Colin R. Fox (November 20, 1938 – April 5, 2025) was a Canadian actor, who appeared in various Canadian and American films and television series. His best known roles included Jean Paul Desmond / Jacques Eloi Des Mondes on Strange Paradise (1969–70), Professor Anton Hendricks on PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996–2000), and Fritz Brenner on A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–02).
Fox also provided voiceover work for animated projects like The Legend of Zelda (1989), Rupert (1991–97), X-Men: The Animated Series (1996), and Atomic Betty (2004–08). The latter earned him a Gemini Award for Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series.
Career His acting credits included playing Jean Paul Desmond and Jacques Eloi Des Mondes (the latter speaking to his descendant from the portrait) in Strange Paradise (CBC/Syndicated, 1969–70), as well as voice work in various animated series, and in other roles in film, television and on the stage. He created the role of Walter Telford, an attorney on the series High Hopes. His most famous role may be that of Anton Hendricks in the TV series PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal. He also appeared in Shining Time Station episode, "Schemer's Special Club", as the misogynistic and racist Nicklear Club President and owner Mr. Hobart Hume III.
Fox was well known for his portrayal of Swiss chef Fritz Brenner in the A&E TV original series, A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–2002), and the series pilot, The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2000). Fox's Fritz is a complex person, like the Fritz portrayed in the books, but does not joke with Archie as much. A running joke in the series is the offscreen sound of pots and pans falling and dishes breaking when Fritz is annoyed or upset. In "Eeny Meeny Murder Mo", Fritz gets drunk after a woman is murdered in Wolfe's office and Wolfe refuses to eat.
Fox played cunning, ruthless villains in three episodes of the Canadian TV show Friday the 13th: The Series. The first was monk Rupert LeCroix in "The Poisoned Pen" wielding a cursed quill pen that caused whatever was written by it to actually happen. The second was Sylvan Winters, taxidermist and Satanic Cult leader – who actually killed lead character, Micki Foster (Louise Robey) with the deadly Coin of Zaecles in the episode, "Tails I Live, Heads You Die." The third was German scientist Horst Mueller in "The Butcher," who used a silver amulet – a swastika enclosed in a circle – to resurrect a Nazi war criminal, Colonel Rausch a.k.a. The Butcher.
He also supplied the voice of the Professor in Rupert, the archvillain The Wizard in The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland and Newton the turtle from Peep and the Big Wide World.
Personal life and death Fox was born in Aldershot, Ontario, Canada on November 20, 1938. He was a 1965 graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. He was married to Carol Bermingham-Fox, and was the stepfather to her daughter, Sarah, from a previous marriage. Carol predeceased him, dying of cancer in 2015. He lived in Elora, Ontario, just outside Toronto, in an 1860s Victorian home.
Fox died in Fergus, Ontario on April 5, 2025, at the age of 86.
Filmography
Film + Year Title Role Notes 1963 Again and Again Narrator 1969 The Three Musketeers Aramis Strange Paradise Jean Paul Desmond / Jacques Eloi Des Monde 1971 The Reincarnate Ormsby 1975 My Pleasure Is My Business Freddie 1979 Chocolate Eclair (Éclair au chocolat) Le businessman américain 1980 Virus Spy Z 1981 Silence of the North Arthur Herriot 1982 Murder by Phone Dr. Alderman 1983 A Christmas Story Ming the Merciless Scenes deleted 1984 Covergirl Maitre d' Real Inside Arthur Mudgin Short 1987 The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland The Wizard (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Hello Again Clergyman 1989 Gnaw: Food of the Gods II Professor Edmond Delhurst 1990 Beautiful Dreamers Rev. Haines 1991 Money 1st Executive 1992 Scanners III: The Takeover Dr. Elton Monet 1993 On My Own Palter 1994 PCU Trustee #1 Historica Minutes: Agnes Macphail Hugh Guthrie Short 1995 Butterbox Babies Rutledge Open Season Jackson Carp Tommy Boy Nelson Voices Sir Thomas Beecham 1996 Mrs. Winterbourne Wedding Guest Daylight Roger Trilling In Love and War Dr. Hemingway L5: First City in Space Scientist-Grandfather Short 1998 Seeds of Doubt David Golden 2000 Thomas and the Magic Railroad Henry Voice, original workprints only Left Behind: The Movie Chaim Rosenzweig 2001 Chasing Holden Pappy Down to Earth Director 2002 Drummer Boy Board Chairman 2004 Perfect Strangers Sir Nigel 2008 One Week Father O'Neill Cutting for Stone Chairman 2019 The Women of Aipine Road Morgan Short 2020 Shortly to Go Cloves Short 2021 Hero Dog: The Journey Home Captain Boggs 2023 Deadly Draw Silas Ekelund 2024 Return to Wickensburg Professor McAuliffe Final role
