Jeanne Beker
Encyclopedia
Jeanne Beker is a Canadian
television personality, author
and newspaper columnist, who covers fashion
and lifestyle news for CTV
's FashionTelevision
, FashionTelevisionChannel
, and The Toronto Star.
who immigrated to Canada from a displaced persons camp in Austria. Jeanne was previously (from 1986 to 1998) married to Toronto radio personality Bob Magee
, but is now divorced. They have two daughters together in Toronto.
, Ontario
. She attended high school at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
. She first launched her career as an actor, landing a role in the CBC Television
sitcom Toby
in 1968. She subsequently entered the theatre program at York University
, and then went to Paris
to study mime
under Étienne Decroux
. She then returned to Canada, working for CBC Radio
as an arts and entertainment reporter in St. John's
while pursuing her theatrical career.
. She launched Citytv
's ground-breaking music magazine show The NewMusic in 1979 as co-host with J. D. Roberts and also became an entertainment reporter for CityPulse
. She briefly hosted Rockflash news segments on MuchMusic
when that station was launched, hosted MovieTelevision, and produced segments for Entertainment Tonight
.
, the role with which she has been most famously associated. In 1995, she launched @Fashion, the Internet's first-ever fashion website, for American communication giant MCI.
.
In 2010, Beker released a new clothing line entitled 'Edit' at The Bay
of which she directly edited a curated collection of designer clothing.
.
and FashionTelevisionChannel
.
On 18 March 2008, Beker walked the runway at the inaugural The Heart Truth Fashion Show at Toronto’s L’Oreal Fashion Week
at Nathan Phillips Square
in downtown Toronto
. The event was designed by The Heart and Stroke Foundation to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
In September 2008, CTV
's FashionTelevision welcomed Canadian designers Dean and Dan Caten
of Dsquared2 as they presented their fall/winter 2008 Collection at CTV’s Queen St. headquarters. Beker hosted the outdoor large scale event which was later turned into a one-hour special that aired on CTV
and FashionTelevisionChannel
.
In February 2010, Beker joined eTalk
hosts Tanya Kim
and Ben Mulroney
, along with reporters Leah Miller
and Lainey
, in Vancouver to cover the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
for CTV. On 9 February 2010, she carried the Olympic flame during the Torch Relay in Ladner, British Columbia
.
Beker has served as a judge on Canadian reality television
show Canada's Next Top Model
for the past three cycles and appeared in an episode of the Rick Mercer Report
that aired on 3 November 2009. In January 2010, Beker appeared on CBC
's Dragons' Den
, kicking off its fifth season as a special guest expert.
, one of the world's largest HIV
/AIDS
fundraising events. She is also on the honorary board of Gilda's Club
and has been involved with numerous charitable organizations over the years. In 2006, she was honoured with the prestigious "Crystal" lifetime achievement award by Women in Film and Television. Beker was awarded the Vantage Women of Originality Award, and was also the recipient of the Variety Club Diamond Award.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television personality, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and newspaper columnist, who covers fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
and lifestyle news for CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
's FashionTelevision
FashionTelevision
FashionTelevision, also known as FT, is a Canadian-produced special interest show focusing on fashion. The show,created by Jay Levine in 1985 is hosted by Jeanne Beker...
, FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel broadcasts programming related to fashion, modelling, photography, art, architecture and design...
, and The Toronto Star.
Family
Jeanne Beker was born in Toronto, Ontario to father Joseph Beker and mother Bronia Beker, two Holocaust survivors born in Kosowa, PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
who immigrated to Canada from a displaced persons camp in Austria. Jeanne was previously (from 1986 to 1998) married to Toronto radio personality Bob Magee
Bob Magee
Bob Magee is the professional name of Denny O'Neil, a Canadian radio personality. Formerly, he was co-host of the morning show on CING-FM in Toronto. Previously to that, he hosted the afternoon drive time show on Toronto's CHFI-FM from 2003 until 2009...
, but is now divorced. They have two daughters together in Toronto.
Early life
Beker was born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. She attended high school at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute is a semestered secondary school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 20 Tillplain Road. It was built in 1960 to accommodate the skyrocketing number of new students in what was then known as North York, and to ease overcrowding at Northview Collegiate...
