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Tom Jackson (actor)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dale Jackson, OC
(born 27 October 1948), is a Canadian born Métis
actor and singer perhaps best known for the annual series of Christmas
concerts, called the Huron Carole
, which he created and starred in for 17 years. He is the Chancellor of Trent University
.
, Jackson was born to Rose, a Cree
, and Marshall, an Englishman
, on the One Arrow Reserve
near Batoche, Saskatchewan
. He moved with his family to Namao, Alberta
, at age seven. They moved again to Winnipeg
when he was fourteen. A year later, he dropped out of high school and lived on the streets for several years.
As an actor he has starred in TV shows such as North of 60
and Shining Time Station
where his character Billy Twofeathers debuted in its Halloween episode Scare Dares, and made a guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation
in the season seven episode Journey's End. His films include The Diviners
.
He also starred in Grizzly Falls
, in 1999. His film career remains active with his appearance in the horror thriller, Skinwalkers
( 2007).
He has also released several albums of country and folk music.
He now resides in Calgary
with his wife Alison and four children.
, Jackson created an annual series of Christmas
concerts called the Huron Carole
. Featuring Jackson and numerous other Canadian singers and performers, the Huron Carole troupe travels across the country each year, raising money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. An album of Christmas songs recorded to tie-in with the tour is an annual best seller in Canada. After 17 years, Jackson retired the Huron Carole and in its place launched Singing for Supper, a cross-Canada tour that plays smaller community venues raising money and gifts of food, during the 2005 Christmas season.
In the spring of 1997 Jackson's home town was bracing for "the flood of the century" that had already put towns south of the US/Canada border under water. Jackson was instrumental in organizing flood relief concerts across the nation (Calgary, Winnipeg).
and is a former member of the Order of Canada
Advisory Council. He has been nominated for Juno Awards and Gemini Awards. He has also received honours from several Canadian universities, including honorary degrees from the University of Calgary
, Trent University
and the University of Lethbridge
. He also received the Humanitarian Award at the 2007 Juno Awards
due to his charitable efforts.
On April 14, 2009, Jackson was announced as the tenth chancellor for Trent University.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 27 October 1948), is a Canadian born Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
actor and singer perhaps best known for the annual series of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
concerts, called the Huron Carole
Huron Carole
The Huron Carole was a yearly fundraiser that collected donations for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. It did this for 17 years and collected more than $3.55 million dollars, and numerous tonnes of food. The tour travelled across Canada and played at many stops from the east coast, all the...
, which he created and starred in for 17 years. He is the Chancellor of Trent University
Trent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
.
Life and career
A MétisMétis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
, Jackson was born to Rose, a Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
, and Marshall, an Englishman
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the One Arrow Reserve
One Arrow First Nation
One Arrow First Nation is a Canadian Cree First Nation. Its reserve is located just south of Batoche, Saskatchewan near the South Saskatchewan River about 100 km Northeast of Saskatoon. The One Arrow First Nation is in the aspen parkland biome. It is bordered by the Rural Municipalities of St....
near Batoche, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. He moved with his family to Namao, Alberta
Namao, Alberta (designated place)
Namao is an unincorporated community in Alberta, Canada within Sturgeon County that is recognized as a designated place by Statistics Canada. It is located on the south side of Township Road 554, east of Highway 28....
, at age seven. They moved again to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
when he was fourteen. A year later, he dropped out of high school and lived on the streets for several years.
As an actor he has starred in TV shows such as North of 60
North of 60
North of 60 is a mid-1990s Canadian television series depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest . It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is set in the fictional community of Lynx River, a primarily Native-run town depicted as being in the...
and Shining Time Station
Shining Time Station
Shining Time Station is an American children's television series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Quality Family Entertainment in New York for New York City PBS Station WNET, and was filmed first in New York and then in Toronto...
where his character Billy Twofeathers debuted in its Halloween episode Scare Dares, and made a guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
in the season seven episode Journey's End. His films include The Diviners
The Diviners
The Diviners is a novel by Margaret Laurence. Published by McClelland & Stewart in 1974, it was Laurence's final novel, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian literature....
.