Television + Year Title Role Notes 1974 House of Pride Dan Pride 1 episode 1975 Witness to Yesterday John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham Episode: "Lord Durham" 1977 The War Between the Tates Leonard Zimmerman Television film 1978 The Prophet from Pugwash Narrator CBC TV documentary High Hopes Walter Telford 1 episode 1979 A Man Called Intrepid Acker TV miniseries 1985 The Equalizer Consul Episode: "The Defector" 1986 The Equalizer Bishop Episode: "The Cup" My Pet Monster Professor (voice) Spenser: For Hire Father Brendan Episode: "Shadowsight" 1987–1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Victor StoutsDr. Herman Vandenburg2 episodes 1987–1989 Friday the 13th: The Series Le CroixSylvan WintersHorst Mueller3 episodes 1987–1990 Street Legal Dr. Peter MarchesonLowell McMurrich2 episodes 1988 Biographies: The Enigma of Bobby Bittman Arthur Prince Television film 1989 The Legend of Zelda King Harkinian (voice) Main cast Passion and Paradise Axel Wenner-Gren Television film Small Sacrifices Jim Pex TV miniseries Lady in the Corner Theo Television film 1990 Counterstrike Lord Sutcliffe Episode: "Art for Art's Sake" In Defense of a Married Man Brad Monroe Television film Descending Angel Doctor Television film 1990–1992 Maniac Mansion Edward Edison4 episodes 1991 Law & Order Peter Martin Episode: "In Memory Of" Mark Twain and Me Dr. Quintard Television film A Little Piece of Heaven The Preacher Television film Conspiracy of Silence George Dangerfield TV miniseries 1991–1997 Rupert Professor 18 episodes 1992 E.N.G. Sandy Ferguson Episode: "Pressure" Deadbolt Professor Rhodes Television film In the Eyes of a Stranger Richard Television film The Sound and the Silence Samuel Langley Television film Partners 'n Love Dr. Hatch Television film 1992, 1995 Forever Knight PriestDr. Alex Nystrom2 episodes 1993 Shining Time Station Hobart Hume The Third Episode: "Schemer's Special Club" Dieppe Laffin Television film Road to Avonlea Galileo Dale Episode: "Tug of War" Bonds of Love Dr. Roche Television film Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story Joe Bembenek Television film Matrix The Man from the Other Side Episode: "The Yellow Chamber" Return to Lonesome Dove Lord Henry TV miniseries 1994 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Felson Episode: "Temple" The Mighty Jungle Harold Episode: "Guerrilla in My Midst" RoboCop: The Series Hammersmith (voice) Episode: "Sisters in Crime" Blauvogel Priest TV miniseries 1994–1996 Highlander: The Animated Series Cubert (voice) TV series 1995 The Neverending Story Large Head (voice) 9 episodes Hiroshima James Forrestal Television film Ray Lawson Episode: "The Tale of Train Magic" 1995–1996 Goosebumps Shopkeeper2 episodes 1996X-Men: The Animated SeriesPurple Man (voice)Episode: "No Mutant Is an Island" Windsor Protocol FBI Agent James K. Smith Television film The Adventures of Shirley Holmes Mr. Howie 8 episodes Sins of Silence Judge Boland Television film The Haunting of Lisa Bishop McCarthy Television film Captive Heart: The James Mink Story Lord Elgin Television film 1996–2000 PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Professor Anton Hedricks Canadian TV series 1997 Elvis Meets Nixon Sir Harold Television film End of Summer Ezra Television film Let Me Call You Sweetheart State Senator Jonathan Hoover Television film 1998 Silver Surfer Uatu the Watcher (voice) 3 episodes 1998–1999 Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend King Cepheus, Menelaus (voice)2 episodes 1999 Noddy The Sandman Episode: "The Sandman Cometh" Wind at My Back Senator Carlisle Woodman Episode: "New Directions" 2000 La Femme Nikita Gelman Episode: "Getting Out of Reverse" The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery Fritz Brenner Television film Angels in the Infield The Devil Television film Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble John Quincy Adams Television film Dirty Pictures Walsh Television film A House Divided Dr. Lovick Television film Relic Hunter Hans Lubeck Episode: "Last of the Mochicas" The Last Debate Joshua Simpson Television film Phantom of the Megaplex Wolfgang Nedermayer Television film 2001 Drive Time Murders Frederick Rankin Television film Laughter on the 23rd Floor Cal Weebs Television film The Zack Files Charles 2 episodes Prince Charming King Leo Television film 2001–2002 A Nero Wolfe Mystery Fritz Brenner 26 episodes 2002 Henry's World Mr. Wiggins 25 episodes Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story Westchester Priest Television film Salem Witch Trials Israel Porter 25 episodes 2003 America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story Richard Lawton 25 episodes Deathlands: Homeward Bound Baron Titus Cawdor 25 episodes Webs Dr. Richard Morelli 25 episodes 2004 Peep and the Big Wide World Newton 1 episode Wonderfalls Fred Bradley Episode: "Crime Dog" A Separate Peace Professor Fitzwinkler 25 episodes Plain Truth Bishop Stoflus 25 episodes The Manly Bee Doc Zombie 2004–2008 Atomic Betty Supreme Overlord Maximus IQ (voice) 41 episodes 2005 Puppets Who Kill Sir Percy Quill Episode: "Buttons the Dresser" Our Fathers Daniel Kibbe 25 episodes 2007 The Dead Zone Father Brendan Episode: "Transgressions" 2010Unnatural History Dante Morneau Episode: "Pilot" 2010–2011Bolts & Blip Dr. Blood 26 episodes 2019 Mary Kills People Priest 1 episode
Video games + Year Title Role Notes 1999 Hype: The Time Quest Additional voices
References
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