. She first launched her career as an actor, landing a role in the CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
sitcom Toby
Toby (TV series)
Toby was a Canadian sitcom, which aired on CBC Television in the 1968-69 television season. The show starred Susan Petrie as Toby Mitchell, a teenage girl juggling her family life and her friendship with Quebec exchange student J. J. Roberge...
in 1968. She subsequently entered the theatre program at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, and then went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to study mime
Mime artist
A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer was referred to as a mummer...
under Étienne Decroux
Étienne Decroux
Étienne Decroux studied at Jacques Copeau's Ecole du Vieux-Colombier, where he saw the beginnings of what was to become his life's obsession–Corporeal Mime...
. She then returned to Canada, working for CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
as an arts and entertainment reporter in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
while pursuing her theatrical career.
Career
Beker returned to Toronto in 1978, producing daily lifestyle and entertainment features for 1050 CHUMCHUM (AM)
CHUM, branded as TSN Radio 1050, broadcasting at 1050 kHz in the AM band, is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned and operated by Bell Media....
. She launched Citytv
CITY-TV
CITY-DT, Channel 57 , is a television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned and operated by Rogers Media...
's ground-breaking music magazine show The NewMusic in 1979 as co-host with J. D. Roberts and also became an entertainment reporter for CityPulse
CityNews
CityNews is the title of local television newscasts currently seen on CITY-TV Toronto, Canada. It premiered on September 12, 1977 under the name CityPulse, then spread to Citytv stations in other cities across Canada. Due to severe financial issues, as of January 19, 2010, the only station that...
. She briefly hosted Rockflash news segments on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
when that station was launched, hosted MovieTelevision, and produced segments for Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
.
From Music Reporting to Fashion Journalism
In 1985 she became host of FashionTelevisionFashionTelevision
FashionTelevision, also known as FT, is a Canadian-produced special interest show focusing on fashion. The show,created by Jay Levine in 1985 is hosted by Jeanne Beker...
, the role with which she has been most famously associated. In 1995, she launched @Fashion, the Internet's first-ever fashion website, for American communication giant MCI.
Clothing Lines
From 2001 - 2002, Beker had her own limited edition fashion lines, "Jeanne Beker", for Eaton's, and "Inside Out by Jeanne Beker", with Sears CanadaSears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
.
In 2010, Beker released a new clothing line entitled 'Edit' at The Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
of which she directly edited a curated collection of designer clothing.
Books
- Jeanne Unbottled: Adventures in High Style (2001, StoddartStoddartStoddart may refer to:People*Andrew Stoddart , English cricketer and rugby union player*Archibald Peile Stoddart , Rear-Admiral of the Royal Navy, Commander of the 5th cruiser squadron at the Battle of the Falklands...
, ISBN 0-7737-3266-7) - The Big Night Out (2005, Tundra BooksTundra BooksTundra Books is the oldest children's book publisher in Canada.Tundra Books was founded in 1967 by May Cutler, a Montreal-based writer and editor. Cutler established the publishing company in the basement of her home, becoming the first woman to publish children's books in Canada. The U.S...
, ISBN 978-0-88776-719-7) - Passion for Fashion: Careers in Style (2008, Tundra BooksTundra BooksTundra Books is the oldest children's book publisher in Canada.Tundra Books was founded in 1967 by May Cutler, a Montreal-based writer and editor. Cutler established the publishing company in the basement of her home, becoming the first woman to publish children's books in Canada. The U.S...
, ISBN 978-0-88776-800-2) - Strutting It!: The Grit Behind the Glamour" (2011, Tundra BooksTundra BooksTundra Books is the oldest children's book publisher in Canada.Tundra Books was founded in 1967 by May Cutler, a Montreal-based writer and editor. Cutler established the publishing company in the basement of her home, becoming the first woman to publish children's books in Canada. The U.S...
, ISBN 978-1770492240) - Finding Myself In Fashion" (2011, Penguin GroupPenguin GroupThe Penguin Group is a trade book publisher, the largest in the world , having overtaken Random House in 2009. The Penguin Group is the name of the incorporated division of parent Pearson PLC that oversees these publishing operations...
