Timothy Findley

1930-2002

Timothy Irving Frederick Findley -- Tiff, as he was called by almost everyone who knew him -- was born in Toronto on October 30, 1930.

At an early age, Tiff must have been touched by a muse, as he took ballet lessons aspiring to be a dancer. Very soon though, in his teens, he became a man of words -- other people's words -- as he started a career as an actor. In 1953 he was chosen to be a charter member of the Stratford Festival acting company in its inaugural season. He found acting stimulating enough to proceed to London, where he studied and graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama. His talents as an actor took him to the West End, Broadway and Moscow. During a tour of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker, Tiff's talent with words as a writer came to the attention of fellow actor and star Ruth Gordon, and of the great Mr. Wilder himself, who encouraged him to write.

He returned to Canada where he continued to act, but where the writing bug must have taken over. In the early 1960's he met his lifelong partner, Bill Whitehead, himself a writer and producer who hired Tiff as an actor. That partnership gave Tiff the support he needed to give up acting and develop a career as a writer. His natural ear for dialogue gave him the ability to write screenplays (The National Dream and Jalna with Bill Whitehead). His first two novels, The Butterfly Plague and The Last of the Crazy People garnered the attention of readers -- particularly young readers on university campuses. This third novel, The Wars, propelled him to prominence when it won the Governor General's Award in 1977. His subsequent novels made him a cherished literary figure in Canada and around the world, where his works are available in numerous translations.

Tiff had not forgotten about the theatre, however. It was in his blood and he loved to talk about it and to read plays from both new and established writers. His first play Can You See Me Yet? opened at the National Arts Centre in 1976, and has stayed in print ever since. In 1979, he wrote John A. Himself for his long-time friend William Hutt. Later in his demanding international career, he turned his pen to the theatre once again when he wrote The Stillborn Lover in 1993, followed by The Trials of Ezra Pound (originally written for radio), and Elizabeth Rex, which won the 2000 Governor General's award. At TheatreBooks, we had the great honour & thrill to launch these three plays as they were published. Tiff never questioned if we were going to host the launch -- just when! Despite the overwhelming demands of his much 'bigger' career as a novelist, he always made time to celebrate the launch of his newest play. The launch for Elizabeth Rex, which he read with Toronto actress Allegra Fulton, was a highlight in the life of TheatreBooks and will be remembered by all who attended. These readings really showed Tiff as a creature of the theatre. He loved to read to an audience of theatre people, and of course afterwards he could mix and talk theatre and writing.

Tiff's work was recognized by awards, prizes and accolades at home and around the world. He will be remembered through his work for PEN as a champion of human rights, and as a generous, loving man.

Timothy Findley was an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in France, A Chevalier De L'Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres.

He died in Provence, France on June 20, 2002.

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Last modified July 19, 2012.
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