He also starred in Grizzly Falls
Grizzly Falls
Grizzly Falls is a film from 1999 about a boy and a bear, set in British Columbia in the early 20th century.-Plot:The film starts with an old man, Harry Banks telling his grandson and granddaughter about his life as a young boy in the early 20th century.The tale begins: Harry as a boy is in his...
, in 1999. His film career remains active with his appearance in the horror thriller, Skinwalkers
Skinwalkers (film)
Skinwalkers is a 2006 horror-action film about werewolves, and was released in the United States by Lions Gate Entertainment and After Dark Films. Directed by James Isaac, it stars Jason Behr, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra, and Tom Jackson...
( 2007).
He has also released several albums of country and folk music.
He now resides in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
with his wife Alison and four children.
Philanthropy
A well-known philanthropistPhilanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, Jackson created an annual series of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
concerts called the Huron Carole
Huron Carole
The Huron Carole was a yearly fundraiser that collected donations for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. It did this for 17 years and collected more than $3.55 million dollars, and numerous tonnes of food. The tour travelled across Canada and played at many stops from the east coast, all the...
. Featuring Jackson and numerous other Canadian singers and performers, the Huron Carole troupe travels across the country each year, raising money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. An album of Christmas songs recorded to tie-in with the tour is an annual best seller in Canada. After 17 years, Jackson retired the Huron Carole and in its place launched Singing for Supper, a cross-Canada tour that plays smaller community venues raising money and gifts of food, during the 2005 Christmas season.
In the spring of 1997 Jackson's home town was bracing for "the flood of the century" that had already put towns south of the US/Canada border under water. Jackson was instrumental in organizing flood relief concerts across the nation (Calgary, Winnipeg).
Honorary degrees
Jackson has been honoured several times for his life's work. Most notably in 2000 he was made an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and is a former member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
Advisory Council. He has been nominated for Juno Awards and Gemini Awards. He has also received honours from several Canadian universities, including honorary degrees from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, Trent University
Trent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
and the University of Lethbridge
University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge is a publicly-funded comprehensive academic and research university, founded in the liberal education tradition, located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with two other urban campuses in Calgary and Edmonton. The main building sits among the coulees on the west side of...
. He also received the Humanitarian Award at the 2007 Juno Awards
Juno Awards of 2007
The Juno Awards of 2007 were hosted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on the weekend ending 1 April 2007. These ceremonies honoured music industry achievements in Canada during most of 2006...
due to his charitable efforts.
On April 14, 2009, Jackson was announced as the tenth chancellor for Trent University.
Filmography
This filmography has been adapted from IMDb.- Befriend and Betray (2011) (TV) .... Guy Poirier
- Little Mosque on the PrairieLittle Mosque on the PrairieLittle Mosque on the Prairie is a Canadian sitcom on CBC, created by Zarqa Nawaz and produced by WestWind Pictures. It is filmed in Toronto, Ontario and Indian Head, Saskatchewan...
.... Archaeologist (2007) - SkinwalkersSkinwalkers (film)Skinwalkers is a 2006 horror-action film about werewolves, and was released in the United States by Lions Gate Entertainment and After Dark Films. Directed by James Isaac, it stars Jason Behr, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra, and Tom Jackson...
(2006) .... Will - Law & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
.... Chief Johnson (2006) - Mee-Shee: The Water GiantMee-Shee: The Water GiantMee-Shee: The Water Giant is an Anglo-German family film shot in New Zealand and released in 2005. It stars Bruce Greenwood, Rena Owen, Tom Jackson and Daniel Magder....
(2005) .... Custer - Distant Drumming: A North of 60 Mystery (2005) (TV) .... Peter Kenidi
- Tom StoneTom Stone (TV series)Tom Stone is a crime drama series that ran in Canada on the CBC for two 13-episode seasons beginning in 2002. In the United States, the series is syndicated by Program Partners and Sony Pictures Television under the title Stone Undercover...
.... Ray Swiftwater (2002) - Relic HunterRelic HunterRelic Hunter is an anglophone Canadian television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. Actress Lindy Booth also starred for the first two seasons; Tanja Reichert replaced her for the third...