, ISBN 978-0670064571)
Editor-in-Chief
From 2003-2009, Beker was the editor-in-chief of FQ Magazine and SIR, published by Kontent Group in Toronto. A Citytv documentary series entitled Cover Stories debuted in 2006, following Beker and the Kontent Group team as they publish each issue of FQ. The series currently re-runs on FashionTelevisionChannelFashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel broadcasts programming related to fashion, modelling, photography, art, architecture and design...
.
Exclusives & Features
In January 2008, Beker landed an exclusive interview with designer Valentino before the designer announced his retirement from the fashion world. The interview was turned into an authorized biography special which later aired on CTVCTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
and FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel broadcasts programming related to fashion, modelling, photography, art, architecture and design...
.
On 18 March 2008, Beker walked the runway at the inaugural The Heart Truth Fashion Show at Toronto’s L’Oreal Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
at Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965, and, as with the City Hall, the square was...
in downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The event was designed by The Heart and Stroke Foundation to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
In September 2008, CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
's FashionTelevision welcomed Canadian designers Dean and Dan Caten
Dean and Dan Caten
Dean and Dan Caten are identical twin brother fashion designers and the creators of DSquared2, a high-end fashion label.-Early life and career:...
of Dsquared2 as they presented their fall/winter 2008 Collection at CTV’s Queen St. headquarters. Beker hosted the outdoor large scale event which was later turned into a one-hour special that aired on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
and FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel
FashionTelevisionChannel is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel broadcasts programming related to fashion, modelling, photography, art, architecture and design...
.
In February 2010, Beker joined eTalk
ETalk
etalk is a Canadian entertainment news show hosted by Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim. It airs weekdays weeknights at 7 p.m. ET on CTV, at 1:30 p.m. ET on CTV Two and at 6 p.m. ET and 11:30 p.m. ET on E!...
hosts Tanya Kim
Tanya Kim
Tanya Kim is a Canadian television personality. A classically trained pianist and dancer, Kim was raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She attended Ryerson University from 1994 to 1998, graduating from the journalism program, specializing in broadcasting, and worked as a videographer at MuchMusic...
and Ben Mulroney
Ben Mulroney
Benedict Martin Paul "Ben" Mulroney is a Canadian television host, and is the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.-Early life:...
, along with reporters Leah Miller
Leah Miller
Leah Miller is a former MuchMusic VJ from Toronto, and current host for So You Think You Can Dance Canada. She is also a correspondent for the entertainment news show ETalk.-Early life:...
and Lainey
Elaine Lui
Elaine "Lainey" Lui is a self-proclaimed gossip maven. She pens a website, laineygossip.com, and is a reporter for CTV's etalk.- Early life and education :...
, in Vancouver to cover the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
for CTV. On 9 February 2010, she carried the Olympic flame during the Torch Relay in Ladner, British Columbia
Ladner, British Columbia
Ladner was created as a fishing village on the banks of the Fraser River. It is a part of the Municipality of Delta, British Columbia, Canada, and a suburb of Vancouver....
.
Beker has served as a judge on Canadian reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Canada's Next Top Model
Canada's Next Top Model
Canada's Next Top Model is a Canadian reality show in which female contestants compete for the title "Canada's Next Top Model" and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry...
for the past three cycles and appeared in an episode of the Rick Mercer Report
Rick Mercer Report
Rick Mercer Report is a Canadian television comedy series which airs on CBC Television...
that aired on 3 November 2009. In January 2010, Beker appeared on CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
's Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den (Canada)
Dragons' Den is a Canadian television reality show, based on the internationally franchised Dragons' Den format, in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists in the hopes of securing business financing. The show debuted on October 3, 2006 on CBC Television...
, kicking off its fifth season as a special guest expert.
Awards
Beker was an honorary chair of Toronto's annual Fashion CaresFashion Cares
Fashion Cares is an annual event held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that seeks to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, as well as raise funds for the AIDS Committee of Toronto . Since its inception in 1987, it, with assistance from local and national businesses, has raised over $10 million through...
, one of the world's largest HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
fundraising events. She is also on the honorary board of Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club, named in tribute to the late comic actress Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, is a community meeting place for people living with cancer, their families and friends. There are 22 open clubhouses and nine in development in North America...
and has been involved with numerous charitable organizations over the years. In 2006, she was honoured with the prestigious "Crystal" lifetime achievement award by Women in Film and Television. Beker was awarded the Vantage Women of Originality Award, and was also the recipient of the Variety Club Diamond Award.