Louis Del Grande

Louis Del Grande (born March 23, 1943) is a Canadian-American television writer and actor. He is best known for starring in the Canadian mystery/comedy series Seeing Things.

Louis Del Grande
Born (1943-03-23) March 23, 1943
Union City, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, producer
SpouseMartha Gibson

Early life

Del Grande was born and raised in Union City, New Jersey.[1] By the late-1980s, he moved to Cape Breton Island.[2]

Career

Del Grande moved to Toronto in 1964, drawn to Canada by the Stratford Festival,[1] and soon found work as a stand-up comedian and comedy writer. In 1975, he was hired as head writer for a new sitcom, The King of Kensington, which became a hit in Canada until the end of the decade. He also appeared in the show a handful of times as Fred, a friend of Al Waxman's lead character Larry King. Del Grande later became (with Jack Humphries) the show's co-producer (a Fifth Estate documentary said the two producers ran Kensington "with an iron hand").

When asked by the CBC if he had any projects he could star in, Del Grande created, wrote and produced Seeing Things,[1] which aired from 1981 to 1987. Del Grande played a crime-solving clairvoyant tabloid reporter who was separated from his wife Marge (played by Del Grande's real-life wife, actress Martha Gibson). The series was popular and won Del Grande four Gemini Awards, two for best actor in a comedy and two for the show itself.

Outside Canada, Del Grande is probably best known as the ConSec scanner in the infamous "head explosion" scene in the David Cronenberg movie Scanners.[3] He has also appeared in numerous theatrical and television movies and series, including Monkeys in the Attic, Due South, The Outer Limits and Goosebumps.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Second Wind Howie
1980 Atlantic City Mr. Shapiro
1981 Scanners First Scanner
1981 Happy Birthday to Me Surgeon
1983 Of Unknown Origin Clete
1989 Speed Zone Mr. Benson
1992 Buried on Sunday Prime Minister
1993 Cadillac Girls Adam
1997 Hostile Intent Soames
2016 The Second Time Around Charlie

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1973–1975 Dr. Simon Locke Man / Al Kutner / Boulder 3 episodes
1975, 1979 King of Kensington Fred 2 episodes
1978 Home to Stay Richard Television film
1978 Tom and Joann Norman, guest
1980, 1981 The Littlest Hobo Kent / Detective Woods 2 episodes
1981 A Far Cry from Home Lawyer Television film
1981–1987 Seeing Things Louis Ciccone / King Stefan 43 episodes
1988 The Elephant Show Willy Bookem Episode: "The Early Years"
1990 Sanity Clause Leo Television film
1990 Clarence Brimmer
1991 Tropical Heat Glenn Lawson Episode: "Big Brother Is Watching"
1995 Sugartime Chuckie English Television film
1996 Due South Lyndon Buxley Episode: "We Are the Eggmen"
1997 F/X: The Series Director Episode: "Medea"
1997 North Shore Fish Markie Television film
1997 Let Me Call You Sweetheart Joe
1997 Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants Colombe
1998 The Outer Limits Detective Renfro Episode: "Criminal Nature"
1998 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Frank Stonehouse Television film
1998 Goosebumps Mr. Saur Episode: "Say Cheese and Die... Again"
1998 The Dumb Bunnies Mr. Grudge Episode: "Stressed to Impress"
1998 Traders Sonny Palin Episode: "Independence Days"
1999 Family of Cops 3 Sean the Bartender Television film
1999 Ned's Newt Dump Hermit / Big Criminal 2 episodes
1999, 2002 Lexx Louie / Roada
2000 Big Wolf on Campus Dr. Frank Stein Episode: "Frank Stein"

References
  1. Kaufman, Michael T. (1984-05-21). "AMERICAN MYSTERY SERIES FOR CANADIAN TV A HIT". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  2. Berger, Nadine (1 February 1985). "Keeping an eye on Seeing Things creator Louis Del Grande" (Interview). CBC. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  3. Meyers, Ric (2011). For One Week Only: The World of Exploitation Films. Eirini Press. ISBN 978-0-9799989-3-5.
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