a Small Planet."All-Star Canadian Cast Signed for Hit". The Globe and Mail, January 6, 1958. In 1960, he played two roles at the Stratford Festival, as Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet and as King Philip in King John."Jack Creley to Play Capulet at Stratford". The Globe and Mail, February 26, 1960.

Creley had his first major film role in 1961, in the Western film The Canadians."Stratas Is Miscast Indian Maid in Distress". The Globe and Mail, February 25, 1961. After completing a run as Holofernes in a Stratford Festival production of Love's Labour's Lost that summer,"Love's Labour's Lost Glints, Capers, Bubbles". The Globe and Mail, June 23, 1961. he returned to New York to appear in a Broadway production of A Man for All Seasons as Cardinal Wolsey."A Man for All Seasons: ANTA Playhouse". Internet Broadway Database. After completing his run in New York, he appeared in a Stratford Festival production of The Gondoliers,"Festival Designs Are Souvenirs". The Globe and Mail, June 8, 1962. and then went to London to appear alongside Corinne Conley, Dave Broadfoot, Eric House and Eric Christmas in the musical revue Clap Hands at the Hammersmith Theatre."Clap Hands Finds London Home". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1962. Following the end of that show's run, most of the cast returned to Canada, although Creley remained in London to take a role as Mr. Staines in the film Dr. Strangelove."That Was Clap Hands That Was". The Globe and Mail, February 25, 1963.

After returning to Canada, he appeared in productions of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story and Anton Chekhov's Summer in the Country."Cook's Tour to Be Triumphant". The Globe and Mail, October 5, 1963. During this time, he also became a popular voice-over artist for television commercials, recording at least 18 commercial spots in 1965 and 1966."Mr. Voice Over in person: Director gets chance to be star". The Globe and Mail, February 23, 1966. He directed a musical revue, The Decline and Fall of the Entire World As Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter, in 1965 and 1966, and when he stepped in for several shows in the absence of lead performer Louis Negin, it was his first time singing on stage since the end of Clap Hands in 1963.

In 1966, he appeared as Wilfrid Laurier in the CBC Television miniseries Reluctant Nation, and in 1969 he appeared in the television series Strange Paradise as Laslo Thaxton.

In 1970, he starred in the musical Oh, Coward! at Theatre in the Dell, alongside Patricia Collins and Gordon Thomson. Charles Pope from the Toronto Star called his performance "magnificent".

In 1972 he had his second and final Broadway role, appearing in a production of There's One in Every Marriage as Roubillon,"There's One in Every Marriage: Royale Theatre". Internet Broadway Database. and in 1974 he had his last role at Stratford in a production of The Imaginary Invalid."Perth to Perth for Stratford's Imaginary Invalid". The Globe and Mail, February 2, 1974. In this era, he began to appear more often in film and television roles, most notably in the film Videodrome"Videodrome Cronenberg's best yet". Toronto Star, February 4, 1983. and the television sitcom Snow Job."New sitcom Snow Job gets royal treatment". The Globe and Mail, February 19, 1983. His final role was a guest appearance on E.N.G. in 1990.

Personal life Creley and Smith shared ownership of an antique store, The Green Dolphin, beginning in 1955,"Casting about". The Globe and Mail, July 28, 1955. and later of a clothing store, Mr. Smith. They also had a widespread reputation among actors as being excellent hosts of parties; performers such as Vivien Leigh, Sean Connery, Richard Burton, Bea Arthur, and Billy Dee Williams were frequent houseguests of the couple.

Late in life, Creley suffered two strokes, and began to develop aphasia. He died on March 10, 2004, in Toronto.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1961 The Canadians Greer 1964 Dr. Strangelove Mr. Staines 1966 The Marvel Super Heroes Thor/ Don Blake (Voice)1969 Change of Mind Bill Chambers 1971 The Crowd Inside Wealthy older man 1971 The Reincarnate Everett Julian 1974 Alien Thunder Arthur Ballentyne - Indian Agent 1974 A Star Is Lost! Billy Norman 1977 Welcome to Blood City Webb 1977 Rituals Jesse 1981 Tulips Florist Uncredited1982 If You Could See What I Hear Dean Franklin 1983 Videodrome Brian O'Blivion 1983 The Magic Show Shumway 1983 All in Good Taste Lou Melnik 1986 Police Academy 3: Back in Training Mr. Bellows 1986 Spearfield's Daughter Stephen Jensen 1987 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Judge

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