Bernard Behrens


Bernard Behrens was a British-Canadian actor.
He was noted as a two-time Gemini Award winner, winning Best Actor in a Television Film or Miniseries at the 6th Gemini Awards in 1992 for his performance in the dramatic anthology series Saying Goodbye, and Canadian [Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series|Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series] at the 9th Gemini Awards in 1995 for the television film Coming of Age.

Early life

Born and raised in London, England, he moved to Canada at the start of World War II. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he cofounded a theatre company there with Bill Walker, Helene Winston and Peggy Green in 1951.

Career

Stage

Although he often had supporting or guest roles in film and television, he was principally associated with stage roles for theatre companies such as the Dominion Drama Festival, the Canadian Players and the Stratford Festival, as well as sometimes returning to the United Kingdom to perform at the Bristol Old Vic.

Screen

Television

Behrens appeared on-screen as early as 1961, in a CBC teleplay of Shakespeare's Macbeth in the role of Lennox, along with Sean Connery as Macbeth and Zoe Caldwell as Lady Macbeth. The five parts were originally broadcast separately, and later combined, edited, and re-released as a single ninety-minute presentation in 1962.
With his stage experience, he followed up Macbeth with other dramatic plays in television series such as CBC's anthology Playdate in the 1962 episode "Mr. Oblomov," a 1946 play by John Coulter, derived from Ivan Goncharov's 1859 novel, Oblomov. That same year, Behrens appeared on CBC's anthology Festival playing Orazio in "The Queen and the Rebels" adapted from Ugo Betti's 1949 play. He would appear several more times on Playdate through the 1960s, and in other such series like the CBC Show of the Week in "Rasputin was a Nice Old Man".
Behrens also appeared in episodic series from the 1960s and 1970s such as McQueen, Great Performances, Little House on the Prairie and The Bionic Woman, both in 1977, Starsky & Hutch and Columbo both in 1978. Beginning in the mid-70s, He also appeared in television miniseries and films, such as Captains and the Kings, A Question of Guilt, and Friendly Fire.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Behrens played roles in television films like A [Little Piece of Heaven |A Little Piece of Heaven], and Incident in a Small Town. Behrens played two doctor roles on the espionage/crime fighting series Counterstrike. In the 1990 episode "Counterstrike episodes#ep17|Mindbender]" he played a psychiatrist Dr. Burns, who examines Stephen Shellen's character Luke Brenner after Luke received brainwashing from the KGB. In the 1991 episode "Village of the Damned" Behrens plays biologist Dr. Joseph Severn, who goes murderously mad after being sprayed by pesticide bonded with an hallucinogen. Between 1993 and 1996 he had three different roles on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.
In addition to his two 1990s Gemini awards, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series at the 1st Gemini Awards in 1986 for the television film Turning to Stone, and Best Guest Actor in a Drama at the 20th Gemini Awards for an appearance on This Is Wonderland.

Film

Behrens appeared in a score of theatrical films, beginning in the 1970s in James Goldstone's romantic adventure Swashbuckler, and in Claude Lelouch's French Western film Another Man, Another Chance.
In 1980, Behrens was cast as Robert Lingstrom in Peter Medak's supernatural horror The Changeling. Behrens was often cast as doctors which he portrayed in Jack Smight's romantic comedy Loving Couples and Daniel Petrie's drama Resurrection, both released in 1980, and again in Clarke Mackey's drama Taking Care. Other films in the '80s include the science fiction horror Galaxy of Terror, Clint Eastwood's action techno-thriller Firefox, Carl Reiner's sci-fi black comedy The Man With Two Brains, Howard Zieff's romantic comedy Unfaithfully Yours, and Jesse Vint's comedy Another Chance.
In 1990, he played another doctor, Winslow, in the Canadian drama Beautiful Dreamers, and played Doc Milgrom in George Gallo's holiday crime comedy Trapped in Paradise. He also appeared in films directed by Keith Gordon, including his 1996 romantic war drama Mother Night as Dr. Lionel Jones, and his 2000 mystery drama Waking the Dead as Father Stanton. In 1999, he played Mayor Claire in John Paizs' Canadian comedy-horror Top of the Food Chain, and Monsieur Farrin in Jerry Ciccoritti's crime thriller The Life Before This.