.... Bobby Green (2002) - Dream Storm: A North of 60 Mystery (2001) (TV) .... Peter Kenidi
- Trial by Fire (2000) (TV) .... Peter Kenidi
- It's Like, You Know...It's Like, You Know...It's Like, You Know... was a short-lived American situation comedy television series broadcast by ABC, starring Jennifer Grey, Evan Handler, Steven Eckholdt, A.J. Langer and Chris Eigeman, about life in Los Angeles viewed through the eyes of a diehard New Yorker, Arthur Garment...
.... Father (1999) - Grizzly FallsGrizzly FallsGrizzly Falls is a film from 1999 about a boy and a bear, set in British Columbia in the early 20th century.-Plot:The film starts with an old man, Harry Banks telling his grandson and granddaughter about his life as a young boy in the early 20th century.The tale begins: Harry as a boy is in his...
(1999) .... Joshua - Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
.... Peter Matthews (1998) - North of 60North of 60North of 60 is a mid-1990s Canadian television series depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest . It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is set in the fictional community of Lynx River, a primarily Native-run town depicted as being in the...
.... Peter Kenidi (1992–1997) - Great Canadian Ghost Stories (1995) .... Host
- SlidersSlidersSliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
.... Color Commentator (1 episode, 1995) - 500 Nations500 Nations500 Nations is an eight part documentary on the Native Americans of North and Central America. It documents from pre-Columbian to the end of the 19th century. Much of the information comes from text, eyewitnesses, pictorials, and computer graphics....
(1995) (TV miniseries) (voice) - Street LegalStreet Legal (TV series)Street Legal is a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television from 1987 to 1994.-Synopsis:A spinoff from the 1985 television movie Shellgame, Street Legal focused on the professional and private lives of the partners in a small Toronto, Ontario law firm, Barr, Robinovitch and Tchobanian...
.... David Cormier / ... (3 episodes, 1988–1994) - Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.... Lakanta (1994) - Spirit Rider (1993) (TV) .... Albert St. Clair
- Medicine RiverMedicine RiverMedicine River is a novel written by author Thomas King. It was first published by Viking Canada in 1989. The book was later adapted into a television movie starring Graham Greene and Tom Jackson.-Plot summary:...
(1993) (TV) .... Harlen Bigbear - The DivinersThe DivinersThe Diviners is a novel by Margaret Laurence. Published by McClelland & Stewart in 1974, it was Laurence's final novel, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian literature....
(1993) (TV) .... Jules - Shining Time StationShining Time StationShining Time Station is an American children's television series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Quality Family Entertainment in New York for New York City PBS Station WNET, and was filmed first in New York and then in Toronto...
.... Billy Twofeathers (1991–1993) - ClearcutClearcut (film)Clearcut is a 1991 Canadian drama film about clearcutting in a Canadian province. This motion picture stars Graham Greene, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Tom Jackson, and Raoul Trujillo. It is directed by Ryszard Bugajski. The filming location was in Thunder Bay, Ontario...
(1991) .... Tom Starblanket - Martha, Ruth & Edie (1988)
- Loyalties (1986) .... Eddy
- Spirit BaySpirit BaySpirit Bay was an aboriginal family television show of 14 half-hour episodes that aired on CBC and TV Ontario from 1980 to 1986. The show focuses on the lives of townsfolk on an Ojibwe reservation town in MacDiarmid, Ontario. Here, the residents have adapted to white society while retaining...
(1985) .... Will - Happy Bum (1980) .... Happy
Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1990 | Sally Ann |
| Love, Lust and Longing | |
| 1996 | No Regrets |
| 1997 | Home This Christmas |
| That Side of the Window | |
| 2001 | I Will Bring You Near |
Singles
| Year | Single | CAN Country | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "No Regrets" | 43 | No Regrets |
| 1995 | "Few and Far Between" | 47 | |
| "Humble Me" | |||
| 1997 | "Dance with the Devil" | That Side of the Window | |
| 1998 | "Before the Owl Calls My Name" | ||
| "That Side of the Window" | |||
| 2002 | "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" | I Will Bring You Near |