Jon Granik (December 10, 1930 - October 29, 2003) was a Canadian actor.Barry Westgate, "From radio to the movies: Career Reviewed". Edmonton Journal, December 31, 1965. Although he had radio, film, television and stage roles throughout his career, he ultimately became best known as a narrator of documentary films."Heritage on CTV". Regina Leader-Post, October 11, 1974.
Born and raised in the small rural hamlet of Pakan, Alberta, he moved to Edmonton in 1947 to attend the University of Alberta, studying modern languages while pursuing acting with community theatres due to the lack of a drama department at the university in that era. He moved to Toronto in 1954, beginning his career with stage roles for Theatre '49 and the Stratford Festival,"Theatre News—In Town and Out". Toronto Telegram, March 6, 1954. and soon appearing in episodes of television series such as Playbill, Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans, Cannonball and Hudson's Bay.
In 1966 he had his first role in a film, playing an Indigenous Canadian warrior in The Trap. In 1970 he had his first leading role in a film, as the title character in The Last Act of Martin Weston.Clyde Gilmour, "Planning a self-murder but why?". Toronto Telegram, October 2, 1970.
Through the 1970s and 1980s he had principally supporting rather than lead roles in film and television, but continued to work extensively in radio and as a documentary narrator, and was a regular performer of commercial voice-overs.Jim Bawden, "Canada's first nudie soap a boon for local beauties". Toronto Star, April 26, 1982.
With Colin Fox, he was a narrator of Islam, a 1972 CBC Television documentary series about Islam."World of Islam examined on series". Times & Transcript, June 17, 1972. For his work on the series, he received a nomination for the Earle Grey Award at the 2nd ACTRA Awards in 1973.Ron Base, "Words of love". Windsor Star, April 28, 1973.
In the 1980s he hosted Verdict, a Global Television Network true crime anthology series.Sylvia Train, "Actor blows out winter". Toronto Sun, January 10, 1986. In the early 1990s he hosted Music from Castles and Chateaux, a documentary series on classical music for VisionTV.
He died on October 29, 2003, in Toronto."Granik, Jon". Edmonton Journal, November 5, 2003.
Filmography Film The Trap - 1966 The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar - 1968 Good Times, Bad Times - 1969 The Last Act of Martin Weston - 1970 Fortune and Men's Eyes - 1971 Selling Out - 1972 Ragtime Summer - 1977 Power Play - 1978 In Praise of Older Women - 1978 Virus - 1980 Final Assignment - 1980 Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper - 1981 Hot Money - 1986 Keeping Track - 1986 The Beer Drinker's Guide to Fitness and Filmmaking - 1987
Television Playbill - 1955, one episode Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans - 1957, three episodes On Camera - 1955-58, two episodes Folio - 1955-58, three episodes General Motors Theatre - 1955-60, six episodes Cannonball - 1958, one episode Hudson's Bay - 1959, three episodes The Unforeseen - 1959-60, six episodes The Littlest Hobo - 1964, one episode The Forest Rangers - 1964, one episode Seaway - 1966, one episode Wojeck - 1968, two episodes Quentin Durgens, M.P. - 1969, one episode The Cube - 1969 Strange Paradise - 1969-70, 29 episodes Very Special Shoes - 1970 McQueen - 1970, one episode Program X - 1970-72, two episodes The Tenth Decade - 1971 The Megantic Outlaw - 1971 Islam - 1972 Follow the North Star - 1972 Dr. Simon Locke - 1972-74, three episodes To See Ourselves - 1973, one episode Salty - 1974, one episode Canadian Film Makers - 1974 The Heatwave Lasted Four Days - 1975 Sidestreet - 1975, one episode The Littlest Hobo - 1981, one episode 33 Brompton Place - 1982 Night Heat - 1985, one episode Evergreen - 1985, one episode Adderly - 1987, one episode Street Legal - 1990, one episode Divided Loyalties - 1990 E.N.G. - 1990, one episode T. and T. - 1990, one episode To Catch a Killer - 1992 Peacekeepers - 1997 Chasing Cain - 2001 Veritas: The Quest - 2003, one episode
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