Radio

In 1981 he voiced the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a radio dramatization of Star Wars for National Public Radio.

Personal life

Behrens was married to Canadian actress Deborah Cass. He died in 2012, just 9 days prior to his 86th birthday.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1961MacbethLennoxTeleplay. CBC
1962PlaydateZakharEpisode: "Mr. Oblomov"
1962FestivalOrazioEpisode: "The Queen and the Rebels"
1962FestivalCaptain BaltinskyEpisode: "The Offshore Island"
1968CBC Show of the WeekFrameEpisode: "Rasputin was a Nice Old Man"
1969McQueenEpisode: "How Could You Use a Poor Maiden So"
1975Great PerformancesSir Peter TeazleEpisode: "List of [Great Performances episodes#Season 2 |The School for Scandal]"
1976Captains and the KingsGentlemanTV miniseries
1977Little House on the PrairieBailey FarrellEpisode: Little House on the Prairie episodes#ep72|The Creeper of Walnut Grove]"
1977The Bionic WomanBeaumont / Major Petrov2 episodes
1978Starsky & HutchHaley Gavin1 episode
1978A Question of GuiltD.A. KochTV movie
1978ColumboGeorge O'Connell1 episode
1979Friendly FireDietrichTV movie
1981Born to Be SoldJudgeTV movie
1982Hill Street BluesBank Manager1 episode
1983In Defense of KidsEdgar DempseyTV movie
1985Highway to HeavenDr. Sheaffer1 episode
1986Turning to StoneProfessor CampbellTV movie
1986A Deadly BusinessPurchasing AgentTV movie
1986The Canadian ConspiracyTV movie
1986Christmas EveDeanTV movie
1987Haunted by Her PastKaren's FatherTV movie
1987A Nest of Singing BirdsEddie WiebeTV movie
1988The Ann Jillian StoryFather ThompsonTV movie
1989Glory Enough for AllFrederick AllenTV movie
1989Sorry, Wrong NumberDr. FisherTV movie
1989Christmas in America: A Love StoryTV movie
1990Love and Hate: A Marriage Made in HellJudge MacPhersonTV movie
1990Murder Times SevenJudge Harry RhoadesTV movie
1990CounterstrikeDr. BurnsEpisode: "Mindbender"
1990–1991Dracula: The SeriesGustav Helsing21 episodes
1991A Little [Piece of Heaven |A Little Piece of Heaven]Cecil LoomisTV movie
1991CounterstrikeDr. Joseph SevernEpisode: "Village of the Damned"-
1992Saying GoodbyeEpisode: "A Home Alone"
1992A Town Torn ApartAngus MacLeanTV movie
1993Ghost MomDr MalloryTV movie
1993Coming of AgeArthur StoneTV movie
1993–1996Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesAndrei / M. Desjardin / George3 episodes
1994Incident in a Small TownJudge GreevesTV movie
1995The Possession of Michael D.Dr. JerryTV movie
1995HiroshimaAsst. Secretary of War, John J. McCloyTV movie
1995Mary Higgins Clark's Remember MeHenry SpragueTV movie
1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryCarberryTV movie
1996Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison StoryJudge GaffneyTV movie
1996A Holiday for LoveHalTV movie. AKA Christmas in My Hometown
1998Evidence of BloodDr. Vernon StarkTV movie
1998The Defenders: Taking the FirstMilton LewisTV movie
2002The Day Reagan Was ShotAttorney General William French SmithTV movie
2005This Is WonderlandFred Spreewell2 episodes